Health

How can I increase adhesion on a hardly filed nail?

October 14, 2005

I have a client with eczema. Her nails have horizontal ridges and are very thin. If I go easy on the filing, her enhancements pop off. If I file like usual, she tells me they’re sensitive. I have recommended letting one or two nails go “bare” until they heal, but she doesn’t want to. How can I increase adhesion on a hardly filed nail?

Answer

As long as you remove the shine from the nail, you are in good shape. Excessive filing on the nail is not necessary. Use a 240-grit file in the direction of nail growth until no oil or contaminants are left on the surface of the nail. A 240-grit file is gentle and shouldn’t cause the client any discomfort. Most acrylic lines make a product or combination of products that will cleanse and dehydrate the nail plate; a process that should leave the nail chalky white. Use a primer and make sure your product consistency is what it should be according to manufacturer’s recommendations, since different products call for different ratios. -- Wood-Lundy

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?

Load More