HEALTH & WELLBEING

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Onycholysis: what is it & how can it be treated?

By Jess Watts | 31 July 2025

Let’s talk the causes of onycholysis, aka nail separation, how to prevent and what to do when it’s presented at the nail desk… Picture this: you scrape your knee and pop a plaster over the top to help it heal. Three days later, that plaster has started to lift. At…

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The nail hyponychium: what is it & why does it need protecting?

By Jess Watts | 25 July 2025

Not all heroes wear capes… but sometimes they deserve a little appreciation. Here are some key facts about the hyponychium – your underappreciated nail protector. Akin to how we fill the cracks in between shower tiles, the crevices of our nails also need sealing to protect the nail bed and…

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10 ways to practice self-care as a nail tech

By Scratch Staff | 24 July 2025

Scratch explores the importance of self-care and looks at 10 ways to ensure you prioritise your wellbeing as a nail pro… 1. Take regular breaks Schedule breaks during your working day to recharge: whether five minutes between clients or a full lunch break to refuel and take a walk, so…

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4 ways to reassure clients about the safety of your nail services

By Helena Biggs | 14 April 2023

You’ve spent hundreds of pounds on products, hours of time on training courses, and provide nail services that make your clients feel happy. So it hurts to constantly have to defend your profession from mainstream media cries of ‘UV nail lamps could cause cancer’ or ‘gel polish services cause allergies’.…

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Mental health training options to help beauty businesses support employees

By Rebecca Hitchon | 10 October 2022

Scratch highlights different coaching providers to help support employers’ understanding and management of staff mental health matters. VTCT Believing in an industry that recognises the importance of their workforce’s mental wellbeing, awarding and assessment organisation, the Vocational Training Charitable Trust (VTCT), added Mental Health Awareness to its range of vocational…

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What is the function of the free edge of the nail?

By Katie Barnes | 21 September 2022

To understand the function of the free edge or nail tip, we must firstly understand how and why the nail grows. The function of the nail is to protect the outermost bone of the finger or toe, the fingertip, and the surrounding soft tissues from injuries. The fingertips contain a…

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Mental health awareness: How the nail sector has saved me from my struggles

By Rebecca Hitchon | 9 May 2022

Sheryl Cooper, owner of nail art supplier, Enchanted Essence, and home salon, Nails By Sheryl, opens up about how getting involved in the nail industry boosted her mental health and how she champions mental wellbeing in her businesses. In 2016 I had my daughter, Isla, and within six months I…

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The FNP reveals findings from its first nail industry allergy survey

By Guest Writer | 25 April 2022

Marian Newman BEM, chair of The Federation of Nail Professionals, shares findings from the FNP’s first allergy survey… A large part of the nail sector is aware of an ‘allergy epidemic’ that we and our clients are suffering from. Acrylate based nail coatings have been available and used since, at…

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Meet the make-up artist with Functional Neurological Disorder

By Emma Hobday | 25 March 2022

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) charity FND Hope defines FND as a problem with the functioning of the nervous system and how the brain and body send and receive signals. Physical and/or psychological risk factors can cause functional symptoms which include a variety of physical, sensory and cognitive symptoms, such as weakness or paralysis, loss of balance,…

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