The Green Patch Under the Enhancement
A new client, 24, books a fill at four weeks. On the right index finger, the product has lifted along the sidewall, and beneath it sits a dark green-black patch about 4 mm across on the nail plate. There is no pus, no swelling, and the surrounding skin is not red or hot; she reports no pain. She is getting married Saturday and says, 'Just fill over it, I don't care what it looks like.' She cannot tell you whether the spot was there when the last set was applied. Her other hand shows only mild cuticle dryness. Your schedule is full and she is your last client of the day.
1. Can you fill over it? Explain what you can determine as a nail technician and what you cannot.
Read the worked answer
No - not until you know more, and you cannot know enough today.
The distinction that matters is between staining (pigment from polish, dye, or a prior product trapped against the plate) and bacterial colonization, typically Pseudomonas, which produces a green-black discoloration and usually appears under a lifted or poorly sealed enhancement where moisture is trapped.
What you can observe: color, extent, whether the plate surface is intact or softened, whether the discoloration sits on the surface or appears to be within the plate, and whether there is any heat, swelling, drainage, or pain.
What you cannot do: diagnose. You are not licensed to decide that this is 'only a stain.' Covering a colonized nail with fresh product seals moisture and bacteria under an opaque layer, hides deterioration from the next technician, and delays the client's own medical care.
Reasoning rule: when a finding could be either cosmetic or infectious, treat it as the more serious possibility until a physician says otherwise. A 4 mm patch with no inflammation is not an emergency, but it is not a green light either.
2. What do you actually do in this appointment? Include what you remove, what you refuse, and which tools you will not reach for.
Read the worked answer
Today's service is a removal and an assessment, not a fill.
- Remove the lifted product and then the remainder, using the correct method for the product system (soak or controlled filing per manufacturer instructions).
- Once the plate is visible, inspect and photograph-free describe it in writing: location, size, color, plate integrity.
- Do not use nippers, a cuticle pusher, or a drill bit to scrape or excavate the discolored area. Debridement of the nail plate is outside your scope and can drive organisms deeper or injure the plate.
- Light surface cleansing with soap and water is fine; do not seal the nail with polish or base coat.
- Do not apply a new enhancement over it.
What you are willing to do: a gentle manicure on the other nails, and a clean, product-free natural nail on the affected finger.
If inspection shows the green is clearly superficial staining on an intact, firm plate with a well-defined edge, discoloration lifts with light surface cleansing, and there is no lifting pocket or softening - you may proceed with a conservative natural-nail service and document what you saw. Any softening, pitting, separation, or spread stops the service.
3. She refuses and demands the fill. Write your response and what you record.
Read the worked answer
Say it in one clear sentence, then give her the choice.
'I can't put product over that spot, because I can't tell from looking whether it's a stain or a bacterial problem, and sealing it could make it worse and hide it from whoever treats you. What I can do today is take the product off, clean it up, and finish your other nails. If your doctor clears it, I'll happily do your set before Saturday.'
If she still insists: decline the service, do not take payment for work you will not do, and offer to hold a slot after a medical clearance.
Document: the date; what you observed and its location and size; that you explained the concern; that the client was advised to have it evaluated; that the client declined and no product was applied. Do not write a diagnosis - write observations and recommendations.
Reasoning: your obligation is not to make the wedding photo look right; it is to not conceal a possible infection and not create a worse one. A declined service with a clean record is a professional outcome, not a lost sale.