MN Nail Technician cheat sheet

Cleaning removes visible debris with soap and water; disinfection destroys most pathogens on nonporous items; sterilization destroys all microbial life, including spores.

Implements must be washed, rinsed, and dried before immersion, because organic debris in the solution inactivates the disinfectant.

A salon disinfectant must be EPA-registered with a tuberculocidal claim and must stay in contact with the implement for the full label time (commonly 10 minutes).

Porous items that absorb liquid - emery boards, buffer blocks, wooden sticks, cotton - cannot be disinfected and are discarded after one client.

Autoclave sterilization: 15 psi at 121 degrees C (250 degrees F) for 15-30 minutes, verified with indicator tape or spore strips.

Hand washing with soap and warm running water lasts at least 20 seconds and is required before and after every service and after glove removal.

Blood or body fluid exposure: stop the service, don gloves, absorb the spill, clean the area, disinfect with an EPA tuberculocidal product, and double-bag the waste.

Common disinfectant families are quaternary ammonium, phenols, and bleach; a fresh 1:10 bleach dilution is used for blood spills.

Never double-dip implements; keep clean and contaminated items in separate labeled containers, and keep the disinfectant jar covered and dated.

Structure sequence from deepest to surface: matrix produces the nail plate, the plate rests on the nail bed, and the free edge extends past the hyponychium.

Fingernails grow about 0.1 mm per day, roughly 3.5 mm (1/8 inch) per month, and are fully replaced in 4-6 months.

Toenails grow about 0.05 mm per day, roughly 1.5 mm per month, and are fully replaced in 9-12 months.

The nail plate has no nerves or blood vessels; the nail bed is vascular and sensitive, so pressure or trauma to the bed causes pain.

Landmarks: lunula is the visible matrix, eponychium is living proximal skin, cuticle is dead tissue on the plate, hyponychium seals the free edge.

The nail plate is roughly 15-18% water at about pH 5.5; repeated wet-dry cycling causes brittleness and splitting.

Disorders that do not require referral: Beau's lines, leukonychia, onychorrhexis, onychauxis, onychophagy, and hangnails.

Contagious or medical conditions that block service: onychomycosis, paronychia, tinea pedis, Pseudomonas (green) infection, and verruca from HPV.

Refusal rule: redness, swelling, pus, heat, broken skin, or discoloration with plate separation means no service and a referral to a physician.

Service sequence: consultation, hand washing, set-up, shaping, soak, cuticle care, massage, polish, clean-up, and disinfection.

File natural nails in one direction with a fine-grit abrasive (240 or higher); sawing back and forth creates splits and peeling.

Apply cuticle softener, push back with a rubber-tipped pusher, and trim only loose non-living tissue; living eponychium is never cut.

Pedicure toenails are cut straight across with only slight rounding at the corners to reduce ingrown risk; callus is reduced with a paddle or rasp, not a blade.

The foot basin and whirlpool jets are drained, scrubbed, and disinfected with an EPA hospital-grade product for the full contact time between clients.

Paraffin is heated to about 125-130 degrees F (52-54 degrees C) and tested on the technician's wrist before application.

Massage strokes: effleurage glides, petrissage kneads, tapotement percusses; strokes move from insertion toward origin.

Polish sequence: base coat, two thin color coats, top coat, with the free edge capped and 2-3 minutes between coats.

The acrylic system is liquid monomer plus powder polymer; benzoyl peroxide in the powder initiates polymerization as the product sets.

An accurate liquid-to-powder ratio prevents shrinkage, lifting, and bubbles; product that is too wet cures weak and separates from the plate.

Prep order: sanitize, push cuticles, remove shine with a fine buffer, dehydrate and prime, apply tip or form, then apply product.

Fills are scheduled every 2-3 weeks; any product that has separated at the sidewall or cuticle is removed before rebuilding.

Gel systems cure only under UV/LED light of the correct wavelength; the tacky inhibition layer is wiped off with cleanser before finishing.

Removal means filing the seal, soaking in acetone for 20-30 minutes, then gently easing product off; product is never pried or ripped from the plate.

Monomer vapor is a skin and respiratory sensitizer: keep containers capped, ventilate the area, avoid skin contact, and store away from heat and sunlight.

Over-filing thins the natural plate and leads to onycholysis, heat spike, and sensitivity; a thin, even layer of product protects the plate.

The intake form captures medical history, medications, allergies (acrylates, nickel, latex, formaldehyde), pregnancy, and prior nail services.

Scope of practice rule: a nail technician may observe and describe a condition but may not diagnose or treat it.

Patch test a new monomer, adhesive, or tint 24-48 hours before the first full application for clients with a reactive history.

Refuse and refer for open lesions, suspected infection, active allergic reaction, or circulatory complications that make service unsafe.

Confidentiality: client records and health information are shared only with the client and, where required, the board or a physician.

Document date, products and lot numbers, service performed, any reaction, and the client's signed consent on the record card.

Communication technique: open-ended questions, paraphrasing the client's goal, and confirming the plan before starting the service.

Minnesota Statutes chapter 155A governs licensure of cosmetologists, estheticians, nail technicians, instructors, and salons.

Minnesota Rules chapter 2105 contains the facility, equipment, and sanitation standards enforced for licensed salons and technicians.

The Minnesota Board of Cosmetologist Examiners issues and renews individual and salon licenses and investigates complaints.

Practicing without a current license, or letting an unlicensed person perform services, is a prohibited act subject to penalty.

A salon must hold a salon license and designate a salon manager who is responsible for compliance and sanitation in the facility.

The license and current statutes and rules must be available in the salon for inspection by the board or its authorized agents.

A nail technician performs only services within the nail technician scope; anything outside that scope requires the matching license.

Board sanitation standards require cleaning and disinfecting implements after each client and discarding single-use items after one use.