twelve yr old enhancements

[buttonmoon]

2 regular clients i have (sister in laws) called me yesterday and asked if i could put enhancements on their 12 yr old neice

i said yes
aslong as her parent was willing to sign a disclaimer and she would promice not to pick them or bite them off

now i wonder if i should have said no???

what should i do?
what would u have done?

if i do them, how should i word a disclaimer?
(i currently use creative record cards)

please help
xxx

 

[Sassy Hassy]

If people want to have a set of nails then if they don't come to you then they will go elsewhere. So better that you get the business and better that they come to someone who will care for their natural nails, rather than a "nail butcher".

However beware!! (oh why is there always a but!). Most 12 year olds are by nature more energetic and biosterous than a more mature person. You must therefore lay it on extremely thick to the parent that you cannot guarantee how well they will last as a 12 year old is not going to be as careful with them and get them to sign for it. This will be even more the case if she is a nail biter, picker ..... and do you think she will be honest to her mum if she bites them all off, or do you think she will put the blame on you? Forewarned is forearmed as they say!

 

[mooredianne]

Sassy you beat me to it!! I agree. I once did a set of extensions for a thirteen year old's birthday and got her mother to sign the disclaimer on the creative record cards, as well as a note i had written on the back of the aftercare leaflet about parental consent. Gave the mother a copy of the front of the record card and aftercare leaflet as well. Must admit though, this younfg girl looked after her nails better than some of my more mature clients!!

 

[chrisbow]

I agree with everything that Sassy has said. I have a twelve year old daughter who has wanted her nails done. I can guarantee that if I tip and overlay she will lose 3 or 4 within the first two weeks - she is quite an active girl. However, I sculpted her a full set about 4 1/2 weeks ago and she has kept them all on. She is due for her second infill in about a weeks time.

 

[Fab Freak]

Okay I don’t think from the replies given so far this is what you might want to hear – but it’s only my personal option.

This is a big NO for me personally. I won’t treat under 16 for any kind of nail enhancement – manicures I have no issue with, I don’t believe these are meant for children, and even if I save them from the horrors of NSS I wont do it.

I mean what kind of enhancements for the girl next when she’s 13 breast enhancments ? - i know this might be extreeme but crickey they are kids I think children should be learning how to nurture their nails and not look for the quick fix or instant solution at such a young age.

I might be a crap business woman for this but I am not worried, only last week I turned away a 10 year old.

Plus on another note I don’t think any disclaimer in the world would stand up in court as you are a professional could he held accountable – and if anyone knows if this statement is wrong please let me know - thanks.

I hope my views on this matter don't upset anyone who would treat a child I just think differently. :Love:

 

[kittenclaws]

i do nails on my daughter and niece my daughter is 12 and niece is 14, i can honestly say i love doing nails on them as being teenagers they have an amazing flare for nail art, they can confuse me sometimes by saying "i want what rachel stevens has got" or something along them lines but above all they are great to work with, i hae had a couple of kerri's school friends wanting there nails done but i dont think i have enough experience yet

another great thing with kids is they are brutely honest, if they dont like what you have done,they tell you instead of saying they are fine then telling the whole world and its aunt how bad they are

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Louise, no you haven't offended at all, everyone is entitiled to their own opinion after all. Perhaps I jumped ahead of myself in my post, because I would definitely try and talk her out of it, I always say that I wouldn't let my own daughter have them until she was 16 because, 1) it's a lot of money 2) they have a greater risk of accidents and the subsequent damage with sports at school etc 3) a few schools in our area have banned them 4) I think they are too young.

But if they are adamant that they want them done, then there is no way I would want our local NSS to touch her hands, so with great reluctance I would do them.

The disclaimer is not so much for covering yourself for an insurance claim, more to stop an angry ranting mother coming at you with all guns blazing because they only lasted two minutes - I had it happen when I worked in my local nail bar, this kids nails were full of dirt but the mother swore blind that her child had not been out playing ... yeah and I'm the Queen of Sheba lol. By gettting her to sign that schoolchildren (and not all I might add) are just more active and more likely to have probs then she will be less willing to focus the blame in your direction, just as I would explain to a more mature person who looks after horses for example that she too will have to be more careful than most.

 

[zobo]

I think it depends on the individual - my sister is 10 and refuses point blank to have them done!! ....she hates the smell of the monomer and thinks the filing looks sore!! so for a 12 year old to ask you must think she takes pride in her appearance from a very young age ??? everyones different. if you let younger clients know that they might not last as long, then they will wonder why? if they're mature enough to want them in the first place, im sure they will be mature enough to wear them well! i put a full set on to my 14 yr old cousin amd she's treating them like precious jewels!!

 

[RedAdmiral]

I agree with Fab Freak I wouldnt put a set on anyone under 16. I would teach them how to look after their natural nails and get them interested in nail art. I would encourage the growth of the natural nail and show them how to nurture their nails and not opt for the quick fix. A young teen has no hand awareness and as said is active and............ well a normal kid! I couldnt see any benefit in putting enhancements on a child. What happens at school when they have to do P.E.?

Sorry to offend but me thinks teenager + rounders/net/basket/hockey ball = sore fingers! :|

 

[nail_star2003]

This subject is such a tricky one!!! Young girls eh?!!

I have my own experiences with a client of mine. She is 10 years old - yes 10! She comes as regular as clockwork every 2 weeks and she saves her pocket money to pay for her own nails (her mum and dad own the local pub so she gets more than the average pocket money I'm sure!!).

This would probably scare the hell out of most people and it did me to begin with as I certainly don't agree with 10 year olds having their nails done. As mentioned before, manicures - yes, nail art - yes, nail extensions - NO! BUT She has been having her nails done since she was 9 years old by another technician! This 'technician' used to buff off her acrylic, rather than soaking and never prepped her nails before applying the overlay. There was no way this girl was going to let me manicure her nails.

I know this sounds really blunt but I thought to myself that if her own parents haven't got a problem with it (although I did) then why should I lose out (I run a business not the samaritans!) when potentially she has a whole school of potential clients for me (for manicures, nail art etc!!) with mums who may have other treatments as well. I did the usual, got her mum to sign a disclaimer etc and she really does look after her nails!! I grappled with this issue for ages, but as Sassy said at least I know that I'm doing the best I possibly can for her nails rather than leaving her to the unknowns. If I didn't do them she would probably go to the NSS around here and I'd rather not have that on my conscience!!!

Well, that's my two penneth anyway!

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Kelly I fully agree with you.

If you'd asked me this question a couple of years ago then I would have given a very different answer, under 14s a point blank NO, and 14-16s I would evaluate the client before taking them on. If they went elsewhere then that wouldn't have bothered me because the nail industry within my area was very new and the competition would have looked after her well. But when I see with my own eyes the damage that NSS and the non standard tech create(those who go on a 2 day course and straight away call themselves a qualified nail tech and charge 40 quid a set) then I had to change my point of view.

Likewise I am also starting to think about taking on infill clients who haven't had the set put on by me and I am very dead against this too.

I don't like doing it and I don't agree with it and I admire those that stick to their guns and refuse to take it on, and don't think that I am trying to tell you to do otherwise. But I wouldn't like the thought of some efile stuck on full whack murdering my young daughters nails, so I had to change my mind set. JMHO

 

[Tiger Jay]

I think every one said what I wanted to say.

God when I was 12 I was climing trees and playing tracking (I was a bit of a tom boy) Whats happening these days?

When I worked at the salon we had a lady in who wanted her 10 year old to have her legs waxed. How crazy is that!!!?

 

[Fab Freak]

Here here julie - I was in a tree at 12, now I'm just off my tree..lol

But happended to being a kid – my Dean says if they want to act like an adult let them pay a gas bill - then they want to be kids again

I won't ever diss anyone for doing treatments on kids and yes we aren't the samaratines but we are responsible professionals and in my opinion we should not put money as our A1 priority -

I thought about this and ask you have you ever considered how many potential adults/mums this could discourage as clients as they too think its unprofessional to put enhancments on children - this could be losing you business?

 

[CHEEKY CHICO]

Reading all the replies to this post i am really glad to see with a lot of you that it is not the case of "money talks".
Whilst i know it is tempting to take any business at times as the gas bill needs paying or young mickie is doing an extra load of pooping and needs heavy duty nappies, etc.....but at what age do you draw the line?
aren't the nail plates of a 10 year still in their infancy of growth and therefore softer and more prone to damage?
Surely putting enhancements on someone that young is inviting trouble in the future, as all the products available are designed for the adult nail?
Do these products that you use all use get tested on yougsters at any stage of developement to check for long term damage, after all we are talking some seriously strong chemicals here, which,while the adult nail plate can cope, i question whether a youngsters can.
Although just starting and yet to do my first live set, i have had the chance to practice on a 13 year old, but whist the practice would be good, i questioned too many things and thought better of it....most of all how to fix it if god help me something went wrong and i damaged those poor little fingers for the rest of her life.
Thats me off my soap box....next!

 

[bimbogeri]

My personal policy is no enhancements on under-16s. Like Vannessa said, at the age of 16 and under you are doing I think 2 hours of compulsory PE at school per week - hockey, netball.... which I know from personal experience (temporarily lost a thumb nail and have two permanently mis-shapen nails) wreak havoc on young hands. I personally never wore my nails much longer than 1 or 2mm over the end of my fingers for that very reason, and all the girls that did were forever breaking them.
For a 15-year old in their last year at school (so they will be turning 16 but not quite yet) I would apply enhancements once the school year is over, but not before.

I will do weekender nails for special occassions but the price for those includes removal. For this reason I've produced a 'teen menu' which then only includes the treatments I am prepared to give young girls. I've tried to tailor them more to their market so they feel like they are getting what is best for them for their money rather than paying for, say, anti-ageing treatments or such like in their manicure I would much rather give a girl a series of my 'nail biter no more' manicures and get her own nails looking lovely than perform what I see as an adult treatment on a young girl.

It makes me sad to see such young girls so preoccupied with their appearances.. clothes, nails, hair, before they even become teenagers. Every client will be different and I hope I haven't offended anyone here, but my personal feeling is a blanket 'no'.. at least then I can occassionally view a case independently and make any 'yes' decisions the exception, rather than the rule. At the end of the day I know that none of my local salons (thank god) are NNS, so if they do go to them and get a yes, at least they should take care of their nails even if I don't agree with the decision.

 

[caz3]

I am sorry I would have to say NO to this one I really do not agree putting nail extensions on a child this young!
Ok if she were to go somewhere else then be it! I would have to let this one go.
But then saying this NO you do not have to let her go, just educate her about her nails tell her that you can do some nail art, French manicure, even a pedicure there are so many nail treats she can have.
I have 5 children 4 are girls I do my older girls but when it comes to my 12 year old she has nail art, manicure, and pedicures.
As it is school hols she is walking around with the best nails as we have had fun with the nail art. If she was at school she could not have this done as her school says no to any nail varnish so it is weekends or school hols she can be treated.
She is really happy and understands where I am coming from when I say no to what her sisters have.
In a few years time she can then enjoy having them done but not for now.
Caz xxx

 

[nail_star2003]

I do completely understand and agree with most points being raised. However, I don't want anyone to think that I'm a money-grabbing tech - I'm not!!!! I am a very responsible nail technician, who has built her business around recommendation rather than advertising. I would also like to point out that I wouldn't just do this on any 10 year old!!!! I used to say no to anyone under the age of 16 unless it was for a special occassion whereby they would come back to me for their soak off straight away.

I felt that this situation was different. There was no option that this girl was not going to have her nails done. Therefore I felt it better for her to come to me rather than being 'attended' to by another tech. To use an old phrase it was the lesser of two evils. Yes, I agree, I could've said no but I didn't because I know that I would be doing less damage than somewhere else locally.

On another point, my next youngest client is 26!!!!!!!!!

 

[cuticles]

As a mother, I would be incensed that my judgement was being called to question here. The nails may be for a special occasion, they may also be to encourage a nail biter but for whatever reason, I don;t think it is for us to make the judgement. By all means, encourage the youngster in nail care (I learnt nail care in the Brownies! Not PC enough nowadays). Youngsters are like puppies, they try it, leave it and come back to it again!

I quite agree children should be children but also feel that they need to experiment with adult life too.



Cathy

 

[Sassy Hassy]

As a mother, I would be incensed that my judgement was being called to question here. The nails may be for a special occasion, they may also be to encourage a nail biter but for whatever reason, I don;t think it is for us to make the judgement. By all means, encourage the youngster in nail care (I learnt nail care in the Brownies! Not PC enough nowadays). Youngsters are like puppies, they try it, leave it and come back to it again!

I quite agree children should be children but also feel that they need to experiment with adult life too.
Cathy

OMG Cathie, how I remember those nail inspections by my Brown Owl by the toadstool, lol!

I think there is no wrong or right to the question posed, just a personal view point. I wish that my girls hadn't grown up so quickly. I battled against my daughter shaving her legs at 10, but she was so hairy that she wouldn't wear a skirt and was so self conscious about it, and I thought, what the hell does a few years make? Everyone is different.... My elder daughter and her friends were a great supply of models for me when I first started off in nails when they were 14, but they were young ladies and very mature for their tender years. But my younger daughter (she with the hairy legs lol) is such a Tomboy that I would only let her have them recently at 16 and she hated them as they got in the way and I had to take them off!

I had 2 girls in the other day both in year 11 (aged 16) who paid 40 quid each for a full set. I sat there incredulously wondering how they could justify this expense at their age. But like you say Cathie, who am I to judge?

I have another 14 year old (now 15) who is a monster muncher. Again she is very mature for her age and she is permanently on the nail biters scheme, any more than a week and she bites them all off. We are working very hard together to try and stop her biting her nails, if I'd offered her natural nail care she'd have bitten that off too!

 

[cuticles]

Ah the good old days, I had forgotton about that toadstool. My uniform was so big it would fit me now! Setting fire to anything - great days! Anyway enough reminising

We had a similar discussion at work recently as a mother wanted to buy a facial for her 12 year old and there was the start of mutterings about the age thing here Just because we don't or do agree, doesn;t make it the right decision.


Cathy