Nail Tips, Wraps, and Extensions
What the exam tests
This domain covers tip fit, blending, wrap application, extension structure, and safe removal. A tip extends the free edge and must fit sidewall to sidewall without pressure. Wraps use resin with silk, fiberglass, or linen to reinforce the natural nail. Extensions add length and must be balanced at the stress zone.
Core rules
- Size the tip to the free edge; a tip that is too narrow pinches and lifts, while one that is too wide overhangs and catches.
- Prep by cleansing and dehydrating the plate; do not over-file or remove the natural nail surface.
- Apply adhesive sparingly; glue on skin can cause allergic reaction and lifting.
- Blend the tip seam smoothly without filing the natural nail thin.
- For wraps, apply thin resin coats, press out bubbles, cure or activate per product instructions, and keep resin off skin.
- Remove by soaking or filing per system; never pry or force a tip off.
Worked example
A client's tip lifts at one side within two days. Reasoning: the likely cause is poor fit or glue on the sidewall. Remove the tip, inspect for moisture or skin contact, select a tip that matches the free-edge width, and apply a thin, even adhesive line without flooding the sidewall. Document the correction.
Traps
Using too much glue; blending through the natural nail; applying wrap resin over cuticle; and choosing a tip by length alone. Also avoid reusing a porous file that touched a lifted, possibly infected nail.