Cuticle/Eponychium

[EvaLily]

Hi

I have recently qualified and am at the practising on friends stage before I unleash myself on paying clients! Just one thing is confusing me at the moment - when doing cuticle work I sometimes find it hard to tell where the eponychium ends and the cuticle begins, so I worry I'm removing something I shouldn't be! Is it just a case of the more I practise the easier it will get, or does anyone have any tips that might help me?

Thank you!!

 

[loubylou]

The eponychium is the area of living tissue that sits above and protects the matrix, this should not be removed or cut,
the cuticle is the non living tissue that is stuck to the nail plate and down the side walls of the nail plate,
all of the non living tissue needs to removed gently with cuticle remover and your tool hth

 

[geeg]

Excerpt from 'nailclass' by gigi rouse

Preparation is all about removing cuticle from the nail plate.

There is much confusion as to just what cuticle is. It is referred to as: True cuticle, non-living tissue, Pterygium, and probably many more things, all misleading. Some think the eponychium is the cuticle. Let’s define.

Cuticle is made up of exfoliated skin cells from under the folds of skin surrounding the nail unit. Cuticle is non-living. Cuticle is NOT Pterygium (which is an over growth of skin cells). Cuticle is not the eponychium (which is living skin surrounding the base of the nail unit). Cuticle is not ‘true cuticle’ as opposed to false cuticle, it IS cuticle.

If the cuticle is not regularly removed or rubbed off in some way, then it will build up and stick together until it almost looks like a membrane which is growing from under the eponychium … but it is not growing and it is not living, it is just building up until such time as it is removed.


To read the chapter on Perfect Preparation from 'nailclass' click here:
http://www.salongeek.com/nail-application/12048-perfect-preparation-prevents-poor-performance.html

 

[JesseDavidNailDesign]

I think the bigger question is what is the difference between pterygium and eponychium?

Like when there is hard skin along the top of the eponychium, covering it, is it safe to remove?

And also, what about clear, dead skin,along the sidewalls, that you know will become a hangnail if your client gets there hands (or mouth ) on it. Can we cut that?

 

[geeg]

I think the bigger question is what is the difference between pterygium and eponychium.

Like when there is hard skin along the top of the eponychium, covering it, is it safe to remove?

And also, what about clear, dead skin, that you know will become a hangnail if your client gets there hands (or mouth ) on it. Can we cut that?

Well that one is easy Jesse! :lol:

Pterygium is a general term for an overgrowth of skin and that skin is living and growing therefore we do not remove it.

In the case of dorsal Pterygium on the nail it usually can be recognised by the nail looking like it is in two separate pieces divided by this overgrowth. VERY painful if prodded and definitely not to be tampered with.

In the case of hangnails or potential hangnails, these can be trimmed carefully where the dead portion of the skin is sticking up to minimise catching or picking or pulling at it. So yes you can with care ... don't trim into the living portion where you can see there is a blood supply.
HTH

 

[JesseDavidNailDesign]

I think I must have been confusing pterygium with "a membrane which is growing from under the eponychium"

Is pterygium common? Because overgrown cuticle sure is!

 

[Chameleon]

Who would of thought that something as little as the nail and nail plate and surrounding skin could be so complex and utterly fascinating?:green:

So,when i hear people say" oh i am just pushing back your cuticles",is this a misleading question,you are pushing back the eponychium...or am i asking something too simple:lol:

 

[geeg]

I think I must have been confusing pterygium with "a membrane which is growing from under the eponychium"

Is pterygium common? Because overgrown cuticle sure is!

You have not included the whole quote and therefore made it look as if I said something which I did not!!

I said cuticle almost looks like a membrane that is growing but it is NOT. It is just dead cells stuck together. Lord let's not confuse anyone even further. :green:

No Pterygium is not common on nails.

Excess cuticle build up IS quite common (it is not over grown because cuticle is neither alive nor growing as stated). Cuticle can be quite stuck to the plate in places if people have neglected their nails. I think the chapter makes it all very clear.

 

[JesseDavidNailDesign]

Who would of thought that something as little as the nail and nail plate and surrounding skin could be so complex and utterly fascinating?:green:

So,when i hear people say" oh i am just pushing back your cuticles",is this a misleading question,you are pushing back the eponychium...or am i asking something too simple:lol:

No, they are pushing your cuticle to separate it from the nail. This usually in response to YOU'RE NOT CUTTING MY CUTICLES ARE YOU!!?! when what they mean to ask is , You're not cutting my eponychium, are you?

Honestly, I've stopped correcting my customers on the proper use of this word. I've got bigger fish to fry!

 

[geeg]

Who would of thought that something as little as the nail and nail plate and surrounding skin could be so complex and utterly fascinating?:green:

So,when i hear people say" oh i am just pushing back your cuticles",is this a misleading question,you are pushing back the eponychium...or am i asking something too simple:lol:

Yes people say it all the time and it is WRONG.

You are pushing back the eponychium, Gaby, and exposing the cuticle which lies underneath so you can then remove it.

Of course you never push the eponychium back further than it naturally wants to go.

Just remove the cuticle from the plate that you can see, once you have gently exposed it ... no need to dig it out !! That could cause allot of permanent damage.

 

[Chameleon]

No, they are pushing your cuticle to separate it from the nail. This usually in response to YOU'RE NOT CUTTING MY CUTICLES ARE YOU!!?! when what they mean to ask is , You're not cutting my eponychium, are you?

Honestly, I've stopped correcting my customers on the proper use of this word. I've got bigger fish to fry!

Thank you for verifying something i thought:lol::hug:

 

[geeg]

No, they are pushing your cuticle to separate it from the nail. This usually in response to YOU'RE NOT CUTTING MY CUTICLES ARE YOU!!?! when what they mean to ask is , You're not cutting my eponychium, are you?

Honestly, I've stopped correcting my customers on the proper use of this word. I've got bigger fish to fry!

I don't blame you for giving up with clients but honestly as proessionals we should at least know the physiology of the nail plate and surroundng skin and the correct terminology for it. AND we should be using it. Is that unreasonable to expect of a professional?

 

[JesseDavidNailDesign]

Thank you Geeg! So we are pushing back the eponychium. I stand corrected. Thank you for clarifying

One more question. This tool, which looks like a knife, that european techs use. Is it not called a pterygium remover? Is it just mis-named?

 

[Chameleon]

Yes people say it all the time and it is WRONG.

You are pushing back the eponychium, Gaby, and exposing the cuticle which lies underneath so you can then remove it.

Of course you never push the eponychium back further than it naturally wants to go.

Just remove the cuticle from the plate that you can see, once you have gently exposed it ... no need to dig it out !! That could cause allot of permanent damage.

Thank you again:hug:

I remember one client asking me to cut the eponychim,and i did not...she was very disgruntled,but i listened to my "inner voice" and stood my ground.i was never taught any of this on my nvq...i just thank the lord i found salon geek:!:

 

[geeg]

Thank you Geeg! So we are pushing back the eponychium. I stand corrected. Thank you for clarifying

One more question. This tool, which looks like a knife, that european techs use. Is it not called a pterygium remover? Is it just mis-named?

Things have been misnamed for YEARS and YEARS - That is what accounts for all the confusion and myths and bad information.

I have never used a cuticle knife (which is what I have always known it as) to remove cuticle it is the colleges that still insist that students use them (out of the ark when there are so many better tools these days)... If ever one was going to slip and cut anyone it would be with one of those silly knives. I've Never used one and do not teach with them.

I have my own special tool and also a 'Pushy'.

 

[sweetpea]

Doug Schoon has a great explanation of "Cuticle"
Take a look. Beautifully wrtitten.

http://www.dougschoon.com/nailpros/article_ProBeauty-2007-07_Where-Is-The-Cuticle.pdf

 

[geeg]

Doug Schoon has a great explanation of "Cuticle"
Take a look. Beautifully wrtitten.

http://www.dougschoon.com/nailpros/article_ProBeauty-2007-07_Where-Is-The-Cuticle.pdf

I'm gald to see that Doug agrees with me on every point!!! :lol::lol::lol::lol: