Myths and Fables 1 as seen in SCRATCH July issue.

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Water causes fingernail infections.

Just because one may have a job that involves having hands in water (hairdresser, bar work etc.) does not mean that one is more prone to getting a nail infection. A simple nail infection occurs when the nail is knocked and cracked and then not dealt with in a timely manner. Pocket lifting provides the perfect environment for bacteria to be trapped and to breed. Nail technicians need to be vigilant in spotting signs of pocket lifting and treat it immediately.

Primer eats/etches/corrodes or otherwise affects the natural nail plate.

Primer is a chemical substance that sits on the nail surface and attracts certain acrylic products to the nail plate for better adhesion. Experiments have shown that the nail plate itself is not affected by the use of Primer in any deleterious way. It neither etches, corrodes nor thins the nail plate.

Oil causes nails to lift.

Once a product is bonded to the surface of the natural nail, oil based products (either mineral or botanical oils) do not cause lifting. Only if oil is on the surface of the natural nail prior to application of product, will it affect the adhesion of the product.

MMA products stick to the nail plate stronger than any other nail product.

Actually, MMA products have a very poor attraction to the nail plate chemically. However if the nail plate has a rough surface that the product can ‘key’ into, the product adheres phenomenally well. Rough etching of the surface of the nail plate is absolutely necessary for MMA products to bond to the surface.

Some nail products are safer to use than others.

There is no nail product that is inherently safer to use than another. All nail products are safe in the hands of a well educated competent nail technician and all nail products have been passed as safe to use on nails by various official bodies such as the FDA in the United States.

ORGANIC means a product is natural/pure/safe etc.

ALL nail products are organic. Organic simply means that something contains CARBON. Many things contain carbon that are neither natural, pure or ‘safe’.

Nail Products cause cancer.

There are actually very few substances in the world that are known to cause cancer. Neither Nail products nor the chemicals related to nail products are among them.

The word Acrylic applies to Liquid & powder enhancements.

Every nail product is acrylic based … Wraps, Gels and Liquid and Powder products are ALL acrylic based products that have their chemical ‘roots’ in the same family. Best to refer to the product you use with the correct names, Liquid and Powder, Gels, or Wraps.

Gel is the safest product to use in the salon.

There is no nail system that is safer to use than another. The fact that gel systems do not have an odour does not make them more ‘safe’ to use than any other system. The presence of Odour does not make a product unsafe and the levels (p.p.m. - particles per square meter) in which a nail technician works are way below the considered ´safe´ limit for use.

10. Acetone is harmful to the skin and nails.

Acetone is not harmful to the nails or skin when used correctly and in moderation; as with anything, troubles can occur if one ‘over uses’ the product. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, but eat too many apples and one can have an upset tummy.

Long-term wearing of nail enhancements thins the nail plate.

Only a few things can thin the natural nail plate. Over filing and ripping the product off the surface of the plate (either by using nippers or by biting, picking, or injury) these are the things that affect the thickness of the nail plate. The wearing of nail enhancements either long or short term will not thin the plate anymore than wearing nail enamel will thin the nail plate. It is up to the technician to handle the client’s nails with care at all times.

One of the reasons for this myth is that clients themselves may feel a difference in their nails when nail product is removed.
Firstly a protection has been removed so a client at first may be aware of a different sensation at the end of her fingers when her nails are ‘naked’. (Similar to taking a pair of gloves off your warm hands when out in the cold). In the same way, a slight build up of moisture in the nail plate when enhanced, makes the nail seem a touch softer when enhancements are removed. A few hours and a regular regimen of application of a good quality nail and cuticle oil will soon have the nails feeling just like normal again.