24 Nail & Skin Science Practice Questions & Answers
Every Nail & Skin Science practice question from the Nail Technician Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.
Start practice test →1. Which part of the nail unit produces the new cells that form the nail plate?
- A.The lunula, the white area that hardens into plate
- B.The nail bed, which grows the plate forward from below
- C.The matrix, where the new nail cells are formed✓ Answer
- D.The free edge, which lengthens as the plate hardens
Only the matrix makes new nail cells; those cells keratinize and are pushed forward to become the plate, so damage to the matrix produces a permanent deformity while damage to the bed or free edge does not.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (parts and structure of the nail); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Nail Structure and GrowthReport a problem with this question
2. The nerves and blood vessels that supply the natural nail are found in which structure?
- A.The nail grooves, the tracks the plate slides along
- B.The nail walls, the skin folded at the sides
- C.The nail bed, which lies just under the plate✓ Answer
- D.The nail plate, whose layers carry tiny capillaries
The nail bed is living tissue rich in nerves and blood vessels, and that blood supply is what gives a healthy nail its pink colour; the plate itself is dead keratin with no nerves or vessels of its own.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (structure of the nail); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Nail Structure and GrowthReport a problem with this question
3. Which tissue of the nail unit may be gently removed from the nail plate during a manicure?
- A.The hyponychium, living skin under the free edge
- B.The eponychium, living skin at the base of the nail
- C.The nail fold, living skin at the sides of the plate
- D.The cuticle, the dead tissue shed onto the plate surface✓ Answer
The cuticle is dead tissue shed from the underside of the eponychium onto the plate, so it can be softened and pushed or removed; the eponychium, hyponychium and nail folds are living tissue and cutting them opens the seal to infection.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (parts of the nail); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Nail Structure and Growth (cuticle versus eponychium)Report a problem with this question
4. Which structure forms the seal between the nail plate and the skin under the free edge?
- A.The hyponychium, under the free edge of the plate✓ Answer
- B.The nail fold, which seals the plate at the sides
- C.The eponychium, which seals the plate at the very base
- D.The lunula, which seals the matrix against water
The hyponychium is the seal formed where the plate leaves the bed at the free edge, while the eponychium seals the plate at the proximal fold; both barriers keep bacteria out, which is why neither may be cut or forced back.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (structure of the nail); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Nail Structure and Growth (hyponychium)Report a problem with this question
5. Which statement best describes the natural nail plate?
- A.Non-living hardened keratin, replaced in about four to six months✓ Answer
- B.Living tissue fed by capillaries, replaced about every three weeks
- C.Hardened collagen from the nail bed, replaced in about a year
- D.Calcium deposits hardened by air, replaced in about two months
The plate is non-living keratin built from many layers of dead cells, and because a fingernail grows roughly a tenth of an inch a month it takes about four to six months to be completely replaced.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (structure and growth of the nail); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Nail Structure and Growth (nail growth rate)Report a problem with this question
6. In which layer of the epidermis do cells divide and melanin get produced?
- A.The stratum granulosum, the layer of granular cells
- B.The stratum germinativum, the deepest epidermal layer✓ Answer
- C.The stratum corneum, the outer layer of flat dead cells
- D.The papillary layer, the upper portion of the dermis
The stratum germinativum, or basal layer, is where epidermal cells divide and where melanocytes make the melanin that colours the skin; the cells then move upward and die, forming the corneum at the surface.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (structure of the skin); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Skin Structure and Growth (layers of the epidermis)Report a problem with this question
7. The stratum lucidum is found only in which areas of the body?
- A.The palms of the hands and the soles of the feet✓ Answer
- B.The eyelids and the thin skin around the eyes
- C.The areas of the scalp with the heaviest hair
- D.The forearms and the backs of the hands and fingers
The stratum lucidum is a clear layer that appears only where the epidermis is thickest, on the palms and soles, which is why the skin a technician works on during a pedicure is tougher than skin elsewhere.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (structure of the skin); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Skin Structure and Growth (stratum lucidum)Report a problem with this question
8. Which skin structures are absent from the palms and the soles?
- A.Sudoriferous glands, so these areas never perspire
- B.Hair follicles and their sebaceous (oil) glands✓ Answer
- C.Nerve endings, so these areas have little feeling
- D.Melanocytes, so this skin cannot make any pigment
Palms and soles have no hair follicles, and because sebaceous glands open into follicles they are absent as well; sweat glands and nerve endings are in fact plentiful there, which is why these areas perspire heavily and feel touch keenly.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (structure of the skin); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Skin Structure and Growth (skin appendages)Report a problem with this question
9. Which of the following is a secondary skin lesion rather than a primary lesion?
- A.A papule: a small raised pimple that is solid
- B.A macule: a flat discoloured spot on the skin
- C.A vesicle: a small blister holding clear fluid
- D.A crust: dried serum over a break that is healing✓ Answer
Primary lesions such as macules, papules and vesicles are the first change to appear in skin, while secondary lesions such as crusts, scales, fissures and scars develop later in the life of a lesion, after it has been broken or has begun to heal.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (disorders and conditions of the skin); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Skin Structure and Growth (primary and secondary lesions)Report a problem with this question
10. A dark green discoloration appears between the nail plate and a client's enhancement. What causes it?
- A.Mould spores colonizing the surface of the enhancement
- B.Bacteria multiplying in moisture trapped under product✓ Answer
- C.A fungus that digests the keratin of the plate and the bed
- D.Staining from dark polish applied without a base coat
The green stain is a bacterial infection, usually pseudomonas, growing where moisture was trapped between the plate and a lifted enhancement; the product must be removed and the nail left uncovered, and the client is referred if it does not clear.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (disorders of the nails); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Nail Disorders and Diseases (bacterial infection of the nail)Report a problem with this question
11. The nail plate loosening and separating from the nail bed, starting at the free edge, is called:
- A.Onychorrhexis, splitting with lengthwise ridges
- B.Onycholysis, loosening of the plate from the bed✓ Answer
- C.Onychomadesis, separation that starts at the matrix
- D.Onychauxis, abnormal thickening of the plate
Onycholysis is separation of the plate from the bed that begins at the free edge and moves back, whereas onychomadesis is separation that begins at the matrix; both are disorders, but any nail that is also red, swollen or discharging is referred to a physician.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (disorders of the nails); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Nail Disorders and Diseases (onycholysis)Report a problem with this question
12. White spots on the nail plate, known as leukonychia, are usually caused by:
- A.Acetone remover drying out the plate surface
- B.Injury to the matrix as the plate was forming✓ Answer
- C.A lack of calcium in the client's daily diet
- D.A fungal infection spreading beneath the plate
Leukonychia is caused by a minor injury to the matrix while that section of plate was being made; the spot grows out with the nail, it is harmless and not contagious, so the nail may be serviced normally.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (disorders of the nails); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Nail Disorders and Diseases (leukonychia)Report a problem with this question
13. A client's nail fold is red, swollen and oozing pus. What should the nail technician do?
- A.Treat it with an over-the-counter antifungal, then serve
- B.Decline the service and refer the client to a physician✓ Answer
- C.Apply antiseptic to the fold and continue the manicure
- D.Work around the area, avoiding it with all implements
Redness, swelling, pain and pus are signs of infection, here a paronychia, and an infected nail is a disease rather than a disorder; a technician may not service it, diagnose it or treat it, and must refer the client to a physician.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (diseases of the nails) and Pre-Service consultation (conditions that prohibit service); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Nail Disorders and Diseases (paronychia)Report a problem with this question
14. Why must monomer liquid and gel be kept off the client's skin?
- A.Skin contact slows the cure and weakens the enhancement
- B.Skin oils dilute the monomer and change its mix ratio
- C.Repeated contact can cause a lasting allergy to the product✓ Answer
- D.Contact with skin makes the product cure much too quickly
Overexposure is cumulative: each time uncured product touches skin the risk of sensitization rises, and once a client or technician becomes allergic to a monomer or gel the allergy is permanent, so product is kept a small margin away from the eponychium and sidewalls.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Chemistry of Nail Products (ingredients that may cause harm); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Chemistry Awareness (overexposure principle)Report a problem with this question
15. How does a corn differ from a callus?
- A.The corn is thinned skin with no thickening at all
- B.The corn has a hard core that presses on a nerve✓ Answer
- C.The corn is caused by a virus, not by repeated pressure
- D.The corn appears only on the palms of the hands
Both are hyperkeratosis from friction or pressure, but a callus is a broad flat patch of thickened skin while a corn is a smaller cone with a hard central core that presses inward on nerve endings and therefore hurts.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (conditions of the skin); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Skin Structure and Growth (corns and calluses)Report a problem with this question
16. Which bone of the forearm lies on the little-finger side?
- A.The ulna, running down the little-finger side✓ Answer
- B.The radius, the forearm bone on the thumb side
- C.The carpus, the group of bones in the wrist
- D.The humerus, the long bone above the elbow
The forearm has two bones: the ulna on the little-finger side and the radius on the thumb side, and the radius is the one that rotates when the palm is turned over during a hand massage.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (bones of the arms and hands); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Anatomy and Physiology (bones of the forearm)Report a problem with this question
17. The eight small bones of the wrist are called the:
- A.Carpals, the eight bones set in two rows in the wrist✓ Answer
- B.Phalanges, the bones of the fingers and the thumb
- C.Metacarpals, the five bones of the palm of the hand
- D.Tarsals, the bones that shape the arch of the foot
The hand has 27 bones in all: 8 carpals in the wrist, 5 metacarpals in the palm and 14 phalanges in the digits, three in each finger and two in the thumb.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (bones of the hands); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Anatomy and Physiology (bones of the hand)Report a problem with this question
18. The heel bone, the calcaneus, belongs to which group of foot bones?
- A.The metatarsals, five long bones of the arch
- B.The carpals, eight bones grouped in the wrist
- C.The phalanges, the fourteen bones of the toes
- D.The tarsals, seven bones of the ankle region✓ Answer
The foot contains 26 bones: 7 tarsals including the talus and the calcaneus, 5 metatarsals and 14 phalanges, so the heel bone a technician feels during a pedicure massage is a tarsal.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Anatomy and Physiology (bones of the legs and feet); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Anatomy and Physiology (bones of the foot)Report a problem with this question
19. Nail polish drying is classified as a physical change because:
- A.Its solvents evaporate and the film is left behind✓ Answer
- B.Heat from the nail plate cures the coat of lacquer
- C.Its monomers link into long chains as it hardens
- D.Oxygen in the air reacts with its coloured pigments
Polish is pigment and film formers dissolved in solvent; when the solvent evaporates the same ingredients are simply left behind in solid form, so nothing new is created, unlike the polymerization of a monomer and polymer system, which is a chemical reaction.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Chemistry of Nail Products (physical changes and chemical reactions); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Chemistry Awareness (nail polish and solvents)Report a problem with this question
20. Why must a hard gel be filed off while a soak-off gel dissolves in acetone?
- A.Hard gel is applied thicker, so acetone takes far too long
- B.Hard gel cures under a lamp while soak-off gel air dries
- C.Hard gel is heavily cross-linked, so solvent cannot enter✓ Answer
- D.Hard gel has no photoinitiators for the solvent to break
Cross-linking ties the polymer chains together in a network that solvent cannot penetrate, so a hard gel can only be reduced mechanically; soak-off gels are made with little or no cross-linking, which lets acetone swell and dissolve the film.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Chemistry of Nail Products (chemical reactions and ingredient effects); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Chemistry Awareness (cross-linked polymers)Report a problem with this question
21. Why is methyl methacrylate (MMA) considered unsafe for nail enhancements?
- A.It evaporates so fast that the enhancement never hardens
- B.It bonds so rigidly that a knock tears the nail from the bed✓ Answer
- C.It cures only in sunlight, so the surface stays soft
- D.It is a plant resin that lets bacteria grow in the bottle
MMA forms an extremely hard, rigid product that grips the plate more strongly than the plate grips the bed, so trauma causes onycholysis and lasting nail bed damage; it also resists acetone, and most licensing boards restrict or prohibit it, so consult your own board's rules.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration consumer advisory on methyl methacrylate in nail products; NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Chemistry of Nail Products (ingredients that may cause harm)Report a problem with this question
22. A nail dehydrator improves adhesion because it:
- A.Raises the pH of the plate so the product bonds
- B.Leaves a sticky film that glues the product down
- C.Removes surface moisture and oil from the plate✓ Answer
- D.Etches small channels into the surface of the plate
Adhesion is surface attraction between two surfaces, and nothing sticks well to oil or water, so a dehydrator temporarily removes the moisture and natural oil that would otherwise leave the enhancement lifting from the plate.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Chemistry of Nail Products (purpose and effects of product ingredients); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Chemistry Awareness (adhesion, dehydrators and primers)Report a problem with this question
23. What is the difference between an antiseptic and a disinfectant?
- A.An antiseptic is stronger and is used on metal tools
- B.An antiseptic kills all spores, a disinfectant kills none
- C.An antiseptic goes on skin, a disinfectant on surfaces✓ Answer
- D.An antiseptic sterilizes tools, a disinfectant cleans skin
An antiseptic is mild enough to be used on living skin, such as on a small nick, while a disinfectant is a much stronger chemical registered for use on non-porous implements and surfaces and is never applied to the skin.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Infection Control and Safety (antiseptics and disinfectants); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Infection Control (antiseptic versus disinfectant)Report a problem with this question
24. Which bacteria grow in grapelike clusters and produce the pus seen in an infected nail fold?
- A.Streptococci, round cells lined up in long chains
- B.Spirilla, spiral bacteria that move in a corkscrew way
- C.Staphylococci, round cells growing in grapelike clusters✓ Answer
- D.Bacilli, rod-shaped bacteria that form tough spores
Staphylococci are pus-forming round bacteria that grow in clusters resembling bunches of grapes and are the organisms behind most abscesses and infected nail folds, so any nail showing pus is a disease requiring referral, not a service.
Source: NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination content outline, Infection Control and Safety (types of bacteria); Milady Standard Nail Technology, Infection Control (pus-forming bacteria)Report a problem with this question
Practice questions based on the NIC national nail technology content outline. Not affiliated with NIC, PSI, or any state board. Your state may add state-law content — check your board's requirements. About NIC exams →