ME Nail Technician flashcards
ME Nail Technician · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Nail technician license hours
- Maine requires at least 200 hours of Board-approved nail technology instruction before examination and licensure.
- License renewal cycle
- Maine nail technician licenses renew on a two-year cycle; late renewal requires a fee, and practicing on an expired license is a violation.
- Establishment license display
- A salon must hold a current establishment license and display it with individual licenses in a conspicuous place on the premises.
- Scope of nail technology
- Nail technology covers manicuring, pedicuring, artificial nail application, and related nail services; haircutting and skin care belong to other license categories.
- Chain of infection
- Six links: pathogen, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host; breaking any link prevents transmission.
- Hand washing duration
- Wash with soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds; use alcohol-based sanitizer only when hands are not visibly soiled.
- Disinfection
- Destroys most pathogenic organisms on nonporous surfaces using an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant for the label contact time, typically ten minutes.
- Sterilization
- Destroys all microbial life including spores; required for reusable implements that penetrate skin or contact blood, using an autoclave or dry-heat sterilizer.
- Single-use items
- Porous items such as nail files, buffers, orangewood sticks, and foot files cannot be effectively disinfected and must be discarded after each client.
- Sanitation versus disinfection
- Sanitation reduces pathogens on surfaces to a safe level, while disinfection kills most pathogens on implements; the two levels are not interchangeable.
- Disinfectant labeling
- A wet sanitizer container must be labeled with the disinfectant name and the date the solution was prepared; test strips verify concentration.
- Safety data sheets
- A safety data sheet must be on file for every chemical product used in the salon and accessible to employees, listing hazards and first-aid measures.
- Electrical safety
- Inspect cords for fraying, keep equipment away from water, and use grounded outlets with GFCI protection where required in the service area.
- Ventilation requirement
- Adequate ventilation or local exhaust is required to reduce inhalation of vapors from acrylic monomers, primers, and polish removers.
- Basic manicure sequence
- Sanitize hands, inspect nails, shape with a one-direction file, soak, push back cuticle gently, trim hangnails only, massage, polish, then disinfect implements.
- Filing direction
- File natural nails in one direction from corner to center with a fine-grit file; back-and-forth sawing and coarse files weaken the nail plate.
- Acrylic bead ratio
- A properly mixed monomer-polymer bead is smooth and workable; too wet it runs and weakens, too dry it crumbles and lifts.
- Gel polish curing
- Apply thin coats, cap the free edge, and cure under a UV or LED lamp for the specified time; undercuring causes peeling.
- Pedicure basin disinfection
- Clean debris from the basin, disinfect with an EPA-registered hospital-grade product for the full contact time, and dry before the next client.
- Standard precautions
- Treat every client's blood and body fluids as potentially infectious regardless of known status; apply the same infection-control practices to all.
- Glove use
- Gloves do not replace hand washing; wash before and after gloving and change gloves between clients and after any contamination.
- Blood exposure procedure
- Stop service, put on gloves, clean the wound, disinfect the area, and dispose of contaminated materials in a sealed bag.
- Mixing chemicals hazard
- Never mix disinfectants or cleaning chemicals; mixing bleach with ammonia or acids releases toxic gas.
- Flammable salon products
- Acrylic monomer and polish remover are flammable; keep them capped, away from heat and open flames, and out of reach of children.
- Sharps disposal
- Used nippers and other sharps go only into a rigid container, never a regular trash can, to prevent injury and exposure.
- Nail plate composition
- The nail plate is made of keratinized cells; the nail bed and matrix beneath are living tissue supplied by blood vessels and nerves.
- Nail growth rate
- Nails grow about 3 mm (1/8 inch) per month; fingernails grow faster than toenails, and growth slows with age and poor circulation.
- Matrix function
- The matrix is the living tissue at the proximal nail that produces the nail plate; injury there can permanently deform the nail.
- Hyponychium
- The seal under the free edge that keeps pathogens out; aggressive cleaning under the nail can break it and invite infection.
- Onychomycosis
- A contagious fungal nail infection presenting as thickened, yellowish, crumbly nails; it is a contraindication to service and the client should be referred.
- Paronychia
- Inflammation or infection of tissue around the nail, often from bacteria entering through a cut cuticle; presents as red, swollen, painful skin.
- Onycholysis
- Separation of the nail plate from the nail bed, often from trauma, aggressive filing, or psoriasis; do not force product under a lifted plate.