Repairing a deformed nail ..??

[Cait]

Hi all,
I have a lovely 72 year old customer, who loves getting a manicure when she comes to my city however she has a deformed thumnail - she caught it in a door many many moons ago and it has never grown correctly since, it starts to grow normally , thins in zone 2 (like back to the flesh =no nail) and then tries again to grow in bumps in zone 1- its coarse and dry but not brittle, now she told me she has been very depressed about it since it happened and always feels self conscious about it, do ysou think I can build this up using gel? Would I, could I use a tip on the 'normal' part of the nail? Or a form? Ive never done this before but if I couold Id like to give it a go for her?

Has anyone any experience with this?

thanks for any tips
Cait x:green:

 

[Doorie]

I'd advise forms ALL THE WAY as you may find it hard to get a matching tip.

we've had a kind of damaged nail in my last training, was amusing because a lot of techs seem lost when they see one.
(I'd love to have a pict to advise you better, if possible!!)

unless I'd say, I'd choose l&p for these, as you are 100% sure you can work thin, opaque, and it won't get hot. but maybe gelians will tell you the opposite lol.

the results are miracle, depending on the damage you can get the nail back in shape in a couple of months.

 

[Cait]

thanks Doorie,
no I dont have a pic as shes a visiting professor who comes and goes every 2 months and shell be back early june
the nail is way passed any chance it will return to normal . .. and Im not too worried about the heat as to be honest the actually nails itself looks well dead and thick
OK - when she comes in Ill give it a bash with forms ... only thing - should I place the form against zone 3 (normal bit of the nail) or on the bit that is trying to grow again in zone 1? hmmm, wont the product lift is it comes in contact with the skin underneath..:irked: ??​

 

[Doorie]

you do your normal prep on what remains of the natural nail.

then what I would do (but then, who am I) is covering/creating a normal nail bed with an opaque, working in thin layers to prevent warmth, then you place your form basing you on the new nail you've made,
then, if she really want to have length, (warn her that she's not used to it, so keep it short anyway) basically the way you would for bitten nails...

the product usually doesn't stick or melt the skin (I've heard that once...) that's why you have to keep it short, and possibly stick to a round or oval shape so she doesn't have angles... and so on. with hard pressure the nail is more lickely to lift that if the nail plate was fine, of course.

 

[Peter Pan]

tend to agree with the l/p rather than gel on this one - maybe you could pm geeg, she will give you all the advice you need flower

 

[1999judy]

I agree with G on this one try sculpting L&P it could make a big difference.

 

[Cait]

Thanks guys for all your answers,

and Doorie I really like the way you explained that to me.. makes sense.
I personally am not as comfortable with L &P as I am with gel and therefore for such a tricky procedure I would prefer to use gel but I also understand the 'burn' spike if used to thickly.
Seems that most agree L&P does have its advantage of Gel
think Ill build a mock up on my hand trainer and have a go with both
When it happens Ill post a pic of before and after
cheers!
Cait x:hug: