Professional Manicure and Pedicure. Rosie Watson

the skin can clearly mirror our inner imbalance or wellbeing.

      n A cross-section of skin.

      The epidermis’s slightly acidic pH is about 5.5–6 and this protective, mildly acid mantel also helps to ward off harmful infections and bacteria. The epidermis on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet are the thickest in the body and are therefore one of the most protected areas.

      Under the epidermis lies the dermis, a layer of skin made up of blood vessels and fibres such as collagen and elastin. It is subdivided into two layers and here is where skin cells are reproduced and grow. The tissue is fresh, new and plump. Collagen in this layer gives the skin a youthful appearance. Skin also needs to move and stretch and this is made possible by elastin found in the dermis. It is a stretchy fibre which allows great movement of the skin. With age, both collagen and elastin diminish in function and so visible ageing of the skin occurs.

      Nutrients, oxygen and water, which are vital for skin maintenance, are distributed in the dermis by the blood stream, and nerve endings are also stored here so we can feel textures, heat, cold and pressure easily.

      Under the dermis we find the last of the three main layers of the skin: the subcutaneous layer. It is basically made of fat cells which give the body warmth and protection against external damage. Some subcutaneous layers are deeper than others but this necessary layer also protects muscles and bones from damage as well as acting as the body’s internal thermometer.

      Together the epidermis and dermis weigh about 3 kg (7 lb), making skin the largest organ in the body. The skin combines together to form a very clever group of cells, as together they are responsible for protection, perspiration, sensation, heat regulation and excretion of unwanted bacterial invaders.

      The back of the hands and feet have hair projections that trap air and keep us warm as well as being attached to senses which alert us to particles on the skin, as well as the heat or cold. This vellus hair can be very fine or very thick depending on nationality or hereditary genetics. The back of the hand is very susceptible to ageing, loose elastin and the breakdown of collagen, which, as time goes by, exaggerate the lines and wrinkles on our hands. The sun, too, damages skin texture, making it uneven and creating age or liver spots which once developed are very difficult to eradicate.

       The nails

      n The basic anatomy of the nail.

      All visible nail tissue is made of ‘keratinised’ particles (dead cells). Nails provide much protection from damage to the soft fingers and toe tips which we use constantly. Nails are translucent but colour can be seen as a faint pink from the blood supply beneath the nails, or they can also turn blue with cold or ill health.

      It takes about six months to grow a nail from its root (the matrix) to the free edge at the end of the fingertip and this regular growth means we have to cut, file and buff our nails regularly. The longest nails in history are about 76 cm (30 in) long but most of us like to maintain a comfortable workable length of a few millimetres!

      n A cross-section of a finger.

       trade secrets

       • Massaging the matrix of the nail increases blood supply and helps to speed up the production of new nail cells to increase growth speed.

       • Warm hand treatments should be concentrated around the matrix as increased heat will improve circulation to the nails and make them look pinker and healthier.

      n Nails are always slightly curved to give them exceptional strength and durability.

      The technical name for a nail is an ‘onyx’ and it is usually flat and slightly pink in colour with an opaque edge at the fingertip. As it is made of keratinised cells we can manipulate the texture and shape of the nails without any pain or discomfort. Hot water and chemicals will soften the nail’s structure and allow flexibility whereas cold water will encourage the nail to retain the same structure and limited flexibility.

      The matrix of the nail is more commonly known as the root and this is the only area where the nail is alive and reproduces new nail cells. A healthy blood supply to the matrix brings life-giving oxygen and nutrition to new nail cells. Subsequently, a healthy matrix will lead to a healthy nail. However, if the matrix is damaged, the nail may grow abnormally or not at all.

      The half moon (lunula) of the nail is visible at the top of the matrix and the base of the nail plate. This narrow crescent is slightly white in colour because the new nail cells are compacting down to become stronger and this process cuts out the visibility of the underlying blood supply which gives nails their pink appearance. The lunula was said to show how long you would live and how healthy you are but the size of your lunula is not relevant to age nor health! Some people have no visible lunula yet stay alive! In the early days of the French manicure, nail technicians used to paint the lunula as well as the free edge of the nails white but this fashion died as the complexity of this work was too great for everyday wear.

      The nail bed is the area of flesh that lies under the nail plate and contains the blood vessels that give nails their healthy pink colour. The nail bed contains small ridges to provide extra adherence to the nail plate and is the area we see if we lose the nail plate in an accident.

      The nail plate makes up the whole surface of the nail we see and feel. It is hard and made of compacted dead cells. It is usually slightly shiny and is stuck fast to the nail bed on which it lies. The nail plate can grow very long past the finger’s edge and when the plate is no longer stuck to the nail bed the plate becomes the ‘free edge’. This free edge is the area we class as the nail’s length and is usually white or opaque in colour as there is no pink from underlying tissues to be seen through it.

      The cuticle of the nail is the rim of skin lying from the nail matrix around the base and sides of the nail. Its purpose is to protect the matrix from invading bacteria and water which could harm the growth of the nail. The cuticle is made of skin cells and if unkempt can grow far up the nail plate, producing unnecessary and unsightly protection. Contemporary fashions insist on pushing back the cuticle to make the lunula more visible and to increase the surface area of the nail plate for nail varnish application but it is essential not to over treat the cuticles as their function of protection is vital to maintain a healthy looking nail plate. Cutting the cuticle off completely can leave the nail’s surface and matrix open to infections and can increase the bulk of the cuticle as it grows back.

       trade secrets

       • When cleaning beneath the nail’s free edge do so gently or you could damage the delicate skin that joins the nail plate to the nail bed, thus reducing the surface area of the nail bed! In the long term this can lead to the lifting of the plate as well as possible infections or discomfort.

       • Gently buffing the nails with a fine-grain buffer will help to smooth unsightly ridges but be sure not to over-buff as the nails will just become thinner and weaker.

       • A soft leather shimmy can really make the nails shine like they have varnish on so if your profession does not allow nail varnish try this instead for the same look!

       trade secrets

       • Treating cuticles regularly with a massage oil