How best to treat very bitten nails?

[ajshard]

I had to refuse to treat a new client today as some of her nails were so badly bitten i didnt think i could apply tips. They were bitten in an oval shape, the longest part of the nail bed was about 4mm and the sides around 2mm, is there anyway I could have applied enhancements, she was really disappointed.

Also the other lady had bitten one of her nails so much it was very bumpy and thin, not much length either, I managed to stick on a tip but when i finished the set she needed them painting as it didnt look that great. I used an opaque pink powder to disguise it but it still needed painting. Is there anything else I could have done to get rouund this so she could have kept them natural?

Thanks
AJ x

 

[eskimonailtech]

That's a pretty extreme case of nail biting.

I think you did the right thing. She needs to realize that you need something to work with before you can give her some nice enhancements.

For the second lady, could you have tried a camoflauge type gel/powder? I've seen some that work surprisingly well.

 

[The Beauty Shed]

I haven't done that many nail biters so can't offer help.

But maybe if you don't feel you can carry out an enhancement service, you can suggest Shellac in future? Nail colour helps to dissuade biting and picking, plus the extra strength of Shellac might help the lady to grow her nails out.

 

[Hylidae]

my best friend was a biter, almost no pinkie left. I started doin sculptures on her 12 years ago. We had to do them weekly tho for the first 3 months til there was enuff growth to supprt the enhancement. Try to stay positive with the client and tell her you can help but it will take time and commitment from her. The shellac is a great idea to start with too, haven't tried it myself but it sounds like a good product to get her started on growing her nails, good luck, maybe you could update on how its going?

 

[honeycure]

I know what you mean, I had a girl that came in with nails like that.
I forgot what it's called, but there's a method where you apply product where her free edge should be, to make the free edge so you can sculpt from that.

But honestly, if she's that bad of a nail biter it probably would have been extremely difficult for her to keep herself from picking at it. I probably would have given her hard gel overlays. I was/still am a nail biter, and I found that the best way to keep myself away from my nails was to use hard gel. They're so hard to chew, and when you manage to chew it, it's gritty like there's sand in your mouth ;X

 

[cookbj]

I haven't done that many nail biters so can't offer help.

But maybe if you don't feel you can carry out an enhancement service, you can suggest Shellac in future? Nail colour helps to dissuade biting and picking, plus the extra strength of Shellac might help the lady to grow her nails out.

hi,

Sorry to 'jump on in here' but just picking up on what The Beauty Shed said, can we apply shellac on nails on badly bitten nails - how can we cap??

Silly question, but Im trying to imagine in my mind how to do it as I too dont like turning clients away and always like to offer them a service and dont like it when clients go away really disappointed when they cant have their nails done as I would be upset to - a reason why I got into this business.

Thanks and sorry for hi-jacking!

 

[The Beauty Shed]

They wouldn't be the easiest of nails to cap I know, you'd just have to do your best and explain to the client that if she looks after them from now on they will look better and better after each appointment.

 

[NoLimitNails]

I would simply overlay the whole nail with l&p, and only add very little lenght. Then I would have her come in every week, to check up.

If they are bitten that bad, she should just have a few mm's added, and be told why... Then in time, when the nails have grown out you can give them a little free edge.

 

[user 35377]

I sculpt on nail biters. I use scotch tape in a "V" on either side of the nail at the sidewalls and then wrap one piece of scotch tape around the very tip of the finger where I think their hyponychium should be, this allows me to put a form on where it should be. THen I can sculpt out the pink to where it should be and add a very small rounded free edge. The tape will come off just like the form and give her a small free edge that is not on the skin. Keeping it shorter and rounded helps them get used to the idea of having nails slowly. I would also build a little thicker than normal across her stress area for added strength. Has worked very well for me in the past.

 

[Beautification]

c-c my nails this sounds like an interesting an affective technique, could you possibly take a photo of what you mean you do with the scotch tape, I'm constantly trying to improve the nails I do on myself as my thumbs are pitted and ski jumps severely and of course..im a nail biter!

 

[loubilicious]

I sculpt on nail biters. I use scotch tape in a "V" on either side of the nail at the sidewalls and then wrap one piece of scotch tape around the very tip of the finger where I think their hyponychium should be, this allows me to put a form on where it should be. THen I can sculpt out the pink to where it should be and add a very small rounded free edge. The tape will come off just like the form and give her a small free edge that is not on the skin. Keeping it shorter and rounded helps them get used to the idea of having nails slowly. I would also build a little thicker than normal across her stress area for added strength. Has worked very well for me in the past.

I'd also love to see a picture of this as I can't picture it in my head.
Thanks, Lou x

 

[donna'sdelights]

I had a similar problem a few weeks ago i tried to lengthen her nail bed using forms and it was a nightmare because the form wasn't under any nail i tried to use reusable forms then throw away forms the acrylic was getting stuck to the forms and when i took them off the acrylic broke it was awful two hours it took me and i was hugely frustrated about it all I did get something done by the end of the appointment but i wasnt happy with them and i did make sure the clients understood I wasn't sure they would stay put. She just said no they'll be fine I have had them done before and they have been fine. If i had known before hand that her nails where that bad i'd have said no to start with. I will not do enhancements on anyone who doesnt have at least some free edge no matter how small but some. manicures for anyone else until they have grown them a little

 

[indium]

I have no free edge and no form of enhancement has ever lasted even 24hours on me! L&P, Gel, fiberglass, silk...even poilish doen't last more than a day. everything just peels off. So if there is a method of making my nails look good i would like to hear it and see it widely distributed!

not tried shellac but i don't like any of the colours anyway so i won't be either but i think that would fail to bond with my nails as well.

 

[selenacici]

i have experience that before, i am used to bite my fingers.. but im having hard to how to fix my nails after.. so what i did is that i just stop biting my nails.. no problems anymore..