Help me please.... damaged nail...

[A Perfect 10?]

Hi All,

I have had this client for a couple of months now. When she first came to me, she had picked at approx a third of her nail plate on her one thumb at the base of the nail. The nail looked fine - it wasn't that she had completely got to the nail bed - she had almost torn strips off. There was no infection, it wasn't sore or painful.

Now shoot me down but I thought I was ok to gel overlay - which I did. When she returned 5 weeks later I insisted on soaking off that thumb to check underneath. There was some new growth of nail at the base and therefore the strip of "problem" nail was approx half way up the nail. Again absolutely no sign of any infection so I agreed to overlay again.

I've just taken the overlay off tonight (after 3 weeks) and oh my goodness what a mess. The free edge is attached fractionally on the nail which we knew would happen as the "problem" part grew out. I'm sure this will be off shortly as the nail continues to grow. The nail on the problem part looks awful. It's very dark green. It isn't painful. It isn't weeping, etc. But I have told her I'm not going to overlay it with gel.

I have sanitised it - what do I do next?? The nail "plate" is a lumpy green mess..... But again, no weeping - it's dry, just looks awful.

:cry:

 

[Eni]

I would tell the client to go see the doctor/GP if it were me.

 

[mum]

Does she have a large lunula on this nail? This sounds like a 'habit tic' (almost unconsciously picking at the base of her nail with her forefinger). The large lunula, which is soft and is incompletely keratinised, is very susceptible to damage.

If it is now green it sounds like the gel has had an area that hasn't bonded well due to it's uneven surface and has now developed a bacterial infection (a 'greenie')

Your treatment of it depends on your confidence in your skills! You could leave it completely to grow out which will take a very long time. Or, if you are sure it is a bacterial infection you could dehydrate it and overlay again. This time I would suggest with l&p as this has a better chance of filling in the uneven surface.

I would only chance this if there is a healthy margin where there is a chance of a good seal.

5 weeks was far too long between treatments! The overlay certainly caused this infection due to lifting. If you are confident enough to continue, your client needs to return weekly initially to make sure the overlay is not lifting over the infected area.

This is now an advanced treatment so be very confident! Read about 'greenies' on here to understand more

Hope that helps!

 

[bralynstudio]

sorry but if it GREEN it IS a BACTERIAL INFECTION!!!! from what you are discribing, it sounds as though it was onycholysis (nail seperated from nail plate, doesnt fall off) that became infected (turned green). the cause could be internal disorders, product allergies, trama to the nail (which is most likey since she picked at the nail doing major damage)and infection, the nail appears white; color of nail will change if infected.

this nail should not have anything done to it at all!! she should not wear polish, gels, acrlylics, wraps etc. she should also see her doctor to correct the problem. then and only then ask for a letter from the doctor giving his okay to again do overlays if that is what she would like once the infection is gone.

hth,
kristi

 

[geeg]

sorry but if it GREEN it IS a BACTERIAL INFECTION!!!! from what you are discribing, it sounds as though it was onycholysis (nail seperated from nail plate, doesnt fall off) that became infected (turned green). the cause could be internal disorders, product allergies, trama to the nail (which is most likey since she picked at the nail doing major damage)and infection, the nail appears white; color of nail will change if infected.

this nail should not have anything done to it at all!! she should not wear polish, gels, acrlylics, wraps etc. she should also see her doctor to correct the problem. then and only then ask for a letter from the doctor giving his okay to again do overlays if that is what she would like once the infection is gone.

hth,
kristi

I can't comment on the condition of the nail described in the original post as I haven't seen it, but the poster quoted in my post here is incorrect.

A normal salon 'greenie' certainly can be treated by the nail technician right at her table and it does not need a doctor to look at it or to write you any letters about it. Not that it should be a common thing that you see, but treatment is easy and a bacterial infestation of this kind is not dangerous if acted on quickly.

!. Remove the enhancement if you see any discolouration. Just doing this kills the bacteria immediately.

2. Use ScrubFresh or your sanitiser to thoroughly dry and cleanse the nail. The nail may still be discoloured, but that is just staining.

The bacteria will die out as soon as you remove the environment where it is living (which you do as soon as you remove the enhancement and therefore the cosy little world that bacteria love and in which they thrive).

3. You may now apply your overlay again to the nail when it is thoroughly dry. You will be able to watch the stain grow out with the normal nail growth.

My advice is not to do things to any damaged nail if you are not completely sure of what you are doing and unless you have experience.

As the concerned technician you should never have done this nail and then let the client go for weeks and weeks without monitoring its progress (even if you think all looked well aftr 5 weeks). The client should have been rung and told to come in for you to check weekly until grown out. THAT was your bigest mistake IMO plus using a flexible, soak-off gel instead of L&P. But live and learn as they say and this is afterall how one gains experience.

 

[A Perfect 10?]

I can't comment on the condition of the nail described in the original post as I haven't seen it, but the poster quoted in my post here is incorrect.

A normal salon 'greenie' certainly can be treated by the nail technician right at her table and it does not need a doctor to look at it or to write you any letters about it. Not that it should be a common thing that you see, but treatment is easy and a bacterial infestation of this kind is not dangerous if acted on quickly.

!. Remove the enhancement if you see any discolouration. Just doing this kills the bacteria immediately.

2. Use ScrubFresh or your sanitiser to thoroughly dry and cleanse the nail. The nail may still be discoloured, but that is just staining.

The bacteria will die out as soon as you remove the environment where it is living (which you do as soon as you remove the enhancement and therefore the cosy little world that bacteria love and in which they thrive).

3. You may now apply your overlay again to the nail when it is thoroughly dry. You will be able to watch the stain grow out with the normal nail growth.

My advice is not to do things to any damaged nail if you are not completely sure of what you are doing and unless you have experience.

As the concerned technician you should never have done this nail and then let the client go for weeks and weeks without monitoring its progress (even if you think all looked well aftr 5 weeks). The client should have been rung and told to come in for you to check weekly until grown out. THAT was your bigest mistake IMO plus using a flexible, soak-off gel instead of L&P. But live and learn as they say and this is afterall how one gains experience.

Thank you Geeg for your response. In answer to the other posts aswell....

Yes I agree 5 weeks was too long. The lady was originally booked in at 2 weeks but cancelled due to illness. This repeat cycle of booking and cancelling continued until I was able to see her at 5 weeks - despite my explaining my concern about her nail. I don't let clients go that long between appointments and agree that I should have seen her before but circumstances beyond MY OWN control - did not allow. I think that I did the right thing at this appointment though and removed the gel and DID thoroughly check the nail - which at this point WAS fine. Then I re-applied the gel and it's since THIS application that the problem has occured. On speaking to her last night it seems she noticed a stain on friday last week but DESPITE my explaining to her to contact me if anything should occur, SHE decided not to.


2 In reponse to "My advice is not to do things to any damaged nail if you are not completely sure of what you are doing and unless you have experience." Yes I fully agree. I DID think I was doing the right thing to begin with. I did soak the nail off at her next appointment and throughly check it before re-overlaying. No I don't have the experience yet but I wouldn't have done the overlay if I thought I shouldn't have to begin with. I thought I was ok as long as it was clean, santised and thoroughly dry. I too will put it down to inexperience.

That is why I came on here to ask for advice and thank you all for helping. I went into panic mode last night when I saw the infection. Not to my client, but internally to myself! It is the first time I have dealt with a "greenie" which was escalated by the shape of this nail anyway due to the damaged caused originally by the client.