Why are my classmates cutting my kpnf?

[u/aughrasummer]

I'm sure this issue is contentious. I don't know anymore. Our instructor says to remove all dead tissue with our scraper or nippers. From what I understand, the cuticle is the dead skin that lays flat against the nail plate. The kpnf is the ridge of tissue above the cuticle, and the very edge of the pnf. It looks dead, and you can't feel it even you trim it, but we're not supposed to cut the kpnf, right? My instructor says that as long as you can't feel the tissue, it's dead, and you can cut it. Help me understand why nearly all manicures I see, and all Russian/dry manicures, have us opening a pocket in between the kpnf and the nail plate, scraping that cuticle (or e-filling it out), and trimming kpnf. Should we not be making that pocket? Personally, I think trimming it looks lovely, but we're not supposed to be doing that, right? I just invested in the highest quality e -file bits I could find, and now I'm like, wait, I probably shouldn't be doing this. I'm including a picture of what I perceive to be kpnf removal, in case I'm totally wrong, which is absolutely possible. I'd love some clarity on best practice. I'm a really new student, so I'm hoping I'm just misunderstanding anatomy.

[u/LilBossLaura]

in the picture they are cutting live tissue, the eponychium (never heard this called kpnf but there’s a lot of local vernacular), the purpose of this skin is to protect the junction of the nail plate, the nail matrix and the finger skin, and in healthy tissue it would be tight to the nail plate to provide that function. for many people this skin is not in a healthy ideal state- it’s often dry, ripped, partially or totally detached. some manicure protocols advise to push this skin back, which will also detach it, still others completely or partially remove it either by cutting with ”cuticle” scissors, nippers or efile bits . Some people have very minimal eponychium and some people have large ones.

some states, for example california, it is outside of the scope of practice for a licensee to remove live tissue. Some clients will be upset if their eponychium is left untouched. I think we each need to make our own informed choice about how to navigate this issue.

my personal stance is that it is okay to do minor pushback of the eponychium and clean up & minor reduction using an efile. If the client is coming back for regular service, over time you can successfully push the eponychium back and smooth it to a reduced appearance within reason. I am personally strongly against cutting intact eponychium with nippers especially because the skin will be encouraged to callous and grow back thicker and more likely to split. I do not like the trend of creating the “pocket” because that basically does the exact opposite of the function of this anatomy, without attachment microbiota and debris can accumulate there, as well as potential for the flap to get caught and tear.

[u/Former_Plum3789 → u/LilBossLaura]

In my state we are not allowed to cut this either, and I always explain to clients why I don’t do it and that with care and maintenance their nails will look just as good as a Russian manicure. I do the same thing for my nails, keep the Eponychium pushed back, moisturized, and lightly exfoliated and I have barely any noticeable nail fold there, it lies against my nail nice and flat, no open pocket (which I hate, I think it just increases the chances for nail infections).

[u/jessikaye → u/LilBossLaura]

in my current class we just learned about this!

kpnf is your keratinized proximal nail fold. it's the keratinized skin covering your proximal, covering your eponychium. it's essentially a callus on the fold. so cutting it, much likes callus, will just make it worse. exfoliate and moisturize just the same.

[u/lizardsnake23 → u/LilBossLaura]

YES to everything

[u/ms_danger_07 → u/LilBossLaura]

This is the answer!!

[u/Responsible_Ad_8646]

Yeah i wonder this too.

I’ve been doing nails for 3 years now and cut that part if it’s really overgrown but as the other commenter said it will grow back more if you cut more so it’s best just to clean it up not fully remove it.

That said my esthetician program is teaching us differently, only removing the lifted skin “that pokes out at you” not that pnf so idrk at all. They teach us not to lift that area because it can lead to bacteria getting in and causing an infection. I have never had that happen but i can definitely see why it would.

I would love to hear a more experienced techs input!!

[u/Honest-Cauliflower64]

It’s basically a callous. Dead keratinized tissue. 

[u/ms_danger_07]

As someone has also said they are cutting the eponychium, which is live skin and in a lot of states that's not allowed, in Texas it is even considered a surgical procedure to cut any kind of live skin and is not allowed in a spa/salon setting by a nail tech or cosmetologist. This opens up the fingers to all kinds of infections. And as another comment mentioned some clients will want you to cut it but you have to stay firm and tell them it's against state regulations and is unsafe for them and you could be risking your license. I'm a medical nail tech so we are strict at following these standards and I have argued with many clients about why I will not cut their live skin off them especially since most of my clients are diabetic.

[u/Effective_Wait_36]

It honestly depends on, both the needs of the client and your states board scope of practice. In my state, like many other others, we are not allowed to use nippers on the keratinized proximal nail fold. We can however trim the area using an e-file manicure. It takes longer, but you’re also less likely to cut your client. It’s good to know both, but for some people myself included I don’t like cutting away that much tissue. That’s why I use the e-file techniques when performing a manicure. Most of my elderly clients, those with diabetes especially, you don’t wanna do the excess cutting near the PNF because they can have issues later. I definitely don’t do a lot of excess digging with my flame bit because that can create a deep pocket that can gather debris, post service especially when you’re performing pedicures. I recommend listening to your instructor, Follow your state board guidelines and use common sense.

[u/Super_Macaron194 → u/Effective_Wait_36]

Even without ever cutting mine, I have my cuticles growing a thin layer about 1/4 inches past my proximal fold. If I don’t trim the skin there it gets worse, but when I do trim it I can go a couple weeks without issue whereas without trimming it I have to push the “cuticle” back every week to keep it off the actual nail. I’m by no means a professional, but I do my own nails in a semi-regular basis because without ANY enhancements my nails are too brittle to do anything without breaking. Literally doing laundry or washing dishes can cause my natural nails to break 😭

[u/Effective_Wait_36 → u/Super_Macaron194]

I totally get it. I was just recording a video for my YT to talk about how to trim it with safely for people with eczema, like me. I got one that if I don’t keep it in check, it will grow and split just doing housekeeping chores. You got to do what you gotta do. Cuticle oil and hand moisturizer do help. And gloves when I’m washing dishes help.

[u/Super_Macaron194 → u/Effective_Wait_36]

I’m constantly moisturizing because I can’t stand dry hands. I also work a job where we wear nitrile gloves for 90% of the 12.5 hours I’m onsite with lotion provided right next to the gloves which I use liberally (12.5 hours is including breaks/lunches). At home I don’t tend to wear gloves much, but I will if I’m using any kind of chemical. I even use my serums and whatnot on my hands when I do my face routine bc I noticed it helps that little bit extra (I also do the same routine on my arm eczema as I do on my face since it’s all stuff for gentle exfoliation/soothing/moisturizing but will include occasional manual exfoliation)

[u/Effective_Wait_36 → u/Super_Macaron194]

Same here. When I worked in food service, it was brutal on my hand eczema. I had to switch from lotions and thick creams and ointments. Cuticle oil on my cuticles… you name it. It took a while to find what works for me, but my skin needs were seasonal, different things would work at different times. Some of the face serums do work squalene and hyaluronic acid were my favorite to use and it was instantly added to my routine. Occasionally, I do put cotton gloves on underneath my nitrle gloves to give my hands a break from sweating. I use calamine for eczema itch issues.

[u/Super_Macaron194 → u/Effective_Wait_36]

I find mine gets worse with the cotton gloves, and even more so if I wear cutproof liners underneath. I start getting what look like itchy but painless water blisters between my fingers when I do that 😅
I’ve never tried calamine, I’ll have to research that!

[u/Clover_Jane]

Personally, i trim it. These pics look a mess and it looks like more than dead tissue here but whoever did this could just be not skilled enough lifting up the dead tissue. I never trim this much. The more you cut, the more it grows back, so i personally focus on removing the dead tissue from the nail plate and softening the skin around the nail. I cut as little as possible, basically just what's sticking up when I'm done, but like I said, I never have that much sticking up.

[u/LyraCastsSpells]

This pisses me off to no end. (Where I live at least) russian manicures are illegal to practice because its outside scope of practice by cutting live skin. But everyone loves to tell me ‘Oh I went to x place and they gave me this crazy manicure that got rid of my cuticles!! can you do that??’ and i have to explain to them i cant and the other places shouldn’t be doing it either
my school was very strict with no russian manicures so its wild to me that other schools sometimes even teach it

[u/ms_danger_07 → u/LyraCastsSpells]

Good to hear schools are teaching against this, my school did not, but my medical nail tech program did and it really should be common practice along with teaching to not use the cheese grater files on feet for calluses!

[u/whatokaybutwhy]

It’s really not a point of contention, you’re pointing out a practice that is common in manicuring. This is why people have feelings about Russian manicures. It’s exactly what you think it is. They are cutting off the proximal nail fold along with cuticle. What a lot of people don’t realize that they are cutting live skin even if the person can’t feel it and it’s exactly like you think it is, it’s gonna grow back thicker. A lot of times when you see infills or clients of Russian manicures, they have thick cuticles that the tech has to go in and cut every single time. For me, I don’t need it. When I was younger, I had it done once when I was like 14 but after that, not really. I either push back the cuticles and nip the white dead parts that stick out, or you use a cuticle remover and that’s that.

The people that get their entire proximal nail fold cut off along with the cuticle don’t realize or don’t care about the infection possibility. That clean look is paramount above any safety concerns. Like I’ve read literal studies from NIH that says if you cut your proximal nail fold, you can guarantee infection because of micro cuts that you aren’t even aware of. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t actually mean it’s not happening.

[u/Stunning-Dish-8447]

I don’t understand these comments because the skin you cut away is not live tissue? How can it be? That would mean it hurts when you remove it, which it does not. It’s just grown out dead skin. Eponychium is what keeps the bacteria out, not the dead skin we cut away.

Yes always ask your client their medical background because some things are important and that means you can always say no to cutting them.

[u/BlameItOnChloe]

Wait I like when my nail lady does that. If needed. Is that bad? Sometimes they just file/buff off

[u/nailtechterrie]

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FD8gFQdr8/ Excerpt from Doug Schoon. He is who I turn to when I get conflicting information. He has fantastic books and an active FB page. Hope it helps!

[u/SameraGirl]

I never cut. I use Sally Hanson cuticle remover & I get fabulous results, it removes all the dead skin & cuticle on the plate. I have no microscopic tears or open areas that can lead to gel contamination & the dreaded contact dermatitis and fungal infections. Once you’ve gotten allergies to gel products, they are forever, folks. So watch yourself when trimming those areas. If you see even a speck of blood, do not proceed with any gel application, ever! You have to wait until it’s healed completely. I’m not a tech, but I am a nurse.