Am I able to help my client?

[blossom]

My last client has requested French gel toes. Then showed me her feet.

She has had ingrown toenails ops on both big toes (all other toes fine), they grow in a strong arch shape, thick and with horny build up on top of the arch which isn't smooth, they also are very tapered where she said they "took the corners out" during the op, which apparently are not supposed to grow back?? There is a diagonal piece missing from one of the toenails and she paints the skin beneath to make it look a bit better.

I said I would need a doctors note to give the OK before attempting anything particularly bearing in mind the op a few months ago. She didn't seem keen to talk to her doc (who she doesn't particularly like, I know) but said she will talk to her chiropodist and see what she says. (I feel I should insist on a Doc's note, am I right or does a chiropodist have the same clout?)

From looking at the nails (and they do look pretty awful tbh) I think I could sculpt a decent shape nail onto what's there using l&p, there is enough nail to do that, (but I would prob need to file some of the horny part to flatten it, it is really really thick in one part), then I would do them gel overlay after that.

Any thoughts, opinions, ideas or tips? The skin around her big toes is fleshy and they are buried in there iykwim so won't be an easy task. She is such a nice lady and I would love to be able to transform her toes for her esp as she has a wedding to go to in a few weeks and I know she is conscious of them.

But if I was reading this post by someone else I know I would probably say don't touch them with a bargepole ! :lol:

 

[Northern Nails]

Mmm...If it were me i'd sculpt the corners to make to nails uniform. however the whole reason she had the corners taken away were do to ingrown nails so make sure that her "new" corners aren't going to dig into the soft tissue.

 

[blossom]

Thanks for your reply; any other thoughts peeps please? :hug:

 

[moopie]

What is a Chiropodist?

I'd say a note from her foot doctor/podiatrist/chiropodist is actually BETTER than a note from her general practitioner/family doctor. After all, feet are their specialty. Explain to her that you want to be very safe and sure you don't worsen or potentially threat her healing from her condition.

As long as there seem to be no open cuts, no foul smells, no obvious OPEN wounds, I would do it for her, IMO.

If you have ANY feelings of uneasiness or worry, DON'T DO IT!! YOU need to be comfortable with this...you've done your training - use your judgment (you know best!)

Goodluck!

 

[oey]

My understanding that the recovery time for ingrowing nail ops is 8 weeks. If it looks all clear and her chiropodist says so then go ahead. she will be dead pleased I bet.

 

[blossom]

Thanks for your replies :hug:

The op was a few months ago so should be ok there oey, thanks

I should hear from her in the next couple of weeks or so if she wants it done, so I'll do before and after pics which I'll post on the site here xx

 

[sas21]

Hiya,
I had an ingrown toenail op years ago and one toenail is a completely diferent shape and size to the other one!

I did an L&P overlay one the bad one once and just kinda brought the sides out a bit (as it is very narrow now) just to make it look more similar to the other one and it worked a treat!

As far as my own toes are concerned, the reason I had them ingrowing was the ways the sides of my nail are shaped, they naturally have an extreme curve which embeds itself into the tissue in the side walls if not cut out regularly.

I didn't have any probs with the nail ingrowing again when I had the L&P on as its only on the surface and not right in the side walls iykwim. I know this might sounds strange but, I think it actually helped the ingrown nail (which I do have) on the other big toe and discouraged it from ingrowing!

Just thought I'd share my experience!:hug:

Sarah
xx