Cosmetology · Manicure Services

If a client has a nail or skin infection around the nail, the cosmetologist should:

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Correct answer

Decline the service and refer to a physician

A Cut into the infection
B Decline the service and refer to a physician
C Perform the manicure anyway
D Apply polish over it

Why this is the answer

If a client's nail or the surrounding skin shows signs of infection — redness, swelling, pus, heat, or pain — the cosmetologist should not perform the nail service and should refer the client to a physician. Working on an infected area can worsen it, cause pain, and spread infection to tools and other clients, and diagnosing/treating infection is outside the cosmetologist's scope. Recognizing nail/skin infection and declining service is both an infection-control and scope-of-practice requirement repeatedly reinforced on the exam.

Source: Skin & Nails — Nail Infection Referral

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About this topic: Manicure Services

Manicure questions cover the tools and products, the step-by-step basic manicure, massage, polish application and the sanitation of implements between clients. This is one of 10 Skin & Nails questions on manicure services, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

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If a client has a nail or skin infection around the nail, the cosmetologist should:

Why this is the answer

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About this topic: Manicure Services

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