Sometimes when I’m doing a pedicure, the client will have fungus underneath one or two toenails. I’ll educate her on the importance of having the affected area treated by a doctor. Then, I’ll either work around the area or wear gloves.-Lisa Macfarlane, Natural Touch, Orangeville, Calif.
I had a client who had a split on her natural nail and I told her I wouldn’t apply an artificial product on it. A loyal client will be understanding when you explain the medical aspects of the situation. It’s important to be straightforward with the client and tell her that refusing the service is for her protection as well as your own.-Rhonda Bellfield, Glamorous Nails, Lombard, Ill.
Recently, a first-time client came in who had been wearing artificial nails for 20 years. The salon she was going to had removed her artificial nails because she had a fungal infection on all of them. She wanted me to apply a full set of nails and offered to pay anything. I told her I couldn’t for medical reasons and urged her to go see a doctor. In hopes of keeping her as a client, I gave her a natural nail manicure while wearing gloves, but she hasn’t returned to the salon since.-Rosemary Hunter Armour, Progress Barbershop, Chattanooga, Tenn.
One of our clients has Raynaud’s phenomenon and was having problems with acrylic nails. It was causing her nail beds to separate, and they could have eventually fallen off. I told her she could no longer have acrylic nails because they caused too much damage due to her condition. I recommended a silk wrap instead, and she agreed.-Rosemary McDonnell, Notorious Nail Salon, Green Brook, N.J.
A woman called who wanted a second opinion. She was wearing artificial nails and had fungus on some nails and mold on the others, yet her technician kept applying the product. The woman went to a dermatologist who told her to have the nails removed. I gave her a free consultation and recommended removing the nails and getting weekly manicures. I also gave her a fungal treatment to use at home. I told her to give me a month to see the results. Her nails have improved and are doing fine.-Kim Figueroa, Absolutely Nails, Tucson, Ariz.