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

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.