Client hand placement under UV/LED light difficulties

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JulesT

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Hi fellow Nail Techs,

I am wondering if any of you have any tips for hand placement under the lights. I find that I am constantly reminding clients about how important hand placement is.

This is what I find, clients tend to turn their thumbs towards the desk preventing the light to get to it. I also have found that most naturally turn their hands outward which can create pooling, so I remind them to shift their hands inward slightly.

But nevertheless for me it seems as though these reminders are fruitless because I find that no matter how good my application is it ends up getting either smudged, pooled or not cured fully.

Typically, I cure all 5 at once, but for some 4 nails and then thumb. I was thinking maybe I may need to do one at a time but that alone takes so much time!

I am not sure what else to do!

I bought a new light that is open so I can see now what they are doing but geesh its alot of work! I used to have an OPI light but it was so difficult to clean.

Any suggestions at all would be extremely helpful so I can create the effect that I desire or client.
 
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Hey! I think you may need a better lamp or to cue for long- everyone has issues with thumb but the other problems you’re having shouldn’t be effected by your clients hand placement - what wattage is the lamp you’re using at the moment?
 
Deffo check your lamp and gel compatability...it's so important. Timings too are vital.
Don't overload your brush as well as thinner gels will cure better. Practise and yes if you have to do one at a time.
 
Yes of course but also anything above 32watts is what you should be using as some lower watt lamps sometimes don’t cure properly
 
You don’t need to check your gel brand to the lamp brand. I use 3 different gel brands and 1 universal gel lamp. Never once a had a problem !

I always do all the fingers first. Base colour top. Then the thumbs at the end base colour top.
Have them get there hand ready before they go in the lamp so you know there position is correct.
4 fingers sparse, level. That way you can see before they go in the lamp if they need to adjust it.

If you really want to do 1 finger at a time I would recommend flash Curing. Ie 5 seconds. Just to make sure they won’t flood or spill.
Do one finger then flash
As that one finger is in the lamp paint the next hands first finger. Keep the lamp in the centre so it’s more comfortable for the client.

Hope this makes sense and helps x
 
You don’t need to check your gel brand to the lamp brand. I use 3 different gel brands and 1 universal gel lamp

Yes you do.

The link provided gives very details and technical information about why the lamp should always be matched to the product as per the manufacturers recommendations. Contravening this advice can invalidate your insurance which will clearly state you need to follow manufacturers recommendations.

Just because a product looks cured doesn't mean it is, this can lead to overexposure, allergy and service breakdown.
 
Yes you do.

The link provided gives very details and technical information about why the lamp should always be matched to the product as per the manufacturers recommendations. Contravening this advice can invalidate your insurance which will clearly state you need to follow manufacturers recommendations.

Just because a product looks cured doesn't mean it is, this can lead to overexposure, allergy and service breakdown.
I’ve never had a problem with it, no complaining clients and gels have lasted perfectly. I am fully trained with experience! All the salons I have worked in have used universal gel lamps. They are called universal lamps for a reason. I know what my insurance states hun but thanks anyways. X
 
I’ve never had a problem with it, no complaining clients and gels have lasted perfectly. I am fully trained with experience! All the salons I have worked in have used universal gel lamps. They are called universal lamps for a reason. I know what my insurance states hun but thanks anyways. X

Personally I'll take Doug Schoon's advice over yours hun

http://www.schoonscientific.com/resource/understanding-uv-lamps/ (follow the link on the website for his recommendations) In case anyone is unaware who Doug Schoon is: http://www.schoonscientific.com/about/

There is no such thing as a "universal nail lamp" that will properly cure all types of UV curable nail products
nor is there a UV curable product that properly cures with any UV nail lamp. UV nail products are
designed to cure best with a specific UV nail lamp-‐ one that was designed to emit the
correct wavelengths and deliver the appropriate intensities for the proper time duration.
 
Personally I'll take Doug Schoon's advice over yours hun

http://www.schoonscientific.com/resource/understanding-uv-lamps/ (follow the link on the website for his recommendations) In case anyone is unaware who Doug Schoon is: http://www.schoonscientific.com/about/
As long it works for you great! However I’ll be continuing with the advice and experience I have from working in different salons and experience therapist with 10+ years. If there no such thing as a universal lamp then how do I have one? How have the salons I worked in used them etc? I hope this isn’t coming across a being rude as I don’t mean it like that. However I know my experience and I know the advice I’ve been given and will continue with advice and knowledge from the lovely experienced girls I have worked with x
 
As long it works for you great! However I’ll be continuing with the advice and experience I have from working in different salons and experience therapist with 10+ years. If there no such thing as a universal lamp then how do I have one? How have the salons I worked in used them etc? I hope this isn’t coming across a being rude as I don’t mean it like that. However I know my experience and I know the advice I’ve been given and will continue with advice and knowledge from the lovely experienced girls I have worked with x

Respectfully, are any of your colleagues qualified Chemists or Chemical Engineers with experience of developing complex polymer materials?
Just because you think it’s cured and it feels hard to the touch, doesn’t make it fully cured. More clients are developing allergies to gel products because their Techs are not following the manufacturers instructions.

Yes, it might be advertised as a Universal lamp but by the same token, people used to believe that smoking was a healthy pursuit and advertising reflected this. With the benefit of research, we now know very differently!

Obviously, you are welcome to choose your own products, tools and how you want to work. However, as this is a site for professional trained therapists, hairdressers and nail techs, it is important that whenever anecdotal information is posted as a legitimate procedure, we need to clarify that not following manufacturers instructions to the letter, can invalidate your insurance cover.
 
the advice and experience I have from working in different salons and experience therapist with 10+ years.

How can you take advice from techs over the person who practically invented CND Shellac (lets remember Shellac was the first Gel Polish style product to the market). Doug is/was part of the Research & Development Team who created the stuff and the lamp requirement, procedures, etc.. The man is a scientist who's sole purpose is to create nail products that are safe and innovative and to educate techs to protect themselves and clients now and in the future. If he says it ain't cured, then it ain't cured!!

If there no such thing as a universal lamp then how do I have one?

Because a Chinese factory stuck a label on it saying 'universal' - yes it's hardening the product but it's not fully curing it.

Genuinely...this is not a dig....have you read the document on the link to Doug's page and the Pinned Post we mentioned earlier about lamp suitability. I can't understand how you can read this information, provided by scientists and people far more educated than I can ever hope to be and still think it's not a problem. :(
 
How can you take advice from techs over the person who practically invented CND Shellac (lets remember Shellac was the first Gel Polish style product to the market). Doug is/was part of the Research & Development Team who created the stuff and the lamp requirement, procedures, etc.. The man is a scientist who's sole purpose is to create nail products that are safe and innovative and to educate techs to protect themselves and clients now and in the future. If he says it ain't cured, then it ain't cured!!



Because a Chinese factory stuck a label on it saying 'universal' - yes it's hardening the product but it's not fully curing it.

Genuinely...this is not a dig....have you read the document on the link to Doug's page and the Pinned Post we mentioned earlier about lamp suitability. I can't understand how you can read this information, provided by scientists and people far more educated than I can ever hope to be and still think it's not a problem. :(
You do you hun I do me. Also please don’t assume or imply that I’ve got a Chinese factory made non legit gel lamp as I know where I bought my lamp from, the sales assistant was full of knowledge etc. Like I said I’ve had no problems at all so will stick to the knowledge I’ve been given by loads of therapist. And just because they were the first people to invent it doesn’t mean times don’t change, new products and equipment becomes available. What are you suppose to do for those brands that don’t supply there own lamp, as Some brands don’t. If you still feel the need to reply then pm me as this thread wasn’t created for a debate of this nature x
 
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Hi all
I understand that it is best to use the same brand light and the same gel product. I have primarily used OPI for the last ten years and have had this problem all along but now im just getting more and more frustrated. I use all the OPI brand products offered. Yeah I have a few gelish and CND, not many and they are not used often because I do my best to stick with OPI.
I really disliked the style of the OPI lights that they came out with. So I did make a decision I wouldn't normally make and bought a non OPI light with the same wattage requirements because the OPI lights were hard to clean, did not meet the needs for clients for "the best hand placement", and the cost (which I dont mind paying if it was the best light). I in fact just started using it about a week ago thinking it should help with hand placement but to no avail. At first I really hesitated. I do like Doug Shoon and of course respect the work that he has done but these lights are something else to ensure placement. I suppose I need to bust out the OPI light again....
 
Since there is no universal light, I would look into the actual gel application to solve the problem. The thinner the coats, the less problems you'll have with curing. That said, I would personally buy the CND LED lamp to use as my universal curing lamp.
 
Hi all
I understand that it is best to use the same brand light and the same gel product. I have primarily used OPI for the last ten years and have had this problem all along but now im just getting more and more frustrated. I use all the OPI brand products offered. Yeah I have a few gelish and CND, not many and they are not used often because I do my best to stick with OPI.
I really disliked the style of the OPI lights that they came out with. So I did make a decision I wouldn't normally make and bought a non OPI light with the same wattage requirements because the OPI lights were hard to clean, did not meet the needs for clients for "the best hand placement", and the cost (which I dont mind paying if it was the best light). I in fact just started using it about a week ago thinking it should help with hand placement but to no avail. At first I really hesitated. I do like Doug Shoon and of course respect the work that he has done but these lights are something else to ensure placement. I suppose I need to bust out the OPI light again....

I would make sure that you aren’t putting the layers on too thick to help stop them pooling.

Can you make or buy something for the client to grasp in their hand while it’s in the lamp to ensure correct placement?
 
Yes, I would would agree. There should be no pooling regardless of how the client holds her hand. I am also puzzled because the OPI lamps all have guides for hand placement. Have you done the hand placement yourself?
 
In actual fact, I wouldn't buy a CND lamp to use as a universal during lamp.

I believe that CND lamps emit UV from a very narrow range of the spectrum (365, if I remember correctly?), where as other gel brands require 400+. Bob Giblett has also written extensively on this. Therefore your gels probably won't cure in the CND lamp.

Also, as gel can look cured from around 54%, there is no way to check if it actually IS cured other than testing it in a lab.
 
In the report published by the British Association of Dermatologists last year titled "Dermatologists issue warning about UK artificial nail allergy epidemic", they made the following statement:

"make sure that you use the recommended UV lamp for curing, and read the instructions carefully. Using the wrong lamp may mean that the gel polish does not cure properly, and this means an increased chance of allergy."

BOD don't sell "expensive" brand lamps and are totally neutral.

Incredibly, 33% of those who had developed allergies to nail product ingredients were professional Nail Techs.

Probably many of those used multiple brands of gel polish with an incompatible UV lamp. Until the allergy occurred, which can be after many years. they would also have said "I've done this for ages with no problem".

You know what is really "expensive". Having to quit a career that you love and selling all your kit on eBay.

Some people can smoke heavily and live until they are 90. Genetics plays a part. But this is not only about the NT. It's also about providing safe services to clients and right now we have many salon clients in the UK, including those of brand educators, who developed onycholysis.

If some people in this industry don't wise up and start to take expert advise, we can find that important ingredients are banned, or nail salons heavily regulated.

And some wonder why this industry is looked down at as being unprofessional....
 
If we could go back to my question; as mentioned in post I use the proper light and use the same brand that goes with the light (OPI). So I know that it is not a light issue and I am sure others have difficulty with clients.

So, I am wondering what you do and what tips that you have to help with curing.

How do you help clients with hand placement and do you do 4 or 5 at at time?
Do some of you do one at a time?
Do you remind clients each hand and time to make sure the nails are flat and positioned properly?
Thank you for your time.
 

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