Bitten nail client - Advice please ...

[soul girl]

Hi

Just some pointers please ... i have a client who i've had for a while and at the start she had really badly bitten nails, and im talking really bad .... now for a while she was loosing maybe 3 or 4 tips on each occassion but then gradulally this reduced down toher having just infills.

Then I went on holiday and on my return all her enhancements were ripped/bitten off (she has admitted freely that she is heavy handed) and now we're back at square 1. done a full set for her last week and she has just called to say that maybe she should give up on having nails as they've all come off again.

Now I don't want her to give up especially as I felt as if we were getting somewhere at last.

I currently use CND tips that I can't actually recall the name of! (the ones that don't require blending) ------ would there be a better tip to use as im practically positioning these so far down the nail bed (she has tiny beds also) that its practically at the cuticle area!?????

Naturally carry out all the PREP work, then I use the white for the tips along with warm opaque to elongate the nail bed.

Naturally I try and keep them short, which again is tricky as she has such dainty little fingers. I think I will ask her to maybe come and see me after 7-10 days to check up on them

Is there anything else I could be doing to help?

Thanks as always!

 

[Urban Geek]

If your client is a biter and she continues to bite the enhancements off, it is not down to which tip you use.

I currently have a nail biter coming to me whose nails were so bad and infected that I referred her to her GP. She returned to me about 2-3 months ago for nails. She had about 2cm of nail on each finger. She insisted on having them done even though they may not last very long. She returned a month later with all but one still on. She is getting married this Saturday and her nails and hands have been absolutely transformed.

Yes, I take credit for putting the nails on and helping her stopping biting but the real credit is down to my client for resisting biting or picking at them.

There is only so much we can do but if a client doesn't listen or doesn't care, there is not a lot more we can do. It is not your fault, it is your client who has been naughty.

 

[allieXayrshire]

i always recommend extreme nail biters are seen again within 7 days to repair and strengthen the nails . If the nail is bitten badly but the client does not haver any puffy or bulbous skin then i may recommend 10 days for first maintenance appointment. as the nails begin to grow they can then start coming every2-3 weeks like normal clients . I keep the nails as short as possible preferably only to the length of the finger and advise that as their own nails improve they can then get them longer and have more options and most are quite happy with this as anything to their nails is an improvement.
When i stick the tip on i reduce the contact area of the tip with a file and if necessary only stick the corners of the tip to the nail so that i can expose as much of the nail plate as possible as i have seen some clients where the well of the tip is bigger than the nail.
The only thing i have difficulty with when working with nail biters is if the nail is really small i find it difficult to etch so would it be ok to clean the nail, apply tip and then etch and dehydrate and prime as this would avoid touching the skin on the finger where the nail should be?

 

[spn01]

Hi

Just some pointers please ... i have a client who i've had for a while and at the start she had really badly bitten nails, and im talking really bad .... now for a while she was loosing maybe 3 or 4 tips on each occasion but then gradually this reduced down to her having just infills.

Then I went on holiday and on my return all her enhancements were ripped/bitten off (she has admitted freely that she is heavy handed) and now we're back at square 1. done a full set for her last week and she has just called to say that maybe she should give up on having nails as they've all come off again.

Now I don't want her to give up especially as I felt as if we were getting somewhere at last.

I currently use CND tips that I can't actually recall the name of! (the ones that don't require blending) ------ would there be a better tip to use as im practically positioning these so far down the nail bed (she has tiny beds also) that its practically at the cuticle area!?????

Naturally carry out all the PREP work, then I use the white for the tips along with warm opaque to elongate the nail bed.

Naturally I try and keep them short, which again is tricky as she has such dainty little fingers. I think I will ask her to maybe come and see me after 7-10 days to check up on them

Is there anything else I could be doing to help?

Thanks as always!

When faced with a client like this I sculpt.
Why? I am a borderline sculpting snob:green::lol:

If the nails are so chronically bitten ie only a couple of ml of natural nail plate, then depending on the clients fashion preference I use one colour opaque powder. I free sculpt the enhancement (without form) with enhancement short (no longer than the pad of her finger). I make sure the prep is impeccable (nail biters are perfectionists at trimming after all:lol so there is no excuse for them to have a nibble.
If french enhancements are the order I do as above, then file the free edge and then with a sculpting form sculpt the whites.

Personally my preferred technique for finishing on a nail biter client is buffing to a high shine - I show the client how to oil her nails and buff. I make sure they go home with oil and buffer in hand. Then with tongue and cheek and in a very lovely manner I say "buff not bite".

I do follow up these clients after 3-4 days with a phone call to see how they are going and usually book them for a 2 weekly rebalance.

All going well I rebalance as per normal.

Nail biters are great clients, they so appreciate the transformation you make and having a nail technician so caring and understanding.

Trust this helps

 

[soul girl]

Thanks .... Appears that im doing all that is required and will now leave it up to her to behave!!

Sorry just 2 more questions:

1.Is it worth using an additional primer... im currently using retention+????

2. How shallow or deep should the smile line be .... bearing in mind the nails are v short I would assume that a thin smile would look better?

Does anyone have on their gallery pictures of before and after nail biters just so i can have an idea what mine should look like ?

Thanks

 

[sian1979]

hi ya....
the problem with using well less tips on a biter is that by the time you have stuck the tip there is not actually that much natural nail left for the liquid and powder to adhere to......(so if you look at how long your final nail is going to be you are probably looking at alot less that 50% of it is atached to the nail) this will end up with the client breaking them or them lifting. i would use tips that have to be blended in.....you probably have some cnd formation tips in your kit...try them and trim the ears off them to stop them poking down the side walls/cuticle....it will make them easier to blend.
make sure that the free edge of the enhancement is no nore than 50% of the length of the natural nail. i always start off very short and get them to grow them up to a length they can cope with.
here are some biters that i have done....one with the orangy tips insisted on having them longer than what i advised and did end up losing a few nails and biting them off

http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/...+nail+pics...........-picture11984-before.jpg
http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/...e+nail+pics...........-picture11985-after.jpg
http://www.salongeek.com/members/sian1979-albums-nail+pics-picture8631-custom-blend-soft-white.jpg

just to add you shouldnt have to use a primer with ret + but in your manual you will have a power prep routine that you , can try which is : scrubfresh, nail fresh, scrubfresh again then followed with the acid free primer.

 

[soul girl]

Thanks Sian .. i did look at those pics yesterday whilst i was being nosey!!!

HAve just called up Ketan and he's agreed that I should use the Formation tips, we actually received the performance tips in our packs so I have just ordered a box of them!!

Thanks again for your advice.... i'll let you know how I get on and will def at some point try and get some pics loaded!!

Thanks again

Trace

 

[sian1979]

Thanks Sian .. i did look at those pics yesterday whilst i was being nosey!!!

HAve just called up Ketan and he's agreed that I should use the Formation tips, we actually received the performance tips in our packs so I have just ordered a box of them!!

Thanks again for your advice.... i'll let you know how I get on and will def at some point try and get some pics loaded!!

Thanks again

Trace

ahh good!! the kits have changed then since i did my course, lol!
i think as you are still quite new.....speaking on my own personal experience......i think it is best to stick with tips to start with then move on to sculpting later otherwise you end up trying to learn too many different areas at once....taking you twice as long to get to grips with it all. Biters are hard clients anyway especially if you are new to it all.
cant wait to see the pictures....also i wouldnt use white powder or tips on a biter unless you are using a coverage powder to extend the nail bed...but again that may be for another day, lol.
i would either just use clear or pink powder over the entire nail and buff to a high shine and either leave or paint with enamel.....i find with biters they dont pink as much if the nails are painted.

 

[soul girl]

I am already using the opaque powders, which initially i found tricky but am now finding them ok, I found that mixing the warm up with some intense made the application much easier.

Anyway we'll see how it goes and like I said will post some pics when im done and let you know!!

Thanks again guys for your adivice

 

[Vetty]

You've had excellent advice, but I just wanted to add a before and after pic of a nail biter I did recently:

http://www.salongeek.com/members/ve...ure11029-nail-biter-before-03-03-09-left.html
http://www.salongeek.com/members/ve...ure11032-nail-biter-after-03-03-09-right.html

hth's

 

[soul girl]

Hi Vetty

Thanks for that ... wow tey're amazing and whats more your clients before picture is just like my lady!!!

Any other pointers to consider?

If they look anything like yours i'll be most happy !!!

 

[Lorrainelola]

I have posted literally the same thing about a biter client. I have read all the replies on this thread with much interest.