Manicure & Pedicure Flashcards
Normal/Healthy Nail
● Healthy pink colour
● Feels smooth to the touch
● No flakes, splits or ridges
● Has a good amount of flexibility
● Good oil content
Recommendations
● Regular manicures, to keep the nails in perfect condition
● Massage cuticle oil and hand creams to the hand and nails daily
● Avoid the use of chemicals
● Wear gloves when cleaning and outside etc
Dry Nail
● Dry nail plate – onychorrhexis
● Peeling
● Flaking
● Feels slightly rough when touched
● Lacks lustre/shine
● Transverse ridges
● White spots – leuconychia
Recommendations
● Weekly warm oil manicures
● Avoid the use of all chemicals and detergents and excessive use of nail varnish removers
● Apply base coat and top coat for dry nails
● Regularly massage cuticle oil into the nails and cuticles
● Provide professional advice on cuticle care routine to prevent ridges and white spots developing
● Wear gloves when cleaning, hand washing, gardening and outside in winter
Brittle Nail
● Inflexible – very hard
● Shatters easily
● Vertical ridges
● Splits very low, usually below the flesh line
● Nail plate may curve
Recommendations
● Weekly manicures
● Base coat and top coat for brittle nails (not a strengthener)
● Keep the nails at a manageable length until they are more flexible. Oil massage will increase the circulation to the area, which will help prevent ridges, and keep the nails supple
● A ridge filling base coat may be recommended
● Buffing will minimise ridges
Week/Damaged Nail
● Nail will appear papery thin and will bend easily
● Quite often the nail will be very short in length
● Nail layers often split
● Nail will feel rough to the touch
● Quite often dry cuticles accompany this condition due to neglect
Recommendations
● Weekly warm oil manicures
● Application of intensive top and base coat treatments (or strengthener) keeping the nail constantly coated at all times
● Advise regular application of cuticle oil and hand cream
● Always wear gloves, particularly when using chemicals etc
● Do not re-apply any artificial nails
● Avoid picking or biting the area
● Keep the nails short and manageable until healthy
Ageing/Mature Nail
● Combination of a dry and brittle nail and will therefore have characteristics of both
● Prone to twisting and curving
● Ridges
● Discoloration
● Dryness with peeling or flaking
Recommendations
● Regular manicures incorporating warm oil with paraffin wax
● Specific top and base coat for ageing nails
● Ridge filling base coat will minimise ridges and furrows
● Daily oral supplements of Evening Primrose or Star Flower oil
● Daily massage of hand and nail cream and cuticle oils
● Lemon juice or lemon essential oil may reduce discolouration
● Keep the nails at a manageable length
Fungal - Onychomychosis
Cause - Vegetable fungus. Usually the result of nail injury and then infection occurs
Appearance - 3 forms:
1. White patches that can be scraped off the nail surface
2. Long yellowish streaks within the nail
3. Disease spreads from the free edge to the matrix
Salon treatment - Do not treat
Home-care - Seek medical advice
Bacterial - Paronychia
Cause - Hands being in water for long periods. Or a hangnail becomes infected usually due to picking
Appearance – Inflammation, redness and pus occurs in the tissue surrounding the nail. It is extremely painful
Salon treatment - Do not treat while inflammation is present. Seek treatment from client’s doctor
Home care - See doctor, may need to be lanced with a sterile needle by the nurse
Bacterial – Impetigo
Cause – Bacterial infection or unsanitary habits
Appearance – small red blemishes form which start to weep and spread. Honey coloured crusts then forms
Salon treatment – Do not treat, highly infectious
Home care – Seek advice from doctor and apply treatment
Viral – Warts (Verruca Vulgaris)
Cause - Viral infection
Appearance - Raised lump with a rough surface which is skin colour or slightly darker/grey/yellow
Salon treatment - Do not treat
Home care - Seek medical advice or treatment from pharmacist and apply daily
Parasitic – Scabies
Cause – Infestation of an itch mite that burrows under the skin
Appearance – Small papules, with wavy greyish lines
Salon treatment – Do not treat, highly infectious
