Help!!!!!

[deedee84]

I went on an acrylic nail course 2 weeks ago and we worked on each other as models and for the assessment. we had an odd number in our class so I asked my sister to be my model. The teacher however wanted everyone to go home with nice nails so she did mine for me, however i have just soaked mine off and 2 or 3 of my natural nails looked discoloured, not that yellow tinged if you wear a real dark varnish and no basecoat its more green ? looks bruised like ? is this an infection does any one now why its done this ? as a newbie to nail this is really off putting!!!! tech

 

[busybee32]

I went on an acrylic nail course 2 weeks ago and we worked on each other as models and for the assessment. we had an odd number in our class so I asked my sister to be my model. The teacher however wanted everyone to go home with nice nails so she did mine for me, however i have just soaked mine off and 2 or 3 of my natural nails looked discoloured, not that yellow tinged if you wear a real dark varnish and no basecoat its more green ? looks bruised like ? is this an infection does any one now why its done this ? as a newbie to nail this is really off putting!!!! tech

Hi Deedee,
It sounds like you may have a bacterial infection. This happens when there is lifting and moisture gets trapped underneath, Because its nice and warm its the perfect breeding ground.
If you type in search for greenies there are loads of threads about it and what you can do. This link is one of the best.
http://www.salongeek.com/health-safety-unatural/2641-moldy-oldy-fun-guys.html
Unfortunatly you wont be able to remove the discolouration that will grow out with the nail.
HTHs
Jen xx

 

[Unique Nails09]

Sounds like a mould to me! Did your teacher use dehydrator/scrub fresh on your nails during preparation? This dehydrates the nail bed removing oil and moisture. If your nails have lifted then water/dirt may have got trapped underneath causing a lovely mould! I've not experienced nails going mouldy after 2 weeks though, its usually after the acrylic has been on for a while.

You need to soak the moudlies in vodka or any high strength alcohol product if you have not got any professional solutions to kill the bacteria, then do not touch the nail/throw away any files you've used on it to prevent cross contamination!

Good luck x

 

[del3]

Good lord I'm amazed someone could be encouraging somebody new to the industry to use vodka as a nail cleanser.
Should we not be setting an example to anybody just starting out :grr:.
JMHO

 

[busybee32]

Ditto del which is why I put the link by The Geek himself in my previous post.
Jen

 

[Unique Nails09]

Re. the above posts, I would never use vodka on my customers if they had any problems like this but at home, i don't see the problem as the alcohol will kill any bacteria and prevent the mould from spreading. Correct me if i'm wrong - I may be, but this is something I learnt during my training all those years ago, it may be wrong now - but if a customer calls over the weekend to explain they have some green spots we would tell them to soak the nail in alcohol until they can come in as soon as the salon was open to have it dealt with properly.

 

[del3]

Re. the above posts, I would never use vodka on my customers if they had any problems like this but at home, i don't see the problem as the alcohol will kill any bacteria and prevent the mould from spreading. Correct me if i'm wrong - I may be, but this is something I learnt during my training all those years ago, it may be wrong now - but if a customer calls over the weekend to explain they have some green spots we would tell them to soak the nail in alcohol until they can come in as soon as the salon was open to have it dealt with properly.

The advice you gave was not to a client,it was to a person who'd just started her training, even though I disagree with telling the client to remove her own nail and soak in vodka.

 

[Unique Nails09]

This doesn't happen to me very often - maybe once or twice in the past few years but if a client has got a green spot under their nail that has come off we would tell them to soak it in alcohol, NOT to remove their own nails (very silly). If they still had their nail on i would advise to leave it and come in ASAP. Its quite upsetting for a customer to see a green spot and they tend to panic - it seems to put their mind at rest to be doing something to kill the bacteria if on a saturday night for example they call and cannot get into the salon until it re-opens on a tuesday then it will be treated properly. Its safe to do (we all drink it!).

I don't see that its unprofessional to tell this to a newbie starting out, she may not have the sufficient products to deal with the infection i.e dermaprep (NSI) which is what we would use. Just some informal advice thats all, obviously she should follow geeg's advice on herself and her customers. I'm suprised though that she wasn't told about this problem and how to deal with it by her tutor, that to me is worse than my (bad?) advice!

 

[Envy]

Right o guys

Just to add to all of this - Mould does not grow on humans - ever - it is a fungus and NOT a bacteria and should not be a word in a nail tech vocabulary

The green bacterial infection we see as nail techs is pseudomonas, an extremely common opportunistic bacteria that given a nice food source and protected are, such as lifting under an enhancement, will grow and multiply rapidly. The by product of this bacteria is a bright yellow/green stain.
Any anti bacterial handwash (including soap) is going to be the best temporary solution for a client until such time as a professional tech can expose the infection and kill off the bacteria with a product such as scrub fresh (which contains a pathogen figher)

This doesn't remove the stain, but it does stop the spread..

I strongly recomend you guys get a copy of Doug Schoons 2nd edition 'product chemistry and nail anatomy' as this is all explained fully. This is the latest and most accurate information that is available and ALL techs should be on the 'same page' when it comes to offering professional advice.

Deedee84 - as for your original comment, it may be that the primer or product used has actually stained the nail plate? If you haven't been taught to identify infection vs. discolouration I would contact your educator. Even better is find a course that explains these things, Dougs book is a good starting point as it has pictures which might help..

Hope that all helps.

 

[geeg]

This doesn't happen to me very often - maybe once or twice in the past few years but if a client has got a green spot under their nail that has come off we would tell them to soak it in alcohol, NOT to remove their own nails (very silly). If they still had their nail on i would advise to leave it and come in ASAP. Its quite upsetting for a customer to see a green spot and they tend to panic - it seems to put their mind at rest to be doing something to kill the bacteria if on a saturday night for example they call and cannot get into the salon until it re-opens on a tuesday then it will be treated properly. Its safe to do (we all drink it!).

I don't see that its unprofessional to tell this to a newbie starting out, she may not have the sufficient products to deal with the infection i.e dermaprep (NSI) which is what we would use. Just some informal advice thats all, obviously she should follow geeg's advice on herself and her customers. I'm suprised though that she wasn't told about this problem and how to deal with it by her tutor, that to me is worse than my (bad?) advice!

As professionals we are supposed to know our business and I'm afraid that your post shows in several different ways that you need to update yourself because all the information you have given out on this, the most accurate and professional site there is for nail professionals in the world, is absolutely incorrect.

Fortunately Envy HAS given the correct information .. thank you Alan.

Mould does not grow on fingernails. A look at the tutorial recommended above would be a good idea to upgrade your knowledge. It is a shame that these silly myths about mould and vodka/ bleach/ alcohol etc should still proliferate amongst people who class themselves as professionals. It just goes to show that we can still all learn a thing or two even after being a part of the industry for years ... but ongoing education is a MUST for all.

 

[Unique Nails09]

Thanks again geeg! I came onto this site to share views, advice and experiences with other nail technicians. Time and time again you have discredited and put me down on many levels due to comments I have made about my experiences and thoughts.

Its a bit unfair to call me an unprofessional simply because you believe I have made wrong statements and given out wrong advice, knowledge of the nail and its contra-indications are important to me and I believe I DO know about nails - the vodka comment was obviously ridiculed by all - but this was a procedure we used to use in my previous salon, since working for myself i have not experienced an infection of the nail and thanks kindly - in future I will know how to treat it PROFESSIONALLY.

I don't wish to seem rude or disrespectful as i know you are accredited to be a top class professional, I think your work is brilliant and its super to have a real master to recieve feedback and solutions to problems - but i feel you are quite harsh at times with other people who are not as well knowledged as you, when sometimes explaining things in a nice manner and not a ridiculing way is better. Its not nice to be openly slated thats all.

sorry

 

[Bagpuss]

Thanks again geeg! I came onto this site to share views, advice and experiences with other nail technicians. Time and time again you have discredited and put me down on many levels due to comments I have made about my experiences and thoughts.

But if that advise is wrong then are we not to correct it....??? The real person you should be upset/annoyed with here is whomever trained you...Was it them who told you that green stains where called mould...?

 

[ellewopter]

I think the issue was with the tone in which it was corrected?

 

[geeg]

I don't have a tone ... unless you choose to read one in there.

As we are hot on the facts here it might be a good idea to check you are right before you post ... have a read through the tutorials .. that is what they are here for.

I'm sure no one likes to be corrected but better to learn from it than to start blaming me for my 'tone' and switching the focus. If wrong information is given out by anyone I can assure you it will be corrected.

I apologise if the tone you think I have offends .... one has to appreciate how astounded I am sometimes to read some of the 'stuff' that is posted on this site. I honestly cannot believe that in this day and age that anyone at all uses the Mould word in connection with nails. There are brand new nail technicians who the first day of a good nail course know that mould is not a human pathogen and that we never see it on nails.

 

[Unique Nails09]

Thanks all, sorry for being a moaner, i'm a senstive soul. I'm glad actually that this topic has arisen and its nice to be refreshed in some areas of knowledge.

Though i'm still convinced about the alcohol issue, i've just had a good look on the tinternet and a lot of the sites suggest using alcohol to sanitize and dehydrate the nail plate after the removal of the artifical nail??

Right i'm off to poke myself in the eye with a cuticle stick, Sorry Geeg for going on again.

:cry:

 

[ando4ka]

there is nothing wrong killing bacteria by vodka or any other strong spirits. spirits have been known as bacteria killers for centuries. all this modern stuff does not desinfect properly and anyway - all these sanitizers and desinfections stuff have alcohol in them as well. it makes no difference desinfecting and killing the bacteria by vodka or some brand name - they both do the same thing. only vodka does it better and properly.

 

[busybee32]

there is nothing wrong killing bacteria by vodka or any other strong spirits. spirits have been known as bacteria killers for centuries. all this modern stuff does not desinfect properly and anyway - all these sanitizers and desinfections stuff have alcohol in them as well. it makes no difference desinfecting and killing the bacteria by vodka or some brand name - they both do the same thing. only vodka does it better and properly.

Im sorry but are you having a laugh?????
I would suggest you go and get yourself Doug Schoon's nail chemistry book and invest in some more training....
I cannot believe that you would post something as irresponsible as that on a professional forum.
As to modern stuff not working???? OMG do you honestly think that these companies have invested millions into product testing for them not to work?????
Jen

 

[geeg]

there is nothing wrong killing bacteria by vodka or any other strong spirits. spirits have been known as bacteria killers for centuries. all this modern stuff does not desinfect properly and anyway - all these sanitizers and desinfections stuff have alcohol in them as well. it makes no difference desinfecting and killing the bacteria by vodka or some brand name - they both do the same thing. only vodka does it better and properly.

Yet another load of old rubbish!!!

As soon as bacteria are exposed to the AIR they die ... there isn't even any need for alcohol ... take away the optimum living conditions (enclosed, damp and d)ark, and the bacteria die immediately. CND sanitiser has no alcohol in it aT ALL SO YOU ARE WRONG THERE as well ... once again.

Why not come here and learn something instead of being shown up regarding your lack of understanding.