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 We are not doctors and you should consult your doctor for any questions pertaining to a service performed on your hands, feet or nails that may affect your health. 

Nail Services have changed dramatically in the past 13 years!

Quick discount Nail Salons using have been popping up all over the United States since the late 90's, offering low prices for services mostly from unschooled/unlicensed Nail Technicians. The alternative to discount nail salons are professional nail salons, but you will most likely pay more and you have to search to find them. The discount salons have made it hard for "old school" US Nail Technicians to stay in business. Check for licenses when you visit any salon, it is your right! Licenses are there to let you know that the technician servicing you has been trained and tested by the State on passing knowledge testing about proper sanitation/disposal procedures along with anatomy, bacteriology, OSHA/EPA Standards, nail diseases and how to CORRECTLY perform nail care services. Salon and Technician Licenses always have to be posted in a easy to view area! Be careful some of these discount nail salons use "alias" so that you will not report their real name. When the state board comes to investigate the "reported" technician, they can say that he/she no longer works there.  Make sure that you get the number off their license (it is in a box on their license). Take a picture with your cell phone to send them. Some shops will not be happy about this but it is your right, you have the right to ask for their license and they should be able to show it immediately.

WHY DOES IT MATTER WHERE I GET MY NAILS DONE?
I believe many people that get their nails done think this.  It is your choice to go where you want but as for myself, I would want to go to a place that has been tested in the proper sanitation when performing nail care services.  This would let me know that I will not contract any viral diseases such as Hepatitis, HIV, MRSA, fungal infections, staff etc. The state licenses Nail Technicians for your safety, if you don't check to ensure that they are, how can they help you otherwise?  Blood can be drawn during uncareful nail services, it is very serious on how these implements are cleaned afterwards. If a person doing your nails is making less than $10 an hour to perform a strenuous pedicure service, it can give them less concern for sanitation procedures because they are too concerned about getting someone else in their chair to make more money. You get what you pay for!  When you get a pedicure, that technician needs at least 15 minutes to clean all the equipment and tools properly afterwards.  In a professional salon/spa you pay for that time to ensure your safety. 
Another issue is the MMA verses EMA for artificial nails.  MMA should not be used on human nails!  It is very difficult for a Nail Technician to compete against MMA when using the correct EMA.  MMA is so cheap that discount shops use them to charge less.  With a healthy immune system your body can clean it out of your system as you breathe in the vapors and absorb it through your nails as the acrylic hardens. But  not the dust! MMA, that discount shops use, dissolves almost 50% of the nail upon placement!!!! When is that okay? Why is that okay? The excuse I hear that they "stay on good" makes no sense to me!  Your nails are ruined, maybe even for life which I have seen!   I can't compete against that and I won't! I will not use these products on my clients and I do not want to breathe it in. Artificial Nail Products should sit on top of the nail, not dissolve the nail and "stay on good".  With care EMA nails stay on perfectly, you just have to leave them alone! No picking!  I have been using EMA since I started doing nails and have no problems with it. It is hard though with clients that are use to the MMA products.  See below for more information about MMA vs. EMA.

Nail services should be relaxing and you should not be expecting to receive pain, you have the right to have a sanitary service, you have the right to have questions about products being used on you answered, if you have problems with a salon/spa sanitation issue you can click here for a printable PDF form to send a complaint to the Virginia State Board. If these salons are not correctly reported then they will continue to provide unprofessional care to other people!

• Acrylics-Very strong and durable.  Long or short term commitment.  A Fill-in service must be performed every 2-3 weeks to maintain them. Great for nail biters.  Holds polish well.  We use professional quality acrylic without the nail damaging chemicals that some low-end shops use (no MMA).  I am always careful about not damaging your natural nails or causing pain during any service.  You must fill them every 2-3 weeks to keep them looking nice. Do not pick at your nails to prevent lifting.
  

• Gels-Clear like glass. Non porous and no odor to apply. Does not yellow like acrylics, great for tanners. About as strong as acrylics. Recommended for long term commitment. Can not be dissolved off like acrylics can, must be filed off or grow out to remove them. Minimal lifting, better with hands that stay in water a lot. If you are prone to lifting and get pseudomonas (mold) then using gels is your better option to avoid getting the green mold growth underneath the acrylics. DON'T BE FOOLED: Gel is always a gelly-like substance activated by a UV light, there is never any liquid or powder involved. A bit thinner than acrylic. Useful for people with allergies to acrylic products. I use only professional quality gel product. A Gel Fill-in service must be performed every 2-3 weeks to maintain them.

• Artificial Nails Application Procedure-For any type of enhancement to adhere better, some filing is recommended. There should never be blood drawn through the nail plate or really deep crevice lines created on the nail. The nails has to be lightly scratched up then cleaned before application of any type of artificial enhancement. If applied and removed correctly, artificial nails do little damage to your natural nails. Under normal conditions, your natural nails will always grow back in the same condition they were in before the enhancements were applied. Enhancements won't improve your natural nails or make them "healthier". Regular manicures and proper diet is the optimal means to try to grow your natural nails. Even with that, inherited genes play an important role in the way your nails grow.

• Artificial Nails Maintenance-Click here for a printable PDF FORM.
• First, NEVER EVER pick at your nails! Second, ALWAYS lotion the hands several times a day to ensure flexibility in the nails and avoid dryness in the cuticles. Don't pry at the nails or loosen them at the corners. This is the number 1 cause of lifting and nails that don't stay on well.  Cleaning products can modify how artificial nail product adheres to the natural nail and can cause lifting, so use gloves! Artificial Nail removal is not necessary for your nails to "breathe". Acrylics can get old looking (yellowing from repeated UV light exposure) so replacing them can improve the appearance of the acrylic. Most of the time a replacement of a "new set" shouldn't be more than twice a year. 
  
• Sometimes a gap develops between the natural nail and the artificial nail. This gap will provide a moist, warm environment for bacteria and fungi to grow, creating Pseudomonas (mold). Avoid using cuticle oils if your nails are prone to lifting to prevent Pseudomonas. Cuticle oil is like miracle grow for pseudomonas. See your Nail Technician immediately to remove the nail. The color starts yellow, then light to dark green, then black. When removed it most likely leave the green tint iron compound by-product stain. Mold is not a human pathogen. Pseudomonas also thrives in dirt so wear gloves when gardening with artificial nails.
  
• Nails that curve inward sharply at the sides can be more prone to lifting at the edges of the nail tip so make sure you have regular fills and don't pick at them. I recommend using gels on these types of curved nails and moisturize the hands regularly with lotion! Nails that grow up from the skin of the the fingertip (ski jump nails) can cause air pockets in the middle of the nail during growth and may need an occasional replacement.
  
• If you have to glue a nail back on, make sure you coat both with alcohol, then dry to prevent bacteria from being trapped between the enhancement and nail, then see your nail tech as soon as possible. If you have a nail lifting at the back or on the sides dip the finger(s) into a 5% bleach solution for 3-5 minutes daily or dip the finger(s) into white vinegar for 3-5 minutes daily to destroy mold spores and prevent pseudomonas. See your nail technician as soon as possible to repair the nail. You paid money for these nails treat them with care. They are not tools.
  

• MMA-Methyl Methacrylate.  There are two types of acrylic product chemicals for nails: EMA-ethyl methacrylate and MMA-methyl methacrylate. Both products are currently used for acrylic nails but in the Professional Nail Salons only the Non-MMA (EMA) product is used.  EMA is the safer product to use for human nail use.
  
• MMA is not recommended for human nail enhancement use. 23 US states have already banned this product for use in nail salons.  The FDA has stated since the early 1970's that MMA is a poisonous and deleterious substance and should not be used in nail products.  MMA is 1/8+ the cost of EMA this is why discount nail salons are cheaper. Some low end shops use MMA (acid based acrylics) that dissolve part of the natural nail and continue upon placement to dissolve microscopic holes all the way through the nails.  It causes the acrylic to adhere to the nail better but creates damage to the natural nail. These low end shops use the MMA product to save money but MMA products are not safe for use on human nails. MMA filing dust is very dangerous to breathe in for you and us! Sometimes this MMA can cause a burning pain when applied to the natural nails because the product is actually dissolving part of the nail and entering the skin under the nail.  The fingers usually feel really sore after receiving a set of MMA nails. MMA is too hard for human nails and when the artificial nail is broken, it takes all or a majority of the natural nail with it. Yes these MMA nails stay on great but if you break them you can cause major damage to the natural nail, especially during removal. Possibly even permanent damage. MMA has a very strong fruity odor that is easy to recognize. These MMA Nails are very hard to remove and since they do not dissolve well they are usually ripped off in discount salons to save them time/money. Repeated MMA use will cause the natural nail to lift off on some clients. (A natural defense of the body to rid the MMA from the skin/nail).  This product is hazardous to breath in for you and the technician! The MMA product can possibly leak into the skin under the nail and cause other health problems on those with a weakened immune system. 
• Click here to see the chemical profile of MMA.  
• Click here to see a News article about MMA on nails

• EMA-Ethyl Methacrylate. EMA costs more because it is processed to be used on human nails. Most EMA products also have an added UV protection to promote less yellowing.  With the EMA acrylic product there is less damage to the natural nails upon placement. EMA acrylics sit on top of the nail so that if you hit the nail, the acrylic comes off, not your nail (this is one of the major reasons the FDA does not approve of the MMA product). There have been many complaints from Emergency Rooms across the US about the damage they see MMA products cause to the natural nail.  I recommend always using EMA products if you are interested in getting acrylics.  Maintaining them with a fill in every two weeks and not picking at them will keep them beautiful. Using EMA or MMA is your personal choice. Both EMA and MMA are not natural products. If you are interested in natural care I suggest regular Manicures every 2-3 weeks. If you have always gone to a discount salon you may not like how EMA Acrylic stays on the nails. EMA is not as hard and durable as the MMA Nail Acrylic that discount shops use and we will not use them on our clients because we care about their health and ours. 

Definitions of Some Artifical Nail Service words               

Crystal Nails- an enhancement done with clear acrylic/gel with clear tips.

Solar Nails- an enhancement done with the brand Solar made by the "Creative Nail Design" company.  A reputable brand.  Be careful! Just because the bottle says one thing on the outside; it doesn't mean that product is in it.

• Why we don't use Credo Blades during Pedicures-The use of blades (Credo Blades) to shave off dead callused skin is illegal to use in a salon in almost every state across the US. The biggest reason for this is because of the increased chance of contracting a virus such as AIDS, warts or hepatitis. Blades are not sanitizable, they must be new and some nail shops are too cost effective to provide new blades for each service. Most states do not allow Nail Technicians to cut off living skin.
  
• It may seem that some salons are doing you a nice favor by using a credo blade on your calluses but that is not the case. The underlying problem is that there are no certainties in gauging the thickness of any callused area which may lead to over shaving. It doesn't matter how much experience a technician may have with shaving calluses, you may be on the receiving end of an unfocused day. Shaving callused skin can produce open areas with an increase chance of contracting viruses.
  
• Calluses are on your feet for a reason whether it is for dancing, running, standing, etc. You need those calluses and if shaved off you have to go through the process of growing them back but only now, deeper into skin nearer to the bone. Which can cause irritation later and possible surgery to remove it. I perform an effective pedicure by letting your feet soak to soften (some shops don't think it is cost effective to do this), I then smooth the callus down with a new file that you take home every time you receive a pedicure. Consult a podiatrist for any callus removal questions.
• Click Here for a video about Credo Cutting Blades on the feet in salons

• How we clean our pedicure chairs-We exceed manufacturer recommendation and state board regulations on cleaning and maintaining my pedicure foot spas. We first drain the old water out. Scrub the chair with anti-bacterial soap. We fill the chair and flush the jets out with an approved disinfectant. We then drain, fill and flush it again with clean water. We then spray the chair with a EPA registered sanitizer and let it dry. At the end of the day we soak the chair basin by running it with a disinfectant solution designed for pedicure chairs for 20-30 minutes. Before each pedicure we also add a skin safe sanitizing salt powder to the water. We also don't recommend shaving 24 hours prior to a pedicure service. If your pores are open and the pedicure chairs are not clean you can easily contract an infection (MRSA or M. fortuitum) from dirty chairs. Make sure that the nail place you go to rinses out their jets (if they have them) otherwise you are getting the backwash from the last pedicure into your water!
• Click Here for a Video on Pedicure Chairs
• Click Here for a News Article about dirty pedicure chairs problems