5 things you should know about treating clients with psoriasis at the nail salon

In honour of Psoriasis Awareness Month, here are five things you need to consider when treating clients with psoriasis at the nail salon…

What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes red, flaky, crusty patches of skin covered with silvery scales. These patches can appear anywhere on your body but most people are only affected with small patches. In some cases, the patches can be itchy or sore.

Common signs of nail psoriasis include blood under the nail, discolouration and tiny dents in the nails.

1. Avoid harsh cuticle treatments

Harsh cuticle treatments can aggravate a client’s psoriasis and make it worse, so it is best to avoid these. With fingernails affected by psoriasis, it is also best to keep these nails short so that they don’t snag and lift further.

2. Avoid acrylic nails

Some clients who suffer with psoriasis may have an adverse reaction to the product used to stick the acrylic on, so this should be avoided at all costs.

3. Do your research

It is crucial you have knowledge about the condition and are aware of how to treat clients who suffer with it. For example, it is not contagious so there is no need to sterilise your tools more than you normally would after treatment. There’s also no need to comment on it.

4. Buff lightly

Treating the nails roughly can worsen the psoriasis, so be sure to buff the nails lightly.

5. Don’t soak their hands or feet in water for too long

Clients may not want to soak their hands or feet in water or soap for too long as water pulls the moisture out of the skin and when the skin is deprived of moisture, it can make psoriasis worse.