How do i use nail nippers correctly?

[Elise]

Ive studying mani and pedi at college and have been moved groups, due to a large number of students, they had to bring in an extra tutor.

When i was in the old group, when are tutor showed us the procedure for a mani, she use the nail nippers on the nail plate, and around the nail to remove dead skin, but since ive moved groups our new tutor says to just use the nippers on the nail plate only!

Because we have changed groups the advice were getting off the new tutor seems to be different to what are old tutor advised, Im not the only one in my group who is confused as when we last worked with are partners on mani, mine ended up cutting of some of my cuticle with the nippers by mistake

Im really confused :irked: can someone please tell me what is the correct way to use the nail nippers, as i really want to pass this course and dont want to fail when it comes to my assessment, or damage clients nails.

Thanks.

 

[oey]

My advice would be to follow the advice of the person that will be assessing you for the time being. As it is them who decided if you pass or fail.

but, as long as the skin you are removing is dead there is nothing wrong in removing it from around the nails as well. Just be absolutely sure the skin you are removing is dead!

 

[scattyfox]

It is one of those things that are easier to see how to do rather than explain how to do.
i would imagine though the conflicting advice is coming in due to differences in their own training. i only use nippers in my leading hand and i only nip off hangnails and any loose bits of skin around the eponychium i dont cut any of it off. As for the nail plate i use my pushie and my probe to make sure i get those last little pieces.

 

[Elise]

My advice would be to follow the advice of the person that will be assessing you for the time being. As it is them who decided if you pass or fail.

The problem with this is that we dont know who were going to be assessed by, they told us it could be any of the 3 tutors!

Thanks for all advice though

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

I use my pusher/cuticle instrument to push back the cuticle (dead tissue) off the nail plate. You then end up with an excess of cuticle around the eponychium. You can use your nippers to carefully remove this BUT be CAREFUL NOT to cut the eponychium.

I also use my nippers to remove dead loose peeled skin and hang nails from around the nails. HTH xx

 

[oey]

That is a problem we also had - the options are to be aware of all tutors requirements and therefore adjust to the one at the time or have it out with all the tutors about the confusion and clear it this way.

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

That is a problem we also had - the options are to be aware of all tutors requirements and therefore adjust to the one at the time or have it out with all the tutors about the confusion and clear it this way.

Personally, I think this is apalling though! There should be a college STANDARD! I know that there are different ways of doing various things and acheiving the same good and safe results, but institutions should have a set policy of procedures.

 

[nailsbydesign]

I know its hard to do when you are just a student, BUT..you need to ask to speak to the 3 of them that might assess you, together, maybe some of the other students can join you when you speak to the 3 tutors, as this will add weight to what you want to say. Tell them how confusing it all is...afterall you have paid for this course and they are there to help you not confuse you, so get their help with this...maybe they need to cross referrence what they are teaching you all, so that none of you leave totally confused and possibly doing something to hurt clients.:hug:

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

I know its hard to do when you are just a student, BUT..you need to ask to speak to the 3 of them that might assess you, together, maybe some of the other students can join you when you speak to the 3 tutors, as this will add weight to what you want to say. Tell them how confusing it all is...afterall you have paid for this course and they are there to help you not confuse you, so get their help with this...maybe they need to cross referrence what they are teaching you all, so that none of you leave totally confused and possibly doing something to hurt clients.:hug:

Exactly!

 

[Elise]

I think i will be better with the nippers when i have more confidence ( not very confident with the nippers or cuticle knife and the moment! )

I will pluck up the courage to speak to my tutors after half term.

Thanks everyone for all your advise!

 

[nailsbydesign]

I think i will be better with the nippers when i have more confidence ( not very confident with the nippers or cuticle knife and the moment! )

I will pluck up the courage to speak to my tutors after half term.

Thanks everyone for all your advise!

To be quite honest with you I never use a cuticle knife at all and hardly ever have the need to use cuticle nippers, as I get rid of the dead tissue with Cuticle Remover and a cuticle pushie, its only if the cuticles have hangnails or are VERY untidy that I use nippers. Most of the time I just advise the client to use Cutilce eraser cream and Solar Oil, whichsell them and this is usually all they need to get the cuticle area well and truely tidied up and well nourished.

 

[BABSann]

When I trained at college I was terrified of the cuticle knife and nippers as were most of the students in our class.

If you use the knife always make sure the nail plate is wet,when you work to your right the sharp side of the knife should be facing the right,when you work to the left turn the knife over so the sharp side is facing left.Use small circular movements,taking care not to scratch the nail plate,gently ease the cuticle back and away from the nail plate.

Cuticle nippers should always be used with care,tiny controlled movements in your dominant hand should be done,again as others have said only remove dead tissue,dont tug,just nip.

I have never used my cuticle knife since leaving college.A lot of salons use an electrical cuticle pusher backer.These are better as they vibrate and doing so stimulate the blood supply thus incouraging nail growth.I find them far more effective than an orange stick and cuticle knife.HTH

 

[mum]

This subject has been an ongoing subject as long as I can remember. Old fashioned techniques sometimes don't seem to catch up. This often seems to happen in FE colleges. Beauty therapist lecturers seem to prefer the more 'traditional' techniques.

It is difficult to know what is right when your teachers have differing opinions!

All I can say is fact based. Living skin should not be cut! The body is very good at protecting itself. If living skin is continually removed it will grow back thicker as a protection. Non living skin that is shed as part of natural cell renewal can be safely removed.

The skin at the base of the nail that is an extension of the skin on the finger is the proximal nail fold and is LIVING. This gets pulled up with the nail growth and just needs easing off the cuticle/nail plate to prevent this happening.

The thin layer of non-living skin shed from under the fold and sticking to the nail plate needs to be removed. This can be nipped off, if necessary, after it has been lifted from the nail.

Hang nails can be nipped from between the lateral nail fold and the nail plate plus the corners of torn skin at the base.

If anyone has any issue with this stage of a manicure with their lecturers and/or assessors could perhaps refer them to the 2 most current text books covering the curriculum and Occupational Standards.

I'm not promoting my book but that and The Encyclopedia of Nails are aproved by Habia and C&G. They are very different books with different approaches but the basic facts like this one are the same!

 

[ksmoores]

The problem with this is that we dont know who were going to be assessed by, they told us it could be any of the 3 tutors!

Thanks for all advice though

you have yo get this addressed then, ask for the college standard procedure, if you are unsure see head of department and ask her