A nail technician never diagnoses. The exam tests whether you can recognize a condition well enough to decide one thing: service the client, or refer them to a doctor.
Refer the client
- A new or growing dark streak under a nail, or a changing mole. These are melanoma warning signs; acral-lentiginous melanoma can occur in the nail bed.
- Open sores, blisters or infected skin.
- A foot problem in a client with diabetes.
Fungal infections
- Nail fungus (onychomycosis): thick, discolored, fragile or cracked nails. Much more common on toenails, it often starts through a small cut near the nail.
- Athlete's foot: a fungal infection, most often between the toes, picked up from damp floors in showers, pools and locker rooms.
- Ringworm is a fungus, not a worm. Athlete's foot and most fungal nail infections are forms of it, and it spreads on shared towels and floors.
Bacterial and viral infections
- Impetigo: crusted sores, usually from staph bacteria; spreads by contact.
- Cellulitis: red, swollen, hot skin and deeper tissue.
- MRSA: staph that resists several antibiotics.
- Warts: caused by the human papillomavirus; plantar warts appear on the soles of the feet.
Not contagious
- Eczema is not spread by contact; certain soaps, fabrics and lotions can trigger it.
- Psoriasis causes thick, red patches with silvery scales and comes from an immune problem.
- Contact dermatitis is redness, itching and bumps where a product touched the skin. An allergy to a product can develop even after years of use, which matters for nail technicians as much as clients.
A note on the cuticle
The cuticle acts as a barrier that helps prevent infection, which is why exam questions treat damage to it as an infection risk.