VA Nail Technician cheat sheet

Fingernails grow about 3 mm (1/8 inch) per month; toenails grow about 1 mm per month. A fingernail is fully replaced in 4-6 months, a toenail in 9-12 months.

The matrix produces nail plate cells; the visible portion of the matrix is the lunula. Injury or infection at the matrix permanently alters the shape of the new nail.

The nail plate is keratinized, contains roughly 15-20% water by weight, and is slightly acidic (about pH 5), a condition that limits microbial growth.

The nail plate has no blood vessels or nerves; the nail bed beneath it does. Pain or bleeding during a service means living tissue was injured, not the plate.

Key structures: eponychium (cuticle) at the base, hyponychium sealing the free edge, lateral nail folds and grooves at the sides, mantle at the base of the matrix.

pH scale: 0-14, neutral = 7, each whole unit is a tenfold change; acids 0-6, bases 8-14.

Acrylic system = liquid monomer plus polymer powder; benzoyl peroxide in the powder initiates polymerization, an exothermic reaction that cures the enhancement.

UV and LED gels cure when photoinitiators absorb light energy; gel left uncured stays tacky and must not be worked onto skin.

Recognize-and-refer rule: onychomycosis, paronychia, onycholysis, dark bands, and unexplained bleeding are referred to a physician; the technician does not diagnose or treat.

Infection-control hierarchy: sanitation (cleans and reduces microbes) < disinfection (kills most pathogens on nonporous surfaces, not spores) < sterilization (kills all organisms, including spores).

Disinfectants must be EPA-registered with a hospital-grade claim; use only at the label dilution and keep the item fully immersed for the entire label contact time, commonly 10 minutes.

Metal implements: wash with soap and water, dry thoroughly, immerse completely in disinfectant, then remove with clean gloves or tongs and store in a clean covered container.

Porous items (files, buffers, wooden sticks, cotton, porous brushes) cannot be reliably disinfected and must be discarded after a single client.

Blood or body-fluid exposure: stop the service, don gloves, wash with soap and water, apply antiseptic, bandage the area, and disinfect implements with a tuberculocidal product or fresh 1:10 bleach dilution.

UV cabinets and jars of colored liquid are not disinfectants unless the product carries an EPA hospital-grade claim and the correct contact time is observed.

Hand washing: soap and running water for at least 20 seconds before and after every client, after restroom use, and before eating or smoking.

A Safety Data Sheet (16 sections) must be on file for every chemical in the salon and is consulted for spills, eye splashes, and inhalation exposure.

Flammable liquids are stored in closed containers away from heat and open flame; local exhaust or ventilation keeps vapors away from the face and eyes.

Manicure sequence: setup and hand wash -> client inspection -> shape free edge -> soak and soften -> cuticle care -> massage -> polish -> post-service cleanup.

File natural nails with a fine-grit file in one direction, corner toward center; back-and-forth sawing splits and peels the free edge.

No cutting of living tissue: the eponychium is living skin; nippers are used only on a hangnail or clearly nonliving tissue.

Polish layering: base coat, two thin color coats, top coat, capping the free edge; thin coats dry faster and chip less than thick ones.

Acrylic ratio: a medium ball that holds its shape on the brush; too wet produces a weak, shrinking bead, too dry produces a brittle bead that lifts.

Enhancement prep: remove surface shine, clear cuticle debris from the plate, dehydrate the plate; no lotion, oil, or soaking water immediately before application.

Gel: thin layers, full cure time under the matching lamp, capped edges; the tacky inhibition layer is removed as the manufacturer directs.

Pedicure equipment: basin, jets, and screens are cleaned and disinfected after every client, and liners, files, pumice, and separators that contact skin are single-use.

Electric file: light pressure, moderate speed on natural nails, bit kept moving and flat to the surface to avoid friction burns and grooves.

Regulator: the Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, under the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR); its rules are published as 18VAC41.

A Virginia nail technician license is required before performing manicures, pedicures, or nail enhancements for compensation; the minimum age for licensure is 16.

Virginia requires 150 clock hours of nail technology training at a board-approved school before the licensing examination.

A salon offering nail services must hold a current salon license, pass Board inspection, and keep the license posted; individual licenses must be produced on request of the Board.

Nail technician licenses are renewed on a two-year cycle; performing services on an expired license is unlicensed practice.

The Board may fine, suspend, or revoke a license for sanitation violations, unlicensed activity, or false and misleading advertising.

Licensees must notify the Board of a change of name or address so that renewal and inspection records stay current.