Being a nail technician can be an incredibly rewarding job and requires a great amount of skill. However, no matter how many years of experience you have, it can be difficult to know how to manage clients who come in with very short, bitten-down nails.
Here are some tips on how to help with this situation and encourage better nail health and maintenance.
Talk to your client
Before tackling their nails, you should first start by explaining to your client why nail biting can be damaging to their health and how they could improve it by taking some small steps. Many people bite their nails due to anxiety or as a coping mechanism, so it is vital that you approach this subject sensitively.
Propose a nail routine
Weak nails are more tempting to bite so if your client has significant damage, then it can be good to advise them on how to improve their nail health to cut down on biting.
Having a nail routine is super important for nail biters. A basic manicure will help anyone on the path to good nail and hand health, but especially for those who are more likely to gnaw at rough or ungroomed nails. You could propose a card where they get their 10th treatment for free as a way to encourage them to stick to regular appointments.
Make sure to also educate your client on how to look after their nails in between appointments too, from keeping their hands well moisturised to regularly oiling their cuticles. This will help them to build up strength and will make your life easier in the long term.
Acrylic nails
Acrylic nails are great for serial nail biters who have tried every treatment under the sun and are at their wits’ end. Acrylic sets into hard form, so when applied it will be very difficult to bite off which can help people to break the habit. Make sure to have some acrylic nail sets in your kit so you can give people this option should they want it.
Nail art
Nail art can also help fend off biting. Many people believe that they can’t get art done on short nails so make sure to photograph any designs you do on shorter nails and share these on social media to encourage those who bite to consider coming to you for their manicures. Balance this out with showcasing designs that can only be done on longer nails, to encourage people to keep growing.
Use elongated designs that flatter the length to reduce the temptation of doing anything that could reverse their hard work and take progress pictures of your client’s nails so that you can track their growth together and encourage them to stick to their new healthy routine.
