Nail Technology and Manicuring: Anatomy, Services, and Client Safety
Nail anatomy and growth
The nail plate sits over the nail bed. The matrix produces the plate; the lunula is the visible portion of the matrix. The cuticle is the nonliving seal at the base, the eponychium is the living fold above it, and the hyponychium seals under the free edge. Fingernails grow about 0.1 mm per day and replace in roughly 3–6 months; toenails take 6–12 months. Do not cut living tissue: push back the cuticle gently rather than nipping it.
Manicure and pedicure essentials
Sanitize your hands and the client's, then inspect for infection. Refer paronychia, onychomycosis, or a green-black nail to a physician and do not apply an enhancement over infection. File in one direction to avoid splitting. Use single-use files, buffers, and wooden sticks, or disinfect reusable metal implements. For pedicures, use a new liner and clean the foot spa after every client according to the manufacturer, including running disinfectant through the jets.
Enhancements
For acrylics, use the correct monomer-to-polymer ratio, avoid skin contact, and cure fully. With electric files, use low speed and light pressure to prevent heat damage. Keep dust extraction and eye protection in place.
Worked example
A client has a green discoloration under an acrylic nail. Reasoning: this suggests bacterial involvement; remove the enhancement, refer to a physician, and disinfect all implements. Do not cover it with a new enhancement.
Traps that cost marks
Cutting the cuticle; filing back and forth; reusing porous files; ignoring infection; overfilling with an electric file; skipping foot-spa disinfection.