WI Nail Technician cheat sheet

Five basic nail shapes are square, squoval, oval, round, and pointed; the shape is selected to complement the free edge, nail bed width, and finger length.

File natural nails from the side toward the center under the free edge in one direction; back-and-forth sawing thins sidewalls and causes peeling and splitting.

Grit decision rule: coarse (about 80-100) removes product, medium (about 150-180) shapes and refines, fine (240 and higher) smooths and buffs the natural plate.

Liquid-and-powder enhancements use monomer liquid plus polymer powder; a correct bead holds its shape without running, while too wet a mix shrinks and lifts.

Base coat adheres to the plate, smooths texture, and blocks pigment staining; thin coats dry evenly and reduce bubbling and shrinkage.

Nippers are used only on non-living tissue; the eponychium and lateral folds are living skin and cutting them can create portals for infection.

Massage strokes: effleurage (gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (percussion), vibration (shaking), and friction (rubbing) - each is applied in a defined sequence.

Nail tips are sized to the sidewalls, glued with adhesive kept off the skin, pressed at an angle, and blended so the seam disappears; forms are used for sculpting instead.

A client record card documents services performed, products used, known sensitivities, and any condition that was referred out.

Three levels of control: cleaning removes visible debris; disinfection destroys most pathogenic organisms on nonporous items; sterilization destroys all microbial life, including spores.

Disinfectants must be EPA-registered hospital-grade products labeled bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal, and implements must be fully immersed for the label's stated contact time.

Implement classification rule: porous items (files, buffers, wooden sticks, cotton) are single-use and discarded; nonporous items are disinfected; items that penetrate skin must be sterilized.

Disinfectant solution is mixed per label directions, changed when cloudy or visibly soiled, kept in a covered labeled container, and never topped off with fresh solution over old.

Hands are washed with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds before and after every client, after glove removal, and after restroom use; hand sanitizer does not replace washing soiled hands.

Exposure incident sequence: stop the service, wear gloves, cleanse the area, disinfect all contacted surfaces, double-bag contaminated waste, and refer the client for medical follow-up.

Pathogen categories with examples: bacteria (Staphylococcus, Streptococcus), viruses (hepatitis B, HIV, herpes simplex, HPV), fungi (tinea), and parasites (pediculosis).

Active herpes simplex, untreated fungal infection, lice, and impetigo are contagious; service is contraindicated and the client is referred to a physician.

A salon must provide a sink with hot and cold running water, soap, and single-use towels that is accessible to the work area and not used for other purposes.

Eating, drinking, and smoking are prohibited at the nail station, and food or drink is never stored with implements or chemicals.

A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) must be on file and accessible to workers for every chemical product used in the salon.

Monomer is flammable and evaporates readily; it is stored in a tightly closed opaque container away from heat and flame and used only with adequate ventilation.

Electrical rule: keep cords and appliances away from water, use GFCI outlets, unplug by gripping the plug, and remove damaged equipment from service.

Liquid-and-powder waste is allowed to cure or harden, and solvents are evaporated in a ventilated area; chemicals are never poured down a drain.

Clean and soiled items are stored separately: clean supplies in closed cabinets, soiled or contaminated items in covered, labeled containers.

Ergonomic rule: adjust chair and table height so the wrist stays neutral, support the client's hand rather than the client holding it up, and change posture frequently.

Nail unit structures: nail plate, nail bed, matrix, eponychium (cuticle), hyponychium, perionychium, lateral nail folds, nail grooves, mantle, and free edge.

The matrix produces nail plate cells; injury to the matrix causes ridges, thinning, or permanent distortion, and the lunula is the visible portion of the matrix.

The nail plate is keratin organized in dorsal, intermediate, and ventral layers; the pink color comes from blood vessels in the nail bed beneath it.

Growth rate rule: fingernails grow roughly 3 mm (about one-eighth inch) per month; toenails grow about half that rate and both slow with age and poor circulation.

The eponychium is living skin at the nail base; the cuticle is the dead tissue it sheds onto the plate, and only the cuticle is removed during a manicure.

Disorder identification: onychocryptosis (ingrown nail), onycholysis (plate separated from bed), leukonychia (white spots), koilonychia (spoon nail), onychorrhexis (splitting).

Disease versus disorder: onychomycosis is a fungal infection and paronychia is a bacterial infection of the surrounding tissue; the technician identifies and refers, never diagnoses or treats.

Referral triggers include dark longitudinal streaks, sudden thickening or discoloration, swelling, pain, pus, and separation of the plate; these are not covered with product.

Wisconsin Statutes chapter 454 governs barbering and cosmetology, including nail technician and salon licensure and the authority of the examining board.

Administrative rules for the practice, including sanitation standards, appear in the Wisconsin Administrative Code chapter BC.

The Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) issues credentials, processes applications and renewals, and enforces orders of the examining board.

The Barbering and Cosmetology Examining Board adopts rules, sets training and examination standards, and recommends discipline for licensees who violate statutes or rules.

A person may not perform nail services for compensation without a Wisconsin credential, and a salon may not operate without a current salon license.

The license or credential must be available for inspection at the work location, and licensees must cooperate with DSPS inspectors and investigators.

Scope rule: a nail technician performs manicures, pedicures, and nail enhancements; haircutting, chemical skin care, and other cosmetology services are outside that license.

Grounds for discipline include unprofessional conduct, practicing beyond scope, unsanitary practices, and fraud; penalties range from reprimand and fines to suspension or revocation.