The first thing you need to do is not panic! Your nails are fine. They won’t fall off and likely this is fixable.
The scenario would look like this, either you have just had your nails done and after a few weeks one of them has fallen off and there is a gross looking bright green spot on the surface of your nail bed. Or you are the nail tech, removing the nails and find this little culprit while working on your client.
Remember what I said. Do Not Panic.
So What DoesThis Mean?
Likely, what has happened is, water has found its way in between the layers of your enhancement. Lifting has occurred at some stage and the water went in between the gel (or acrylic) and your natural nail bed. I would refer to this as “water damage”.
I don’t want to say that this is a common occurrence, but it really isn’t that uncommon and can happen repeatedly if not taken care of immediately. In fact if it is not dealt with properly this could spread to other nails or other clients!
This Is Not A Fungus:
The first thing most people think when they see this green spot, is that it is a fungus or infection. Everyone has heard horrible nail salon stories at one stage or another. But even though this looks terrible it is not as bad as it may seem.
This green spot is a bacteria. The bacteria has grown because it has found a nice damp dark area to live and thrive. Under your nail enhancement for example. When not treated properly this spot will continue to grow and cause some significant damage to the natural nail. But there is good news!!
Once the nail enhancement has been completely removed and the little pesky green spot has been exposed to oxygen, the process stops. The bacteria stops growing and is halted in its place.
Treatment:
As a nail tech I would remove all the remaining gel on that particular nail. Once filed off and lightly buffed down, throw away that file! You do not want to risk that bacteria spreading to other nails. Spray the nail bed generously with isopropyl alcohol and free it of any dust.
Let the nail completely dry out while you are working on the other nails. Then you should be able to carry on with the appointment as you usually would.
By this stage the green spot should already be lighter and less offensive.
Going Forward:
Ask the client to keep an eye on that nail in particular. If the enhancement lifts again, I ask them to come back immediately and let me deal with it. Repeating the same process over again, to make sure this issue isn’t getting any worse.
I assure my client that everything is OK. Their nail is fine and the spot will continue to grow out over the next month or so. Likely we won’t even see it during this process because it is covered with new gel and a new color.
A black nail or a dark brown one is something I would be more concerned about. This could in fact be a fungus and should be dealt with by the doctor. Give your clients your honest opinion. Tell then you will do 9 of the other nails if they like, but it is in their best “nail interest” to get it looked at by a DR.
Some women can’t live without a fresh manicure, but in the long run this will save their nails from much worse torture. I have had arguments. Flat out refused to do a set of nails because they weren’t listening to my advice. You have this power! You cannot risk their nail health or the health of your business!! Stay strong sis!
So when you see a green spot on the nail take a breath and assess the situation. This is fixable and not a disaster if dealt with properly. Safety first!
If you have any questions regarding this article please leave them in the comments below and I will make sure to respond ASAP.
As always thank you so much for reading and following along! I love you guys!
Stay safe out there,
Cheyanne _ The Nail Lamp Tramp
In doing a new dipping powder set discover green in 3 nails I have been doing acrylic nails for over 25 years never have any problems started doing dip 3 months ago liked it because can go longer without a refill, a few days ago needed a new set an discover the spots of course I panic never seen that before. She didn’t do a new set just did a gel manicure and that was it. Didn’t want to have clear polish be cause you can see them how long before this is gone? Can I apply anything to it while wearing the gel polish?
Hello Millie, thank you for your comment.
Did your technician remove the dipping powder entirely before reapplying the new gel polish? If she did, this is a good sign. Once the green spot is exposed to oxygen the bacteria growth stops. There is nothing that can be done while the gel polish is on. But as long as she treated it by removing product, filing or buffing the area lightly and spraying with alcohol before re-application you should be fine. The green spot will just have to grow out.
I am a little skeptical with the dipping powders because there is really no way (in my opinion) to sanitize them. So there is risk there for bacteria to grow.
Please keep me posted and let me know if you have any further questions!
xxoo
Cheyanne
Hello Millie, thank you for your comment.
Did your technician remove the dipping powder entirely before reapplying the new gel polish? If she did, this is a good sign. Once the green spot is exposed to oxygen the bacteria growth stops. There is nothing that can be done while the gel polish is on. But as long as she treated it by removing product, filing or buffing the area lightly and spraying with alcohol before re-application you should be fine. The green spot will just have to grow out.
I am a little skeptical with the dipping powders because there is really no way (in my opinion) to sanitize them. So there is risk there for bacteria to grow.
Please keep me posted and let me know if you have any further questions!
xxoo
Cheyanne