A Big Mistake

[wondernail]

I made a really big mistake this week and I am so annoyed. I am sorry this is so long...but I need advice!!

A client booked in with me for extentions..she booked in with the receptionist and did not mention any health problems.
When she arrived I noticed very quickly that her hands and legs were badly mis-shapen and deformed.

As she was having her hair done first I noticed that the ends of all her fingers were bulbous to the point that they all looked like big toes.
I sat there panicking about how I was going to get extentions on her. When her hair was done ( and she was very picky about her hair) she sat down in front of me and I did my initial consultation and had a good look at her hands.

Her nails were tiny....they did not extend over her finger, they were very wide...the only way to describe them look at you big toe the imagine the the bottom 2 thirds gone....how the hell do you get a tip on that!!!!

I tried as nicely as I could to tell her a manicure would be best and I showed her by placing a tip over her nail that they would look odd...basically all white tip and no pink.
She insisted and gave me the story about what was wrong with her...she spends her days on dialysis and she just wanted to make herself feel better.
She said it didn't matter if they looked odd...she would have a polish on them so they would look ok. I told her that it was up to her but my professional advice was that they could not be done and that could make them look lovely with a manicure and a nice polish and some gems.

But she insisted...so I started...and as I went on they looked plain stupid...like a 5 yr old had put them on...some of her natural nails were 90 degree ski slopes (literally 90 degrees as her fingers were badly deformed!!!!). After two hrs of trying my best and no where near finished ( a set takes me 1hr 15mins- 1hr 30mins usually) I advised her that they looked terrible and that it was just not working and that I could not carry on as I had advised her it was impossible. (I did not want this woman walking around showing her nails and saying I had done them...I would have no clients left!!)

She wasn't happy but understood...she went home and I took her round some acetone to soak them off.

I charged her nothing...and she didn't even say thank you for trying for 2 fruitless hours. To top it all off...the whole time I was doing her nails she kept critising everything I was doing...as if she knew everything about nails and that she could do better. Then she called the hairdresser back to re-do her hair!!!

What would you have done??

 

[Bagpuss]

Hiya xx

I think you did the best you could have...and tried really hard for her....the only thing i would have done different is removed what i had put on in the first place....and not sent her home to do it. Then i would have charged her at least something cos she did insist on having them done against your advise...you didn't drag her in from the street, it was her choice so she should pay even if it turns out her choice was wrong.

I wouldn't stress to much as you said she is moaning about her hair now...she may be one of those people who just moans about everything to try to get away with paying for anything. OR...as she is so ill she may be depressed and can't help the way she is or comes across. Either way i would just put it down to experience and enjoy your next happy client....there are some !!!! lol. xxxx

 

[RedAdmiral]

You havent filled out your profile so I cant tell what you use or how long you've been a Nail Tech but it would have been easier to use a natural tip, blend seamlessly then overlay with a dark pink & white l&p/gel You even could have used a dark pink powder and then polished on top.
When you use white tips you set yourself up for problems so try and get out of the habit. Problem nails are your biggest challenge as a nail tech and when working with the public you cannot be selective.

You did your best and this client was clearly a moaner but next time give her a kick arse set of nails - that'll shut her up!

 

[ADiva1]

To me, you tried really hard to please this lady who does not have normal nails; I think she was a bit unfair, wanting you to perform a miracle or something.... If it happens again, just let the person know that you just won't be able to work on their nails, BUT offer a manicure! Don't beat yourself up, learn from the mistake!

 

[wondernail]

In reply to the other posts...I did offer a manicure most strenuously, but she wouldn't have one....I have been a nail tech for 2 yrs...and yes I could have offered a different system, but regardless of system she had natural nails that were at right angles to her finger so whatever was put on, that would have been at a right angle too, as her hands were so badly deformed.

Plus the only reason why she had to soak them off at home and she left the salon half done is that she had to go home to pick up her son from school and for her medication which meant she could not be out for long (she was with me for two hours). Otherwise I would never allow a client to leave with unfinished nails. I made her soak them off herself as after two hours of unpaid work I don't see why I should sit with her for a further hour to soak her nails off... I didn't even charge for the acetone or anything, but I did recommend she comes back for a manicure.

I have just been out to get The Complete Nail Technician by Marion Newman, to see if that offered any advice for deformed fingers for the next time!!!

 

[Cameo Val]

Hi Angela
Well I think you tried your hardest to please this lady, who obviously could not be pleased at all (look at how she treated the hairdresser). If you want to learn any sort of lesson from this whole experience, it may be that next time you are placed in this situation, you will say firmly but politely 'sorry but I cannot give you enhancements. Then offer her the manicure as the only option.

Dont beat yourself up. From what you have told us, I think that even if you had given her a wonderful set of nails, she would still have complained.

Just mark this up to experience chuck, and move on the the lovely customers.

Love Val

 

[smiler13334]

l was alittle disheartened when l read your post.

As soon as the lady entered the salon you had noticed her disabilities before knowing she was a lady who wanted to make herself look and feel better.

l too am very picky when l pay to have a hair cut especially with a new hairdresser - they don't know how you want it so explaining it to them lets them no - it just means you want what you like. do you agree?

White tips are great on good nail plates they do not suit everyone. this is why sculpting is also an excellent service to offer as a longer nail plate can be built then a free edge is also built.

Nail techs have the ability to make a not so big or great nail look beautiful as long as there is no contra indication apparent first.

If you believe a nail should not be worked on then you do not go against that even if a client keeps on at you. if you say you cant then dont untill you get a doctors letter saying you can.

Alot of people with noticeable differences to ourselves find meeting new people quite hard as some people are very judgemental and don't see beyond those things. perhaps she could sense this and that was why she seemed offish.

Try learning sculpting you will then be able to take on the world of nails.

 

[wondernail]

Excuse me...how dare you think I treated this lady differently because of her disabilities...because I did not. I saw a lady not a walking disability and I take offence at the suggestion that I have been prejudice and I find your comment patronising.

I noticed her deformed hands because I look at everyones hands when they walk in.

I tried very hard to please her, I was very supportive and pleasant and even offer to come out to her on my days off and do her manicure at the hospital whilst she was on dialysis as she spends hours in hospital and I thought this may relieve the boredom.

I do not do sculptured acrylics, I do uv cured acrylics...that is my job...that is what I do and I like to think I do a very good job...and I try hard to make my clients happy and make money to keep my kids happy so if you have to make judgmental remarks get them right before you make them.

As I said before her nails were at right angles to her fingers...do you not agree that any enhancement would also be at right angles and look odd? I wish I could perform miracles and give her lovely long fingers and beautiful nails beds but i can't and neither can any other nail tech regardless of system, or experience.

In future I shall not bother posting, I am not going to be patronised or talked down to like an idiot and told how terrible I am for noticing a lady was disfigured....thanks for nothing.

 

[RedAdmiral]

Angela you are creating exactly the kinds of problems that we are trying to eradicate here. You put you post up for critiscm if you only wanted sympathy then try the samaritans!
Yes we understand she was moaning but this happens when you work with the public. As a good nail tech you should be able to correct most nail problems. I stand by the fact that white tips are unsuitable in most cases.
Ski jump nails are a comman problem so are hook nails and badly bitten nails. Smiler is totally right learn to sculpt!

As for u.v acrylics being 'your job', as a Nail Tech Your Job is to provide the best service for your client and you did not. It is okay to bow out when you cannot do something - you tried your best and it didnt work.

if you have a problem first look to yourself - in the first two lines of your post you put 'I need advice' so why dont you take the advice given?

 

[wondernail]

I dont mind advice i have got loads of advice on here before and have taken it..no problem...I do not like people telling me that I have been prejudice towards someone with a disability when I was not...

I was not looking for sympathy, I was asking if anyone had been in same situation and what they had said and done...I did not ask for someone to decide that I was something I am not.

Her nails were not ski-jumps...I can deal with them...they did a 90 degrees angle from the matrix.

If you think I am looking for sympathy, think again...all I am asking is, if anyone has seen this or been in this situation and how they have dealt with it, considering that I explained the best treatment would be a manicure and she really wanted enhancements and would not take no for an answer and I wanted to help her feel better and that is why I tried to do them for her.

 

[Little Angel]

Hi there Angela

OK..... i have seen this myself one of my clients has very bad arthritis and her nails are the same as you have mentioned. She has asked me for extensions in the past and i have said no as she also would have liked the French look. However when i explained how much attention this would draw to them and make them stand out more she totally understood and went for a gel overlay in a subtle colour.

My client loves her nails now as they are long a lovely. Personally i am not too keen on French tips although i do like French sculpted.

I think you should learn from this as i know its very hard to say no to someone when they have a strong personality and are very insistant, but if you believe its the wrong treatment stick to your guns. This comes with experience i have been bullied a couple of times by clients but you do learn how to say no believe me!

I do think it was very good of you to try for her, and to go round her house with some remover not many people would have done that. They would have finished the job and sent her out with god awful nails, so well done you. :hug:

 

[wondernail]

Thanks for that...a gel overlay may suit her better, in all my panic I never thought about it!!! How stupid!!

I will pay her a visit at home and see what she says hopefully she will go for it!!

If I could do sculptured I really would do but because of severe medical reason I can't (contact dermatitis)...I am in the near future stopping the uv acrylics in favour of Fabric.
Thanks :biggrin: :biggrin:

 

[Just Jo]

Angela I also think you did a nice thing for trying - and I am sorry that it turned out the way it did for both you and your client - and I know it is hard as I have a lady who has had a stroke and her left arm is completely paralysed and her left hand curls into her fist. She came to me because she wanted to feel and look better. I guess in my naivety at the time I didnt think about anything but helping her so I did. It is hard as I have to sculpt one finger at a time and wait for it to set before I can do the next one. She has natural sculpts and then polish - again holding one finger at a time and waiting for polish to set argh! I tried a cloloured sculpt last week eradicating the need to wait for polish to dry. Her other hand can be sculpted as normal but it takes an everday bashing as she can only use this hand so she comes quite often so I can take care. It is very hard work but worth it because she says how good her hands make her feel
I also have a lady who has bad arthritis and her fingertips bend very badly on some fingers but she absolutely loves her p/w so I do them to the best of my ability.