A manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands.

A standard manicure usually involves filing and shaping of the nails, softening and pushing back the cuticles, buffing of the nail plate, cleaning under the free edge, and polish application. Some salons may vary their treatment by offering extras such as hand and arm massage, exfoliation, hand mask, paraffin wax treatment etc. I would recommend clients have a manicure every two to three weeks.

In between these treatments you can maintain your manicured nails at home yourself by exfoliating your hands, filing you nails regularly, and clipping if necessary. Buff nails from side to side every few days to avoid ridges on the nail plate, remove any dirt from under the free edge of the nail and apply cuticle cream / oil to help soften the cuticles.

When you have softened the cuticles, push them back using either an orange wood stick or a plastic hoof pick. Always use a good hand cream as your hands will give away your age. (People tend o forget that their hands and neck give away their age, not just their face and eye area.) Apply nail hardener and or nail polish if needed.

Be sure to follow the steps;

1. Base coat
2. 1st colour coat
3. 2nd colour coat
4. Clear top coat

A with the toes, the nail polish can take some time to dry. Allow a good forty-five minutes for a manicure in the salon, and a further few hours for the polish to fully dry. Even though they are dry to touch does not mean they are fully dry. It can take up to six hours to fully dry.

As I mentioned in the pedicure section, always be aware of the hygiene precautions which the salon are taking. It is within your right to ask questions such as;

• Do you use an autoclave / steriliser?
• Do you use a sanitizing spray or wipes?
• Do you use a non-acetone nail polish remover?

Ignorance is not always bliss. What you don’t know may actually hurt you. Before you pay out, speak up!

People often come to the salon for treatment of nail disorders and diseases.

Unfortunately beauty therapists and nail technicians are not qualified to diagnose and treat nail disorders and diseases. If you suspect you have this, you must attend to it promptly as it will only worsen if not attended to by a podiatrist or doctor. You should always be aware of the various infections etc. which you may be susceptible to.

The following are some of the more common complaints;

PARONYCHIA:

Is an infection of the nail fold. It is caused by bacteria, fungi and some viruses. The proximal and lateral nail folds act as a barrier between the nail plate and the surrounding tissue. If this seal is broken the bacterium can easily enter, resulting I infection. Pain, redness and inflammation will be present in the nail folds. People who have their hands in water for extended periods may develop this condition. Be cautions as it is contagious.

PSEUDOMANAS:

Is a bacterial infection. It recognized by its green discoloration in between the natural nail plate and an artificial nail bed. People often recognize it as a mould. It is actually a by-product of the infection and is caused mainly by iron compounds. Pseudomanas thrive in moist areas. Moisture levels allow it to grow resulting in this infection. The darker the colour of the nail plate, the deeper into the nail plate the infection has spread to. In some cases, the nail plate has been known to lift from the nail bed.

ONYCHOMYCOSIS:

Refers to the invasion of the nail plate by a fungus. This infection can have a huge effect on the life of a person. People are often ashamed or embarrassed to expose their toes, and usually postpone treating it. Often it is caused by trauma or damage to the foot, or if a person has had athletes foot prior to the development of onychomycosis. It can be very difficult to treat. This must be seen to by a doctor or podiatrist promptly as the condition will only worsen.

TINEA UNGUIS:

Is also commonly known as ringworm of the nail. It is characterized by nail thickening, deformity, and eventually resulting in loss of the nail plate.

ONYCHATROPHIA:

Is where the nail plate wastes away, causing it to loose its lustre, reducing in size and can even shed fully. It may be caused by injury or disease to the nail plate.

ONYCHORRHEXIS:

Is where nails are weak and split vertically, peel, and sometimes have vertical ridges. This can be hereditary. The use of strong solvents etc can also cause this. Oil, hydrating masks and paraffin treatments will re-hydrate the nail plate and improve the appearance of this, however you should always see your doctor or podiatrist to rule out any possible diseases.

ONYCHAUXIS:

Is where the nail bed (base of the nail) is thickened abnormally. It is generally more common in the elderly and is characterized by its thickened and sometimes curved hooked nail. This may result in a disorder and must be seen by a doctor or podiatrist for advice. Long nails and trauma to the nail may cause this. Ensure to keep nails trimmed and attend to any injuries.

LEUCONYCHIA:

Is where white lines or spots are present in the nail plate. It may be caused by tiny bubbles of air that are trapped in the nail plate layers due to trauma. This condition may be hereditary and no treatment is required as the lines / spots will grow out with the nail plate.

BEAU’S LINES:

Are nails that are characterized by horizontal lines of darkened cells and linear depressions. This may be the result of trauma, illness, malnutrition or any major metabolic condition, chemotherapy or some other damaging event. It is the result of any interruption in the formation of protein of the nail plate. This must be attended to by a doctor or podiatrist for diagnosis and treatment.

MELANONYCHIA:

Are often described as nail moles. It is characterised by vertical pigmented bands, and must be seen to by a doctor or podiatrist as they could signify a malignant melanoma or lesion. However, people with darker skins often have darker streaks and are completely normal. It is always better to put your mind at rest and have things like this seen to by a professions.

PTERYGIUM:

Is where the skin protrudes over the nail plate. It is usually the result of trauma to the matrix. It can result in the loss o the nail plate. Never attempt to treat this yourself. People have often made matters worse by removing the pterygium themselves. You must see a professional about this.

PTERYGIUM INVERSUM UNGUIS:

Is an where the hyponychium grows forward. You can see the live tissue firmly attached to the underside of the nail plate. It is caused by allergic reaction to solvents / acrylics, systemic, hereditary. This condition is extremely painful and should be diagnosed and treated by a doctor or podiatrist.

PSORIASIS:

Can also appear on the nail as well as the skin. It leaves pitted, dry marks on the nail, and sometimes the nail will crumble. The nail plate may separate from the nail bed, and have a red / orange / brown appearance to it. This can look disastrous and must also be treated by a doctor or podiatrist.

BRITTLE NAILS:

Often split vertically and often causes separation of the nail plate layers at the free edge of the nail plate. This is a very common complaint. It is a characteristic of the natural ageing process. This can occur when the nails are over exposed to water and solvents. Use vitamin e and jojoba oil on the nail and cuticle area to help to re-hydrate and thus help prevent further splitting and peeling. I recommend you do this twice daily and more if your hands are frequently in water. Regular manicures or pedicures can be extremely effective.

VERTICAL RIDGES:

Are also part of the ageing process. This is where the nail plate grows forward onto the nail bed in a ‘rail and groove’ effect. With age, we loose moisture content in out nail plates and this results in ridged nails. Re-hydrate the nails with vitamin e or jojoba oil to help prevent this.

HEMATOMA:

Is the result of trauma to the nail. Ill fitting shoes is a common cause of this. The nail bed may bleed as a result of trauma. The blood is then trapped between the nail bed and the nail plate. If this is not treated by a doctor or podiatrist nail plate separation and infection may occur. In some cases the nail plate may have to be removed.

As I have constantly stated throughout this section you must seek diagnosis and treatment from either a podiatrist or doctor for any nail disease or disorder. Please don’t take these lightly as they will persist and worsen if not treated correctly. Should you notice any changes or abnormalities to the nail or cuticle area please consult your doctor or podiatrist as beauty therapists and nail technicians are not qualified to diagnose or treat any disease or disorder.

However we do work wonders in beautifying your hands and feet so be sure to maintain healthy nails by having regular manicures and pedicures.

A pedicure is defined in the dictionary as “a way to improve the appearance of the feet and their nails. It is basically a manicure for the feet.

Regular pedicures help prevent nail diseases and disorders. A pedicure involves cleansing the feet, nail and cuticle care, and a foot massage.

Some salons offer extras such as a foot mask, reflexology paraffin wax treatment etc. to their pedicure treatment. A pedicure can be very relaxing and if you have any foot problems it can be therapeutic.

I would always recommend my clients have a pedicure every four or five weeks to keep them in order.

People tend to neglect their feet in winter and then come late Spring or early Summer they start to panic about the poor condition of their feet. Prevent this from happening by continuing your pedicure treatments all year round.

You can also do your bit at home to keep your feet in good condition. On a daily basis you should cleanse to remove bacteria and nasty odours. Make sure you dry carefully between the toes to help prevent athletes foot. Opt for natural fibres when wearing socks i.e. Cotton or wool. This allows your feet to breath.

You should change your shoes every day, alternating every two to three days. Avoid high heels to help prevent corns and calluses. Your shoes should be made of leather. This also allows your feet to breath.

On a weekly basis, soak your feet in warm soapy water for twenty minutes before pushing back your cuticles with an orange wood stick. Plastic hoof picks are also available and can be less damaging to the cuticle area.

Remove any dirt from under the free edge of the nail with the end of the orange wood stick / hoof pick. Clip and or file the nails. Don’t file the nails into a curve as you would with the fingernails.

File them into a straight line otherwise ingrown toenails may develop. If this does happen you must see a podiatrist. If you put it off, the problem will only worsen. Keep them short and neat. You may buff the from side to side to help smooth out any ridges on the surface of the nails. As the toe nails are much stronger than the finger nails there is no reason to apply a nail hardener but it is always good to apply a coat of nail polish for cosmetic reasons, remembering to apply:

Read more: Pedicure beauty advice