Chemistry & ProductsQuestion 88 of 100

A regular gel client returns with itching, redness, swelling and small blisters on the skin around several nails and on her eyelids. Looking back, gel often flooded her sidewalls and cuticle area. What should you do?

a.Repeat the same gel service but cure it twice as long to burn off whatever is irritating her.
b.Tell her it is a nail fungus and sell her an antifungal product to use at home.
c.Switch her to a stronger acid primer so the primer seals the skin from the gel.
d.Stop the gel service, explain that what you see looks like an allergic contact reaction most likely from product touching the skin, refer her to a physician, and afterward keep product off the skin and cure fully.

Explanation

Itching, redness, swelling and blistering on the fingers, eyelids or face is the classic pattern of allergic sensitization to a nail product, and gel flooding the skin plus under-curing is the usual cause. The manicurist's job is to stop the service, describe what is seen without diagnosing, refer the client to a physician, and correct the technique so product never touches skin. Curing longer, calling it a fungus and selling a treatment, or adding a corrosive acid primer to skin all make the exposure worse.

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