Age limit

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What's your minimum age for Nail Enhancements

  • 16 and over

    Votes: 55 59.8%
  • 13 and over

    Votes: 14 15.2%
  • No minimum age (with Parental consent)

    Votes: 22 23.9%
  • No minimum age (without Parental consent)

    Votes: 1 1.1%

  • Total voters
    92
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Peppercorn Nails

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There has been a very divided discussion on the minimum age for carrying out nail enhancements on the Nailtechuk site.

I personally will not carry out this service on any person under the age of 16 (parental consent or not). However, it has come across that there are a number of teks out there that are quite happy to do so, one in particular doing it on her 7 year old daugher!

With all this toing and froing I decided to contact ANT and Professional Beauty to enquire about their insurance policies in this matter. Amazingly there is no minimum age limit as long as there is parental consent, and in ANT's case, a parent present.

I am totally happy to do a mini mani, polish and nail art on a minor, but surely nail enhancements is just a step too far.

What are your thoughts on this fellow teks?

Adele
 
Hi Adele,

I too have been reading all the posts on NailtechUK and Nailmates - getting very heated at times (no not me LOL).

I personally am with you on this one. I would much prefer any young girls interested in caring for the hands and nails to start off with manicures - unless the base is good then the enhancements wont be very good.

I have on one occasion done enhancements on a 13 year old and that was at the request of her grandmother and mother - she was going to a ball and had the hair do the fab dress but she bit her nails and I was asked if I would do her nails to complete the look. I said I would but the girl herself said she wanted to come back after a couple of days and have them taken off as she was not allowed to have them on at school. She enjoyed them for the weekend and she then had them removed and had a manicure.

I appreciate that the teenagers of today are our customers of tommorow but I feel lets keep our kids as kids for as long as possible. I have two 6 year old girls and they will ask me to paint their nails which I am happy to do, but they dont sit still and they dont let it dry long enough so it doesnt last long.

I have a 13 year old neice and I dont think she is mature enough or wealthy enough to care for enhancements.

As the final point that was made that it should be up to the parents if they want their child to have nail enhancements, I say it is up to the nail technician to deal with each case on its merits as I did. If you dont feel comfortable doing a treatment then I say dont do it.
 
Peppercorn Nails said:
I personally will not carry out this service on any person under the age of 16 (parental consent or not). However, it has come across that there are a number of teks out there that are quite happy to do so, one in particular doing it on her 7 year old daugher!

Hi Adele

7 years old :shock: ? I think that's a bit....actually wayyyyy too young....shouldn't they still be playing with their Barbie's...dressing them up and making them look nice?! I dunno...kids...why do they want to grow up so quickly. Can you imagine trying to explain the aftercare requirements, problems to look out for etc...taking care of their enhancements - would they take it seriously? I think I'd just stick to fun nail art and tweeny manicures (to make them feel grown up).

I haven't ever had anyone much below the 18 mark so far but I wouldn't see a problem with 16 year olds.

The poor mothers (if they allow their daughters to insist on this service)....as if they haven't got enough to spend on their offspring without adding this to the list!
 
I will do mini manicures and nail art for young girls but I wouldn't even consider doing anybody under the age of 16 with or without their parents consent. I think that nail technicians have to act responsibly and we shouldn't need a law to tell us how stupid it is to be applying nail enhancements to children! :x
 
I have just been asked by a colleague to put enhancements on her 13 year old for a wedding this month and I have refused to do it. It hasn`t caused any hard feeling I`m glad to say but I just wouldn`t do them on anyone under 16, parental consent or not.
Anyone under 16 can be made to feel special with manicures for miniatures and nail art, why would they want enhancements anyway when they don`t have the knowledge to look after them.
 
well i dont do under 16's but i have just done some fibreglass nails on my 9 year .as she is a nailbiter and is being a bridesmaid tomorrow so i said if she stoped biting her nails for a month then she could have them for the day (and then i will take them off,)and i dont have a problem doing them on her for this one off time.
 
... that I think Natural Nails & Groovy have a point :shock: I look back to when I was 13,14,15 and think I probably would have LOVED to get my nails done BUT I really think it would be a one-off thing because as Nat Nails said - I wouldn't have been able to afford it and I know mum wouldn't have forked out for the R/B every 2 weeks!!! (knowing me I would have picked them off too :rolleyes: ) I think 'under 13 - no way (if you are a tek then it is up to you whether you do your daughter or not, like Groovy doing a 1 off for hers) but between 13-16 I think that parental consent and the parent present is important plus use your sound judgment on the situation! :? you can pretty much tell when people may be difficult and if you think you may have trouble don't do it!!! :? hope this made sense! :rolleyes:
 
Interesting mix again. I think the way Groovy, Fiona and Samantha have mentioned and dealt with the younger client has been much more individually thought through and it certainly doesn't give the impression that they would carry out nail enhancements on the younger client 'willy nilly'!

Adele
 
i wouldnt put nail enhancements /extensions on willy nilly :shock: ,my daughters french silk extensions looked great for the day and then they were soaked off the next day.got to thinking that at the salon i work we have a few under 16,17years olds that come in every two weeks and the nails stay in great condition and (my boss does these girls about 5 of them)and there is also a 14 year old (who comes in with her mum )and has liquid and powder she looks after them very well .but i think it depends on the girls and the nail tech.but any way i don't do these girls cause i don't want the responsibility of then ripping them off or breaking them etc.
 
Well yesterday I had a Lady who came in and asked if I would put extensions on her 12 year old daughter for a wedding because she is a bridesmaid and all the other bridesmaids have nice nails and are having theirs done.

I said no. I really don't want to have that responsibility. There are so many nice false nails available in the shops now, I think that for children these are much more suitable. I felt really nasty turning her down, but I have only just started working properly and if anything went wrong then I think it would really knock my confidence.
 
I generally don't do extensions on under 16s as I think it is too much for most under 16s to look after them properly. I keep some Temporary stick on tips which I offer to younger clients for special occasions. Pro-Impressions do some great airbrushed tips, which come in french, zebra, flower designs etc. They look great, last a good week or two and the younger ones love all the jazzy designs.

Anyway thats my bit added to the debate - see you later!
 
I don't usually put nails to under 16, don't feel happy about it!! Although kids nowodays look and behave more "grown up" than when I was a teenager (won't tell how long ago!! :p ), I don't think they know much more than we did at their age. Still, I have a 17 year old coming next week with her mum, and she want nails for a special occasion. Said ok, as long as mum stays there and that she signs a consent form... and that I can remove them when the function is over. They've agreed.... phewww... :rolleyes:
Now... does anyone know what a consent form should look like? :?
Thanks!
 
sent mine to your email address for you to look at
 
Are we suppose to detail any possible .... accidents/problems/hic-ups... that could happen? Or just basically ask for consent?
 
There are a lot of jr high dances here and so the girls want nails on for the dance, I will do party nails on the younger crowd say 12-13 and up because I do not buff the natural nail at all on a party set and I have them come back for a soak off and mani and they leave with their natural nails in the same condition they came in, with the exception that they are now nicely manicured..lol...I target this age also by offering a teen manicure which is basic nail care, cuticles, shaping, polish and it includes some simple nail art. The teens and preteens here almost have more flexible spending money than a lot of the adults! I have several high school regulars for the teen manis.
smilieturtle.gif
 
I have to say ... I was waiting to hear from some of our American friends because I know that many teens have their nails done in the USA and some REGULARLY as this age group has a lot of disposable income and they LOVE their nails.

Why are all the UK technicians making decisions for this age group??

Why are you all acting like you are going to cause some irreparable damage to these clients??

Don't you yourselves believe you can do nails without causing damage??

Teens are a huge area of opportunity and in my experience they look after their nails brilliantly!! They're not doing housework or ANY work usually and if they are sporty, they probably aren't interested in having their nails done because they know they will damage them.

Why do you assume that just because a person is young they will pick at their enhancements and destroy them?

I think a lot of you are being very shortsighted here. If the parent consents to the treatment ... and the teen wants the nails ... who are WE to close her purse and say NO? Why should we even? We live in a free country!! It's not our place to make parental decisions for other parents just because we might not agree with their ideas. And it is silly to make assumptions based on what maybe your child would do.

Mrs Geek badgered me from the age of 15 to do her nails and then her girlfriends came along and then their mothers and so on and it was in fact the start of my whole career/business!!

I know I won't damage the natural nails of the client ... aren't you all as confident as to the same outcome??
 
Hi All,
I must admit I was very anti doing teenage nails....................
but I have just read Geegs post and there are some valid points in there.
Which made me look at this again, but in a different light.........

Lets face it, we are talking nails and not tattooing a bald eagle on their chest, or piercing their belly button or what ever there is to pierce.
I still think parental concent is a key factor here.

Even tho some parents take their new born babies to have their ears pierced, and the poor sods don't even get a choice to that decission.

Why are all the UK technicians making decisions for this age group??

Why are you all acting like you are going to cause some irreparable damage to these clients??

Don't you yourselves believe you can do nails without causing damage??

Fair point, I dont cause nail damage to an adult nail, so why would I cause damage to a teenage nail.??

Teens are a huge area of opportunity and in my experience they look after their nails brilliantly!! They're not doing housework or ANY work usually and if they are sporty, they probably aren't interested in having their nails done because they know they will damage them.

Wouldn't it be better if the girly Teenagers then came to us and not resort to the Supermarket ones, do it themselfs and the due to lack of expertise end up with airbubles, moisture and greeny bits???
If Nails is their thing, why not do it the propper way?????

Why do you assume that just because a person is young they will pick at their enhancements and destroy them?
Yea what makes us think that ???? Just because the over20's do it doesn't mean that they will...........

think a lot of you are being very shortsighted here. If the parent consents to the treatment ... and the teen wants the nails ... who are WE to close her purse and say NO? Why should we even? We live in a free country!! It's not our place to make parental decisions for other parents just because we might not agree with their ideas. And it is silly to make assumptions based on what maybe your child would do.

I think as long as we are professionals, take parental consent into account, then why are we turning down good business and good money as well.
I am Tech because I love my job, I am Tech because I want to do a great job, so why should I turn a client that obviously wants to look great.
So as with any other client,they or the parent would be made aware of the aftercare, regular visits and all other stuff they would need to know.I would take into account their activity and make the nail suitable for their lifestyle.
I am also business woman which means I run a business, but if I felt the client is unsuitable, may it be teenager or and oldie, I would advise them accordingly

So thats my view on this and you can all shot me in the morning lol
Love to all
Ruth xxx
 
Hi Ruth

Does this mean in future you will not have a minimum age limit?


I take on board what Geeg says, and maybe agree with the teen bit, but to go lower and apply enhancements to a 7 year old surely must be a step to far?

I am confident that I do not damage my clients nails, however what I can't guarantee is my clients damaging their own nails :?

Adele
 
Hi Adele,
I think that 7 is a bit young, I was more talking about Teenagers.
But I think realisticly, the age of interst would bemore like 13 and upwards.

But then again................

Who's 7 year old Mum is going to pay £ 50.00 for a full set of extensions and then the regular maintenance price £ 25.00? These are my prices for London. I certainly would really have to think about that one, if it was my daughter..............

But if the mother is going to pay my prices then why not, at leat I will know that she will get the safer of the two options with me. the other option being a discount salon, MMA being used and no drill education.
Because I think if I turn her down, but she is adamant, then she will go somewhere that will do it.

Bearing also in mind, the child would leave with nice natural looking nails, not inch long talons, so they would get a sporting active lifestyle length.
Something that would not interfere with their sporting or other activity's.
I also think, that the only young girls that would be interested and want nail Extensions, are the Girly girls not the Tomboy girls.

I would certainly go for a consultation first and see if natural manicures would not be in favour of Extension, but in any case................

I would have a consent form signed, go through all the usual stuff, like, no picking aso. and stating that I cant be held responsible for any nail damage due to any mistreatment of the Enhancement. The same really as ,for the adult clients. A mother who is asking for me to do extensions on her daughter would probably have her own nails done anyway, so she would know the ins and outs of the involvment, and then it could possibly turn out to be a mother and daughter thingy. AAAAAAAAhhhhhhhh

Love Ruth xxx
 
Hi all,

yes like Ruth says, I too have re thought my opinion on this. Gigi as always has made some very valid and valuable points.

I am very confident that I will not damage the natural nails but yes, I was assuming the girls would not look after the nails.

I will in future keep an open mind and deal with each case as it presents itself rather than say a blanket NO.

At my indulgence evening last night, I took on about 6 new teenagers as clients but only (initially) for airbrushing on their own nails (their choice). Nail enhancements have not been mentioned.
 
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