Jessicles
Well-Known Member
I apologize in advance for the length of this post, I know many will skip over it because of it, but I really need some guidance. I don't know how to respond to this client's extreme reaction.
I'll start by explaining the situation. A regular client came in for her 2 week fill appt and had 2 bacterial infections. Both enhancements had tip separation, hence the bacterial infections. She admitted to wearing gloves most of one day while cleaning, trapping moisture from the hands. One was very mild, about the size of a pinhead, one moderate, covering approx 1/3 of the nail plate (she keeps her nails very short). As soon as the polish was removed, I saw her tense and become very concerned. As I started to explain the situation, attempting to calm her reaction, she got very agitated. I could tell she was quite upset. She is a nurse, and I explained things in as scientific a manner as I could. She remained very uptight through the entire appt, insisting on leaving them bare. I tried to tell her that the infection dies when exposed to air and only the stain remains, but she kept saying "it's fungus" over and over. "It looks like a fungal infection". So, of course, I kept trying to distinguish the two. I remember saying and looking her in the eye "You're going to have to trust me here, I know what I'm talking about." I am sure this is what she interpreted as confrontational, but I was only trying my best to reassure her. Well, she left on a good note (I thought). She seemed more calm and said she was "over it" when I asked if she was ok with the situation. She was happy with the fact that we just polished the 2 nails a very light color, and I even gave her the polish to take home so that she could remove it every few days to check on the "infection". Today I received a whole packet in the mail. It included many MANY pages of nail information printed off dermnet and webmd about fungal infections and bacterial infections, then a list of many common nail ailments of which had nothing to do with the situation. On the top she wrote "some fun FYI stuff". Here is her letter word for word:
"Dear Jess,
As I was cleaning out my garage I was getting a bit upset about our last nail appointment.
I hope you are not anguished about the two nails with fungus. I am not, as I too have seen many infections before; this is minor but perplexing in terms of what went wrong suddenly. I am amazed at how tenuous my skin is. Anyway, I just wanted you to know they are fine and thanks for honoring my wishes to observe the nails without acrylic; I know it upset you.
It wasn't that I did not think you knew what you were talking about but I am a nurse and we are trained to observe wounds and infections to addess their progress. I don't think we were communicating in the same context but I am not the argumentative type; I really like to stay away from technical things when I am there like microbiology. I was really focused on your continual persistence about reapplying the acrylic and wondered what that was all about; I certainly was not blaming and merely wanted to make sure the "green" (whether it was fungal or bacterial) did not spread (as pseudomonas can) to the finger itself. I had fungal problems before with artificial nails that lasted forever (not green though). I have had MANY microbiology courses;major in biology...
I joked about the green being mold but mold can be green or black but will not be under a nail. Mold is a fungus though-a subtype (not all fungus' are mold though e.g. mushrooms). Pseudomonas is rare in a nail actually (gram negative bacteria; very contagious generally even airborne) thus my concern and it can generate its own energy (can spread). Skin and nails are ALIVE as well. Both contain cells and tissue nourished by a blood supply-many slough off daily (die); even the nail plate is alive(but does not slough). The pink color of the nail plate gives us the hint that there is a rich supply of oxygenated blood underneath. Maybe we were both thinking in a different context. I am more on the cellular level and you were looking at it in general terms. It is like hair-it is also thought of as "dead" but is nourished by a rish blood supply and cells as well.
So you see the whole conversation confused me. It all depends how you look at it; I was thinking. Overall it really is not woth argument; I noticed your voice got louder and tone was argumentative/stance & eye contact confrontational. I wasn't expecting that response from you; took me by surprise. I respect your experience and expertise and I guess I was a bit shocked not to receive the same consideration. I do think we reached a compromise with the polish but just so you know I was ready to get up and walk out never to return. I do enjoy our chats and you are a wonderful nail technician and I consider you a friend really so I think it is important to give you feedback on this. I am going out of town shortly and will see you in a couple weeks. Have a good mid-November and chill! Some things are not worth it in the end-pick your wars, as they say. Get on that motorcycle and have some fun!
*(removed client name)*"
So...other than not knowing the proper use of a semicolon, what else has she got wrong? I don't know microbiology of course, but I do know nails. And there was NO sign of a fungal infection. In fact, most of the information she printed out for me proved that it was a "bacterial infection" not a fungal infection. How the hell am I to respond to this? I feel thoroughly demeaned and embarrassed and I have NEVER been made to feel this way by a client. And I'm not sure why she sent all this if she is not upset enough to no longer remain a client of mine. HELP!
I'll start by explaining the situation. A regular client came in for her 2 week fill appt and had 2 bacterial infections. Both enhancements had tip separation, hence the bacterial infections. She admitted to wearing gloves most of one day while cleaning, trapping moisture from the hands. One was very mild, about the size of a pinhead, one moderate, covering approx 1/3 of the nail plate (she keeps her nails very short). As soon as the polish was removed, I saw her tense and become very concerned. As I started to explain the situation, attempting to calm her reaction, she got very agitated. I could tell she was quite upset. She is a nurse, and I explained things in as scientific a manner as I could. She remained very uptight through the entire appt, insisting on leaving them bare. I tried to tell her that the infection dies when exposed to air and only the stain remains, but she kept saying "it's fungus" over and over. "It looks like a fungal infection". So, of course, I kept trying to distinguish the two. I remember saying and looking her in the eye "You're going to have to trust me here, I know what I'm talking about." I am sure this is what she interpreted as confrontational, but I was only trying my best to reassure her. Well, she left on a good note (I thought). She seemed more calm and said she was "over it" when I asked if she was ok with the situation. She was happy with the fact that we just polished the 2 nails a very light color, and I even gave her the polish to take home so that she could remove it every few days to check on the "infection". Today I received a whole packet in the mail. It included many MANY pages of nail information printed off dermnet and webmd about fungal infections and bacterial infections, then a list of many common nail ailments of which had nothing to do with the situation. On the top she wrote "some fun FYI stuff". Here is her letter word for word:
"Dear Jess,
As I was cleaning out my garage I was getting a bit upset about our last nail appointment.
I hope you are not anguished about the two nails with fungus. I am not, as I too have seen many infections before; this is minor but perplexing in terms of what went wrong suddenly. I am amazed at how tenuous my skin is. Anyway, I just wanted you to know they are fine and thanks for honoring my wishes to observe the nails without acrylic; I know it upset you.
It wasn't that I did not think you knew what you were talking about but I am a nurse and we are trained to observe wounds and infections to addess their progress. I don't think we were communicating in the same context but I am not the argumentative type; I really like to stay away from technical things when I am there like microbiology. I was really focused on your continual persistence about reapplying the acrylic and wondered what that was all about; I certainly was not blaming and merely wanted to make sure the "green" (whether it was fungal or bacterial) did not spread (as pseudomonas can) to the finger itself. I had fungal problems before with artificial nails that lasted forever (not green though). I have had MANY microbiology courses;major in biology...
I joked about the green being mold but mold can be green or black but will not be under a nail. Mold is a fungus though-a subtype (not all fungus' are mold though e.g. mushrooms). Pseudomonas is rare in a nail actually (gram negative bacteria; very contagious generally even airborne) thus my concern and it can generate its own energy (can spread). Skin and nails are ALIVE as well. Both contain cells and tissue nourished by a blood supply-many slough off daily (die); even the nail plate is alive(but does not slough). The pink color of the nail plate gives us the hint that there is a rich supply of oxygenated blood underneath. Maybe we were both thinking in a different context. I am more on the cellular level and you were looking at it in general terms. It is like hair-it is also thought of as "dead" but is nourished by a rish blood supply and cells as well.
So you see the whole conversation confused me. It all depends how you look at it; I was thinking. Overall it really is not woth argument; I noticed your voice got louder and tone was argumentative/stance & eye contact confrontational. I wasn't expecting that response from you; took me by surprise. I respect your experience and expertise and I guess I was a bit shocked not to receive the same consideration. I do think we reached a compromise with the polish but just so you know I was ready to get up and walk out never to return. I do enjoy our chats and you are a wonderful nail technician and I consider you a friend really so I think it is important to give you feedback on this. I am going out of town shortly and will see you in a couple weeks. Have a good mid-November and chill! Some things are not worth it in the end-pick your wars, as they say. Get on that motorcycle and have some fun!
*(removed client name)*"
So...other than not knowing the proper use of a semicolon, what else has she got wrong? I don't know microbiology of course, but I do know nails. And there was NO sign of a fungal infection. In fact, most of the information she printed out for me proved that it was a "bacterial infection" not a fungal infection. How the hell am I to respond to this? I feel thoroughly demeaned and embarrassed and I have NEVER been made to feel this way by a client. And I'm not sure why she sent all this if she is not upset enough to no longer remain a client of mine. HELP!
Last edited by a moderator:
