Health

How can I prevent mold from appearing under an enhancement?

June 18, 2007

How can I prevent mold from appearing under an enhancement? And, what’s the quickest way to get rid of it?

Answer

Mold is not a normal nail pathogen. What you are describing may be a bacterial infection. But only a doctor can determine the cause of the client’s problem.

Here’s why: Whenever a nail professional tells a client they have a bacterial infection, they have just “diagnosed a disease.” When nail professionals attempt to get rid of the infection, they have now “treated a disease.” Neither diagnosis nor treatment of any diseases is allowed under nail technician licensing. Such clients should be referred to a qualified medical professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Of course, if a doctor provides specific instructions on how to treat such an infection and asks you to do so, then it would be allowable. But, you must work under a doctor’s direction or risk losing your license and possibly gaining a lawsuit against you, should anything go wrong. — Doug Schoon is vice president of science and technology for Creative Nail Design.

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?

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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