Health

Can I service a diabetic client with discolored toenails?

May 21, 2013 | Bookmark +

I have a male client who is diabetic. I know you aren’t supposed to clip a diabetic’s nails but just file and buff lightly and rub lotion on his feet instead of massage. But on his feet his two big toenails were thick and hard and dark brown and yellow in some spots. It wasn’t slimy looking like a nail fungus but just yellowish and hard. The rest were normal looking. What could it be? Should I refuse to rebook him and recommend he see a podiatrist?

Answer

This is an important question. When in doubt, do not book him and always refer to a medical professional. A dermatologist or podiatrist would be the ideal medical professional to refer to. As a nail technician, you are not expected to know everything and you would be doing your client a big favor by expressing your concern and suggesting that he see a health care professional.  

— Dana Stern, M.D. is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in nails. She works in private practice in New York City

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What’s the cause of the pinkish-red oval area on the pad of my client’s toes?

I have a client who has a recurring problem with her fourth toes during the winter months. Both of her “ring finger” toes develop a pinkish-red oval area on the pad. Then a month later, when I see her again, the skin has become dry and hard like a callus, with the layers of skin peeling away to reveal a deeper, dark epicenter.  It’s extremely painful for her and, needless to say, we do not touch it. But it clears up in the summer when she’s wearing open-toed sandals, so I suspect it has to be due to the boots she wears in the winter. Plus she never puts lotion on her feet or uses a foot file in between visits. What do you think causes this?

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What are the big white spots on my natural-nail client’s nails?

I have a client who has been with me for about two years. She used to wear acrylic nails but has been a natural nail client for eight months or so. She has these white spots on her nails — big spots that are dry, but not flaky, right in the middle of the nail. I did try to buff them lightly but they do not come off or grow off. I had a new client come in last week who had the same on her toenails. She said it started after she had a pedicure done at another salon. Can you help?

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