Entries Tagged 'Nails Condition' ↓

For those discerning clients who are worrying about the effect of UV nail lamps on your skin, here is some study result from Creative Nail Design dispelling the myth. See report here (reproduced below for your convenience).

Scientists Speak Out – UV Nail Lamps Are Safe
From driving a car to holding a cell phone on-the-go, hands get more UV exposure from natural and artificial light than any other part of the body. Despite concerns from news sources questioning the safety of UV lamps, an independent study presents the facts. According to CND Chief Scientific Advisor, Doug Schoon, recent reports fail to properly measure UV light
rays, overestimate exposure from UV nail lamps and incorrectly attribute skin cancer. Schoon and two other nail industry scientists oversaw an in depth study of leading UV nail lamps on the market. The study measured how much UV-A and UV-B rays UV nail lamps and natural sunlight emit. The results dispel the myth that UV nail lamps put users at an increased risk of developing skin cancer.

To summarize the report:
• UV nail lamps have less UV-B light (cause of sunburn and skin cancer) output than natural sunlight. The amount of UV-B light in ten minute exposure to nail lamps is “the equivalent to an extra 30 seconds in sunlight each day of the two weeks between nail salon appointments.” UV-A exposure is equivalent to spending “an extra 1.5 to 2.7 minutes in sunlight each day between salon visits.”
Brief sun exposure = curing manicures and pedicures in UV nail lamp

• UV nail lamps use special bulbs with internal coatings that filter out most of the UV-B
light
• A client’s hand can receive more exposure to UV light while driving a car than they
would receive from UV gel and Shellac™ services.

Drying nails in a UV nail lamp is safer than glove-free driving “The cumulative amount of UV exposure from normal daily activities – driving, running errands outdoors, and sitting under fluorescent lighting – is much greater than the minimal exposure from a UV nail lamp. The anxieties of getting skin damage from a manicure are disproportionate to the truth,” explains Dr. David Valia, Director of Research and Development for CND.

CND has one of the world’s largest laboratories for professional nail research and development, and utilizes state-of-the-art equipment to analyze UV output, equipment design, health and safety. CND’s knowledge in polymer science and expertise in UV technology is unparalleled. Participation in scientific symposia including ‘RadTech,’ the largest event dedicated to the education, technical and scientific advancement of Ultra Violet (UV) and Electron Beam (EB) technologies, keeps CND at the forefront of this science. CND is dedicated to the advancement of safe and efficacious technologies, as illustrated with the recent Shellac innovation that is safe and convenient for women wanting long lasting manicures.

Here is another independent UV Lamp study.

This new product is quite a fad in nail care and very popular currently. Here are some details/claims regarding Shellac:

• ZERO DRY TIME
• NO BUFFING OR SANDING 
• 14-DAY WEAR
• NO NAIL DAMAGE
• NO CHIPs or SMUDGES

Shellac is a “hybrid” of nail polish and gel. No other products in the market can stand up to the claim - on like polish, wears like gel, off in minutes. Give it a try at our salon on your next visit. It really is a “industry-changing” product!

For more information visit here

Here are some common myths we hear now and again from nail technicians themselves and clients alike:

1) Myth: Gel nails are so easy to do, they apply just like nail polish! Anyone can do them! (Then why isn’t everybody already doing them?) The truth is that Gel nails are easy to learn, but very hard to master. Watching a true professional doing it always seem easy but it takes skills and lots of practice to do it well. Don’t be fooled at the demo stand during a beauty expo or exhibitions. Those nail artists will only pick the best looking, easy to do nails which have free edges so they can demo it easily and beautifully. It’s their job to sell their products. The professionals who work at the salons and service REAL people do not have a choice. It is our job to enhance any type of nails (be it no free-edges, no nail beds etc …) and give the client the best looking nails possible when finished!

2) Myth: Gel nails are “lumpy” because you can’t file them or do finish work. The truth is that gel nails are non-porous and completely cured, there is no reason not to file them to perfection if needed. However, if the job was done well, there should be no need to buff because it is already shiny and smooth.

3) Myth: Gel are better for you than acrylic. The truth is any enhancement is not good for you. If you have good, healthy natural nails then keep them. Regularly taking care of them by doing a self-manicure or visit a nail salon such as Manhattan Nails and get it professionally manicured. A simple analogy is when you cover your skin with a bandage! If you keep covering it for a long time, the skin beneath will be affected by the lack of circulation. it will be white since pigmentation is not being affected by sunlight etc … The similar affect will happen to your natural nail beds if you cover them with acrylic or gel enhancement. They will grow back to normal if you choose not to fill them in and let the nails grow out naturally, after the enhancement was done. DO NO REMOVE THEM YOURSELF since this will weaken your nail beds and the time it take to get back to normality may take longer.

Get your acrylic or gel enhancement only if you need to. If you you are having trouble growing your nails naturally, or you have a chronic habit of biting your nails. That’s our general advice. But of course we cannot say no to fashion trends can we? We will however inform you the potential consequences.

So you’ve spent months on end to grow out your nails, perhaps after you’d spent years wearing nail enhancements  but decided to take them off, using the perfect nail strengthener regime until you nails are now longer, stronger, and guess what … it’s about to snap?  It’s true and it is very common.

Once your nails have reached optimum strength, continuing to harden them can actually make them brittle.  And after all that effort! Well, too much of a good thing is not always a healthy thing.

But don’t despair though, there is an answer and it’s the new Maintenance Formula Nail Envy from OPI. That’s what the product rep from OPI distributor told us when she last visited our salon and we raised our common concern brought to our attention from clients. According to OPI, this newest addition to the Nail Envy Natural Nail Strengthener line, new Maintenance Formula has just the right balance of strengthening and protecting ingredients to help strong nails stay that way.   If nails are weak, start with one of the five Nail Envy custom formulas designed to get them strong — Original, Matte, Dry & Brittle, Soft & Thin, or Sensitive & Peeling.  Follow the directions carefully, and once your nails are beautifully strong, switch over to Maintenance Nail Envy to keep nails at their best.  Finally, you can now have strong nails that are your own, and keep them, too.

We’ve written about this product before but we just couldn’t help but to share with our clients again how wonderful this Mango Mend cream is. It really works for a lot of people and it is inexpensive. You do not have to just use it on your hands and cuticles. People used them on their heels, their elbows basically any part where there is persistent skin irritation.

Below is the copy of product literature from California Mango, the company that make this product, for your information.

A product designed to treat and prevent maladies common to the skin, hands or feet. Use both as treatment or preventative to combat dry skin, cracked heels, inflamed or dry cuticles and skin irritations. This unique blend of Natural oils, emollients & vitamins in this proprietary formula, specifically targets problem skin areas.

In an age of product cost reductions by using less costly grade ingredients, Mango Mend does just the opposite. Using the highest pharmaceutical grade raw maters, Mango Mend GUARANTEES the best possible results.

Skin: Dry Skin Areas, Rash, Sunburn, Dry Scalp, Abrasions & Scars, Elbows & Knees
Hands: Extremely Dry Skin, Cuticles, Nail Treatment, Abrasions & Scars, Rough Callus
Feet: Cracked heels, Calluses, Prevents blisters/chafing, Skin irritation/itching

BENEFITS
Seals in Moisture & Conditions Skin
All Natural Ingredients
USP Pharmaceutical Grade

Specialty Oils: Jojoba, Mango Seed, Kukui, Makadamia Nut, Soy & Saflower (hi-oleic)
Specialty Vitamins: Vitamin E USP, Lecithin USP
Specialties: Aloe, Mango Butter
Specialty Organic Extract Oils: Mango, Orange, Grapefruit & Tangerine

and yes, we do stock them at our salon in Mosman.

The success of any nail enhancement service (either Acrylic or Gel nails) is shared between the nail artist and the client. It is hard to believe but people tend to blame others for their breakage, lifting or infections etc … It is never one’s own fault or carelessness. Human nature I guess.

But on the serious note, the nail artist is 50% responsible in diagnosing the clients nail needs by performing appropriate consultation to determine her/his lifestyle, activity level and nail plate shape and condition, prescribing the proper service and recommending home care products and procedures. The client is 50% responsible for following the recommended home care procedures, setting timely maintenance appointments, and following any instructions or advise from the nail artist.

To keep a healthy and maintain the good look of finger nail enhancements for longer require common sense and a pinch of effort from both parties. The answer is always in being consistent!

That being said, in order to maintain your Nail Enhancements for long-term durability, follow these simple guidelines.

• Oil nails twice per day to maintain inherent flexibility. Product that is allowed to become brittle will crack and break. This will also keep your cuticle well moisturise too!
• Repetitive or severe pressure on the nail extension will lead to cracks that result in full-blown breaks. Treat your nails as jewels, not tools! Remember that they cost you money to put them on in the first place!
• Nails that are too long for your lifestyle and activity level (repetitive downward tip pressure) result in service breakdown. If your nails become too long between appointments, shorten the length with the a suitable file.
• Properly applied product will shrink when cured and create an airtight seal. Mechanical forcing of product through extreme pressure, picking or nipping rough edges will result in lifting. Use a suitable file to remove rough edges or blend any lifting into the natural nail plate. Holding the file flat to the area of lift, gently file in the direction of the lifted material until the area of lift is removed. Do not over-file! Over-filing removes vital nail plate layers and will weaken the natural nail plate. To re-seal the product, massage a drop of oil into the nail surface, then buff to a dull shine with the say a 360-grit buffer. You may also choose to buff to a high shine with a 3-way buffer.
• Fungus infections (Greenies) are caused by air-borne spores (pseudomonas bacterium) that have become trapped between the overlay and the nail plate layers. These spores require food to eat and moisture to grow. The nail plate layers contain contaminates along with the natural oil and moisture. Should any lifting occur between visits, buff away the area of lift. Do not attempt to glue the area of lift. Most instant glues are not moisture resistant. Instant glue also sets-up the instant it is exposed to air. The glue cannot ‘re-seal’ lifted material and may incorporate air-borne bacteria or spores into the area of lift. The bacteria or spores will be trapped between the nail plate and the overlay, utilizing the natural nail contaminates as food and the moisture to grow. The results are a greenish to brownish stain on the nail plate which is a by-product of the infection. Should any area of lift be too large to remove by filing, or visible discoloration is present, please call for a nail repair appointment. It is your best option to do so.
• Wear gloves when performing domestic chores, working in the garden or whenever you use cleaning solutions. Keep the harmful chemicals away from your nails whenever possible!
• Call in sick. If you have a contagious skin or nail condition, wait until it clears before visiting the salon again. If symptoms persist, make an appointment with a dermatologist.
• Don’t take them off. If you decide you no longer want to wear nail enhancements, do not take them off yourself. Picking and pulling the nails off will damage your natural nail, rip layers from your nail plate, and make regrowth a long, painful process. We nail technicians can safely remove nail enhancements for you and will offer a proper manicure along with appropriate treatment products.

Nail Color And Top Coat For Assembling A Nail Tool Kit
For many people, nail color - also called nail polish, nail paint, nail lacquer, and nail varnish - is what manicured nails are a about. Nail color is fun, it’s sexy, it’s eye-catching and, if you choose trendy seasonal colors, it can be a cheap way to upda your overall look.
Source: feeds.ezinearticles.com

Supplementing With Biotin To Promote Hair And Nail Health
If you suffer from weak and brittle nails then you may benefit from taking a biotin supplement. Read on to find out all about biotin.
Source: feeds.ezinearticles.com