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Mandi

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Hello

I have been meaning to post this interesting article I read in last sundays times style magazine. It is written by a regular contributor who is somewhat funny. She has got an infection from some unsanitary nail tech and has written about it..thought you all may be interested

will post the link the the whole article



The Sunday Times - Style



July 20, 2003

Extreme beauty: Vanessa Wilde's secret diary
In which Vanessa discovers that even the perfect manicure has hidden dangers



have been crying all week. I haven’t been able to go out. I’m desperate. I’m dis-bloody-figured. I thought I knew everything about beauty treatments, but I was so wrong. I’ve just lost my lovely long nails because they started going green.

Well, some of them. Three of them look like they’re going bad. Rotting. You’d think it was gangrene or something, but actually it’s fungal. Thrush! A fungal infection on my nails! God. I won’t be able to see anyone for months.

It’s my fault, I suppose, for getting my nails done by someone I didn’t know. That’s what infected them. It’s all quite complicated — not that you’d think you could go far wrong with a bloody manicure. The thing is, my nails are acrylic. Normally, it’s brilliant: your nail technician just paints a layer of plasticky glop on your own beautifully formed nails, files and buffs, and then they become totally indestructible. You can even wash up in them. No chipping, no breaking, no maintenance.

I used to have lovely Michelle, who came to my house, but unfortunately, she spends so much time with megacelebs on their film sets that I can never catch her these days. So I’ve taken to going to a really good little nail bar around the corner from work. But, one day, when they were busy, I stupidly went to a place I don’t know. And about five days later, my nails went pale green. Underneath. Sort of radioactive-looking.

So I rushed round to Valérie, my French- intellectual beauty therapist in Thurloe Place, in the heart of French South Kensington. Talk about colonisation — stuck-up French tax exiles. Anyway, Valérie is brilliant, even if she is French. And, though I didn’t realise for some reason, she has someone who does acrylic nails — Rhona, with very lovely Irish skin, rather like my own, always so reassuring in your beauty technician. Rhona broke it to me very gently that I’ve now got the fungal fingers of Jabba the Hutt. And she quietly and caringly explained that I should probably lose all the “product”, cut my nails very short and rest them until the fungus disappears. Plus get medical treatment, maybe.

But first Rhona had to get the product off. That meant bathing my nails in acetone until it melted a bit — eek! — and then wiping and filing it off. Even the nails beneath the goo were pretty weak from all the buffing — too weak to grow long, so that means months of very, very short nails (like no nails at all) until the whole thing grows right out.

I think my nails will be fine in the end — in time for Christmas, if I’m lucky. Then I’m going back to acrylic — I mean, I’m completely dependent, and it has worked brilliantly for at least five years. But, from now on, I am going to be so, so careful. First of all, nobody is ever going to touch me again with their own equipment. I’m taking mine with me everywhere. Clippers, buffers, files, products.


I don’t want to share. I know it’s a bit Michael-Jackson-and-mad-mask, but the brush that applies your perma-nail goo has touched other people’s nails. So has the polish remover. Nasty little germs can hop from flaky, unhealthy client to cotton pad to remover dispenser, and back the same way to you and your nails. You just can’t sterilise everything.

I should have thought of this long ago. I had a pedicure last year with a girl who had worked a lot in LA, and the first thing she did when I bared my pretty feet was to snap on a pair of surgical gloves. I was pretty hacked off. “I don’t think you’ll be needing the surgical face mask, actually,” I said, sarcastically. “My feet are probably cleaner than your hands.”

But then she explained that nail care is a health hazard — for you and for your technician. It seems that if a client has herpes or Aids or hepatitis or something, as well as broken skin, or if she (or he, these days) gets nicked with scissors or clippers — or those nasty prodding things they have — or if the manicurist does, then you’ve got a portal. Or two portals. A portal is where nasty germs can come out or get in. Or both. Onto her, onto her instruments, onto you.

“Tell me it isn’t true,” I begged. “Well,” she said, “it’s not a very big risk. And most places sterilise all their equipment pretty carefully. But not everyone does. It’s not a risk I feel like taking. Not in Los Angeles, anyway. Or London.”

Looking, very sadly, at my short, pale-green nails, I knew how she felt. And, of course, I won’t be able to see my Mr Wrong, Rafi, for months.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2104-741611,00.html
 
Just thought you would all like to know that 'Michelle' her original nail tek, is Michelle Wise (Creative Tek) and Valerie in Thurloe Place who she eventually went to, is ALSO a Creative Tek!! Vanessa has written a few articles before - her style is quite light hearted although I still can't bare that as a seasoned journo, she is telling the world she has a fungal infection as opposed to bacterial - (not that it is her fault because this is what she's been told and her her teks should know better) will they never learn :study: :huh: :oops: but wouldn't you think these writers would do more research :?: :idea: ;)
 
Isn't this just TYPICAL of this type of article that is SO full of wrong information.

1`. First of all a green nail is not fungal but a BACTERIAL infection and it is certainly not Thrush.
2. There is no need to wait for months for the natural nail to grow out as when the infection is 'uncovered' and cleaned up, the acrylic can be re-applied straight away.
3. The chances she got this from an unclean implement is probably zero -- more likely the enhancements were loose and some 'dippy' technician rebalanced over the 'pocket'.
4. What's this about no maintenance??? Probably lack of good maintenance that caused the problem in the first place.
5. There is NO need for medical treatment for a green nail.
6. There is NO need to carry all your own personal tools to the salon either ... yes it is a bit Michael Jacksonish and certainly overkill.
7. Nail services considered a health hazard??? What next.

It is this type of info being given out by 'ignorant' nail technicians that give our industry a bad name.
Someone should ring Valerie at Thurlow place and tell her to book her so called technician on to a class!! Rapido!!
 
Well, its all happening in the magazines and papers lately - has anyone seen today's article (They Drilled into my Growing Nail) in the Daily Mirror? Our very own Ruth (Nails in London) gets a mention in the article - I can't get this linked so I'll post the item here....

"I decided I'd have extensions done for a friend's wedding. It cost £35 and £18 every 2 weeks to maintain them. This involves filling in the gap - called the overlay - where the nail has started to grow out and then filing, buffing and re-polishing.

All technicians use a layer of product, usually acrylic, over the nail to harden and shape it before the polish goes on.

Every time I went in they would drill down the acrylic left from the last treatment to make it thin enough to put on a new layer. The drill was also used to get rid of my cuticles and push down the skin at the base of my nail. Then on would go a new layer of acrylic and a new coat of polish.

I didn't know that the type of acrylic they were using was methylacrylate-based, banned in most US states because it's so harsh.

Ideally, the whole acrylic layer should have been soaked off before adding the new layer.

Using a drill instead of a file to thin down the acrylic really hurt and I realise now they were drilling into the newly-grown nail.

After a few weeks, my nails started looking red and sore. The salon said it was a natural reaction. But the pain became agonising.

It was only when I went to the Tanning Shop in London's Cannon Street that I realised what had been done to my nails.

They share premises with Nails in London and I spoke to Ruth Fordham, the nail technician. Ruth was horrified - she knew straightaway they'd been using a drill and guessed they'd also used MMA because my nails were so thin and brittle.

The redness is called "rings of fire" in the industry and Ruth said it was the worst she'd ever seen.

She took what was left of the polish off and filed down what she could of the acrylic. The pain was shooting up my fingers and I felt sick.

My nails were so weak that If I'd caught them on anything they would have ripped off.

I work in sales and on reception and it was painful to dial numbers. The salon refused to acknowledge the damage, saying there was nothing wrong with using a drill and that other clients had never complained. My advice is to look for qualified salons with certificates detailing the qualifications of the nail technicians.

And never let them use a drill."
 
Well girls just read it one the board......................

I didn't know that the type of acrylic they were using was methylacrylate-based, banned in most US states because it's so harsh

I specifically told her it was prohibited not banned,big difference..........
it's great in the Dental industry but not on nails............

Ideally, the whole acrylic layer should have been soaked off before adding the new layer

nope never did the client or I say that lol...............
Cause it doesn't make sense does it really .................

Spoke to Sam, the client, she said the same, we never said that.......

This is from the reporter lol...........bless her..........

Well got my name in the papers, but would have been better if they had done it with a bit more research, then we might have got decent write up.......................

love Ruth xxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Hollyballoo said:
And never let them use a drill."

Just wanted to add one more thing..about the drill.
Drill doesn't damage the nails, improper use of drill does.
Again- blaming the tool instead of the person using it.

A lot of very well known and respected techs use drills (for example Vicky Peters, Trang from Oddysey) and I don't see anything wrong if someone chooses to use one (of course they should have a proper training like AEFM class)
 
geeg said:
Isn't this just TYPICAL of this type of article that is SO full of wrong information.

1`. First of all a green nail is not fungal but a BACTERIAL infection and it is certainly not Thrush.
2. There is no need to wait for months for the natural nail to grow out as when the infection is 'uncovered' and cleaned up, the acrylic can be re-applied straight away.
3. The chances she got this from an unclean implement is probably zero -- more likely the enhancements were loose and some 'dippy' technician rebalanced over the 'pocket'.
4. What's this about no maintenance??? Probably lack of good maintenance that caused the problem in the first place.
5. There is NO need for medical treatment for a green nail.
6. There is NO need to carry all your own personal tools to the salon either ... yes it is a bit Michael Jacksonish and certainly overkill.
7. Nail services considered a health hazard??? What next.

It is this type of info being given out by 'ignorant' nail technicians that give our industry a bad name.
Someone should ring Valerie at Thurlow place and tell her to book her so called technician on to a class!! Rapido!!


Bravo Geeg! :salute: Good post, you are 100% right
 
So once again it looks like our industry is getting some bad press - but what to do?
My advice is to look for qualified salons with certificates detailing the qualifications of the nail technicians
What like the famous NVQ? A lot of us seem to share the same opinions on the type of education we've received in college. How can we expect the public to choose their techs wisely when a lot of techs come out of college still feeling their way in the dark - but, hey I've got the certificates!. Lots of us techs are ending up here where we can find reliable information from the true professionals. Maybe we should all display 'Geekwear' :D then the public will know that even if you're not Creative trained - at least you can offer them advice from the best in the business
 
Hi ya all,
here is a ditto I wrote to the reporter of the MMA and Drill damage article in the Daily Mirror. Lets hope she listens, that would be a first but hey you never know, so I thought it worth a shot....................

Ruth Fordham
www.nailsinlondon.com
>From: "ellie white"
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: Nail disasters
>Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2003 10:57:26 +0100
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>X-Originating-IP: [195.92.67.70]
>X-Originating-Email: [[email protected]]
>Received: from 195.92.67.70 by lw10fd.law10.hotmail.msn.com with HTTP;Thu, 24 Jul 2003 09:57:26 GMT
>
>Dear Ruth
>Just to let you know, the article about beauty salon disasters went
>in the Mirror today- finally! - i hope you get this in time to get
>a copy. Can you let Sam know as well?
>I hope you are pleased with it - your name is in there - and sam
>looks great.
>Kind regards
>Ellie White

So I replyed with this:

>Hi Ellie

Thanks for your E-mail, well I got it when I got home and not in time for the shops.........

Yes Sam looked Fab in that picture and I managed to get a scanned copy of the article from a fellow Nail Tech...........

I read the article, not bad Hun but.........................

Sams expirience was horrendous and her nail damage was the worst I have ever seen.

But a few points where incorrect..............

Thats why I tried to get a copy of the story before it went to print...........

MMA is not banned in the USA it is prohibited to be used in Nail Enhancement Monomer, but not in all States of the US....

It is a Dental Acrylic Monomer , so it's perfectly safe to be used to making dentures and fillings, but not in Nails as it is to hard and doesn't soak off.........

Drill's are perfectly safe if used by a well educated and trained Technician..................

Some great Techs use them with some good results...................

When one does a reblance on Acrylics it doesn't get all soaked off and re-applied , the loose Acrylic is filed off and the new Acrylic is applied to the growth area..................

Maybe there could be an article on great Salons too, focusing on Techs that get educated, trained in all aspects of Nail Enhancements ,Nail Care and are the cream of the industry......................

Maybe there is another story for you and it would be great to see a happy nail expirience, so the public is made aware that there are some great Salons and Techs out there rather then just the few Non Standard Salons.........................

So how about it Hun????

Maybe a good spread on the next Nail Exhibition at Exel in September, the Competitons and on the great standard of education that some of the better Nail Companies have to offer.........

Regards Ruth xxxx

So lets hope for some positive nail articles, but I am not holding my breath...........
Will keep you updated if and when I get a reply.......
Love Ruth xxxx
 
Hi Ruth

The wording could have been better yes! But....the way I read the article, it doesn't sound like Sam is quoting anything you say until she reaches the point of saying she then went to the Tanning Shop...but all the same, yes, the paper should have maybe got you to look over the proofs before submitting to press. A nice touch would have been a comment on how much better her nails are having had an experienced and highly qualified technician put them right for her so at least potential clients aren't put off the whole idea of extensions, feeling they daren't risk a bad experience.

I guess because we know the drill (pardon the pun) it seems glaringly obvious reading through this, that the procedures/processes to which she refers (or rather whoever submitted this article to press) have not come from a qualified and reputable nail tech or a client who is fully familiar with a professional nail enhancement procedure.

Has Sam been put off getting her nails done now or have you gained a new client? Maybe they could do a follow-up...but then I think papers invariably prefer to print controversial stuff so maybe we'll not hold our breath huh?!
 
Hi ya Hollyballoo ,
Well Sam came to see me last December with these sad and sore nails....... I am glad to say, they look fab now, the damage has all grown out now and she has Gel overlays now................

She is such a sweetie and a pleasure to have as a client and she always brings in a bag of Haribo's......................
Regular as clockwork every 2 weeks bless her.................

So there is a happy ending..........
Love Ruth xxxxx
 
good for you ruth! glad that you let the reporter know what you thought of her artical its a shame for you that she didn't have all her info correct.
i think that was a great idear about showing the public excactly what a good nail tech can do trouble is as you say they only like stuff when its going wrong :shock:
well done anyway hun for re-installing confidence in your cleint now she knows how it should be done and how beautifal her nails can be :D
nickki jonesx ps i wish one of my cleints would bring a bag of harribo! :D
 
Hi congrats ruth to getting in the press!! Wahey.
I dont apply or use 'acrylics' as in L &p but just got back from hols today and message on ansaphone....... along the lines of help i have acryilica applied and my regular tech doesnt soak off all the product each time??? i feel sorry for the tech.. she is obviously doing the correctly trained procedure of a rebalance but as this lady hads read about having them all soaked off before a rebalance in the newspaper (and they gotta be right...right!!! i mean i beleive EVERYTHING they say about becks & posh!!!) she thinks shes not getting the right treatment. maybe the paper needs to correct some of these statements before a lot of techs loose their business.
but ditto on all the positive comments.. i was well chuffed i said to hubby.. i have had a private email from this lady (meaning you ruthy) - ok he replied he sees mel c every other weekend (her brother races for the team hubby works for!!) but its my claim to fame so cheers ruthy...
 
Well done, your reply provoked thought and with all journos they love a good story :rolleyes: Just seems that our British journos prefer the bad stuff to the good stuff!! Can't wait to hear if you get a reply!! Let us know!! So glad Sam's nails are now better! ;)
 
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