Hi guys

I'm writing a feature for Company magazine about dodgy salons and the use of MMA etc and so I'm looking for women under 33 who've had really bad manicures, can anyone help? Perhaps you've had to fix a woman's nails because of a cowboy nail technician or know a friend who had one! Looking for any info/stories to help with this feature,

Cheers

Catherine

Just a small concern, but are you going to balance the article with women who have had good experiences with reputable and properly trained technicians? So many people believe ALL enhancements damage nails that it would be nice to see an article explaining that this is not the case.

Company does yes, and obviously it's an informative article advising readers of what to look for in a nail technician etc as most of our readers use manicurists regularly. It's definitely not an article saying you should never use one! And that's why I hoped having someone who had had their nails badly damaged but was now a regular customer of a proper nail technician might want to do it.

Cheers

I would be happy to help, I have experience of both, from before I knew better and let an NSS do my nails and again after I had qualified and have had to repair the damage done by the NSS.

I agree with Sals though, I dont think anyone is going to be happy having a bad spin put on our industry. Clients are all too often under the impression that ALL nail enhancements damage the nails when we should be trying to educate the public to find themselves a technician using the proper procedures and products.

I ve got a few clients that have had bad past experiences.

I will ask them but how should they contact you?

Also i feel that it should be a very balanced report as i now use acrylic and bio gel on the clients nails and have a very goot success rate.

You should call Bio sculpture 0845 331 2347 and ask for Naomi.
Bio gel is a unique everlasting manicure system that i use mainly to help repair the damage from these dodgy salons (amongst other benefits)

They should be able to help you with your report, im sure they have heard all the horror staories there are.

Tell them Lisa from So Fabulous, N1 reccommended you and they should be helpful

Hi, i work at a supply shop an training acadamy an we get people constantly coming in asking for nail technicians that we could recommend! iv seen some prety bad stuff! some of them have come in with no nail plate, it was just raw nail bed! because the nail tech they had preiously been to was using an electric file and hadnt been properly educated or filed too much on there natural nail! It is sooo important to make sure the nail technician that you go to is properly educated! Even if you ask to see ther certificate, they wont mind if they have been properly trained! And if they are going to use an electric file on you make sure they have been taught how to use it! its amazing how many people think its soo easy to do nails! we have people coming in ALL the time asking to buy a kit just coz theyve seen there nail tech do it an think they can do it too! I dont think people realise How hard it is to do nails an how much you have to do to become a Good one.Ther are soo many dodgy nail techs out there that give us genuine nail techs a bad name! If you keep looking ull definetly find urself a keeper! Hope this helps

As well as clearly and correctly stating the facts and the differences between a professional and an NSS I also think its improtant to acknowledge the fact that NSS dont always use MMA and they dont always cause damage...sometimes its just the case that they have bad working practices with regards to hygiene...this is something that can easily go unnoticed and shrugged off as not important to the untrained eye - I have been to NSS salons plenty of times in the past (before training) and ive never had a really bad experience....never been cut or in pain...have had some discomfort at times.....I probably noticed a lack of hygiene but not realised it was actually a major risk that I could get an infection or something else.

What im trying to say is..most people dont know any different...many may notice a few things but most will not realise the extent of the problems that can arise and the importance of sanitisation...the importance of their natural nails..and that they mustn't be 'roughed up'...and the many many things that are not being done in theses places.

The untrained joe public only see the surface problems..and thats if they realise anything... they can't possibly know everything else below the surface...unless they had a really terrible experience while they were in there then all they see is the nails at the end and whether they like them or not!

I for one would not go to an NSS again now I know what I know.

I dont know how big your articles gonna be but I think it would be great if you could post it on here first...you would get loads of input as well as making sure all the info in it is factual and correct and important things havent been missed or overlooked.

Here is hoping that it isn't the usual, sensationalised, nonfactual scare mongering story that almost always comes out of these pieces.

Personally, I would ditch the whole MMA angle. It is impossible for Jane Public to know if a salon is using MMA or not and usually just clouds the real issue.

The real issue is less to do with MMA and more to do with 'professionals' trashing the natural nail in the process of application of enhancement coatings. I have watched this done by HVLC (High Volume Low Cost/Budget) salons AND I have watched it done in nice salons by professionals who have 'qualifications', yet ignore what they were qualified in!!!

Changing salons that use MMA to EMA will make 0 difference to the amount of nail horror stories because it isn't the MMA causing the problem, it is the technician!

Best of luck Caz, unfortunately you may meet some resistance simply because over the years, this industry continuously gets burned by the media. They befriend the industry under the guise of wanting to help, but then do headliners like 'Nail Stories From Hell' and churn out sensationalised scare mongering stories that affect professionals businesses that are working hard to change consumer perception in a positive manner.

Hi there,

I have also been looking into the industry and use of MMA etc and have gathered quite a lot of information which I'd be happy to pass on. I also have a number of case studies and contact details for an expert who would be more than happy to talk to you.

If you give me an email at oonagh.spence@resultspr.co.uk or a phone on 0207 953 7619 I can pass on the details?

Oonagh