Why lateral structure will help your nails go the distance

Educator and award-winning nail technician, Katie Barnes, reveals why nail endurance is dependent on nail structure – and serves up advice on perfecting it…

Beauty and endurance are two of the main qualities a client looks for when it comes to their enhancements. Both tech and client don’t want to have to worry about repair appointments, which is why attention to nail structure comes into play. When a nail enhancement breaks, where is it that you find this occurs the most? More often than not, it is at the sidewalls. Several causes of this are improper form placement or undersized tips, poor filing techniques, incorrect mix ratios and product control.

So much focus is placed on the apex for a strong enhancement but one of the most significant yet forgotten parts of nail structure is the lateral structure, more commonly known as the sidewalls. These are the sides of a nail extension that come straight out from the nail bed all the way to the free edge. Sidewalls support the structure of the nail extension.

Regardless of the shape, the point where the nail extension leaves the nail bed should be free of notches and come out completely straight, not tilted up nor down which will put unnecessary pressure on the enhancement (above). This is where correct form or tip fit is necessary.

Sidewalls are often over-filed due to bad habits and poor filing techniques which causes an immediate weakness. It is important to shape the enhancement with the brush and by correctly controlling the product, rather than relying on heavy filing techniques. The most common shape I see these issues occurring with is a tapered square/ballerina or what many refer to as coffin, where techs use the file to shape the enhancement rather than building it with correct form or tip fit (see my previous blog post for tips).

Over-filing the nail at the sidewalls to give a slimmer appearance will only remove the supporting lateral structure and cause weakness. Understanding the correct angle of the file is essential to prevent this happening. If you are guilty of this, make filing the sidewalls the very last step in your filing routine. To file the sidewalls, hold your file underneath at a 45-degree angle from where the extension starts to the free edge, don’t be tempted to run your file down the whole side, otherwise you will compromise the supporting structure (see photos).

How not to hold your file

How to hold your file

If the nail has been over-filed previously, you may need to apply product to the under-arch area (the spot where the sidewall grows out) by using a tiny dry bead of clear on your form or tip to give the enhancement something to ‘grip onto’.

While it is important to ensure you are not touching the skin with product by leaving a small margin of no more than 1mm around the cuticle zone, you must not leave the natural nail without product covering the sidewalls.

Correct product control and understanding is necessary as it is important to press the product completely flush into these areas.

Understanding where the natural sidewall truly starts is paramount. When we are creating enhancements, is it typical that we will need to tailor the enhancement to perfectly fit a particular nail, with many natural nails often being damaged. If there is natural nail missing at the sides, then gently pinching the product so it adheres and wraps right around the whole natural nail is paramount for a sound structure.

Correct sidewall structure

When using tips, it is vital to oversize and never undersize a tip to ensure that it completely covers the sidewalls. The minute an undersized tip is adhered to the nail, the lateral structure is compromised. When sculpting, you can tailor the form by cutting to perfectly fit the nail and compensate for any missing sidewalls.

Take the time to focus on your sidewalls and master your filing technique will ensure a strong lateral structure for long lasting, structurally sound nail enhancements.

Love Katie B x

www.katiebarnesacademy.com