24 Services & Procedures Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. When is the nail and skin analysis of both hands performed during a manicure?

   • A.During the consultation, before any implement touches the nails.✓ Answer
   • B.After filing and shaping, just before the cuticle work begins.
   • C.At the end of the service, when the home-care advice is given to her.
   • D.After the nails are soaked, when the skin has softened enough.

   The analysis is part of the consultation because it decides whether the service may proceed at all; once implements are in use, an unnoticed infection or broken skin has already been exposed to the tools and to the technician.

   Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, pre-service and client consultation procedureReport a problem with this question

2. 2. A pedicure client has a toenail that is thickened, crumbling and discolored, with debris under the plate. What should the nail technician do?

   • A.Reduce the thickness with an electric file and cover it with polish.
   • B.Apply an over-the-counter antifungal and rebook her in two weeks.
   • C.Soak the foot in an antiseptic solution and continue the service.
   • D.Skip that nail, finish the service and refer her to a physician.✓ Answer

   Those signs suggest a nail infection, and a nail technician is licensed to recognize and refer but never to diagnose or treat; filing or covering the nail spreads infectious material and hides the condition from the physician.

   Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, nail disorders and diseases; recognize-and-refer boundaryReport a problem with this question

3. 3. What does a LOWER grit number on a nail abrasive indicate?

   • A.The thickness of the file core rather than its surface grade.
   • B.A finer abrasive that is safe for buffing the natural nail plate.
   • C.A coarser, more aggressive abrasive meant for enhancement product.✓ Answer
   • D.The number of times the file may be disinfected and reused.

   Grit counts abrasive particles per square inch, so fewer particles means larger, coarser grains that cut faster; anything under about 180 grit removes material too quickly to be used on the natural plate.

   Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, abrasives and grit selectionReport a problem with this question

4. 4. What must be done with metal cuticle nippers immediately after they are used on a client?

   • A.Place them directly into the disinfectant while the debris is still wet.
   • B.Wipe them with a dry towel and return them to the covered container.
   • C.Wash off debris with soap and water, then immerse them in disinfectant.✓ Answer
   • D.Set them aside in a closed drawer and disinfect them at the day's end.

   Disinfectant cannot reach the metal through skin debris, oil or product, so cleaning is always the first step; only a cleaned implement can then be fully immersed for the contact time on the label.

   Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, cleaning and disinfecting multi-use implementsReport a problem with this question

5. 5. Which item must be thrown away after a single client because it cannot be disinfected?

   • A.The glass file, because its fine ridges trap product residue.
   • B.The wooden pusher, because its porous surface absorbs liquid.✓ Answer
   • C.The steel pusher, because its working edge dulls with each use.
   • D.The metal tweezer, because cleaning heat can warp the tips.

   Porous items soak liquid and organic matter into the material itself, where disinfectant cannot penetrate, so wood, emery boards, buffers and foot files are single-use; non-porous steel and glass can be cleaned and disinfected.

   Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, single-use versus multi-use implementsReport a problem with this question

6. 6. Which practice is correct when using an electric file on a nail enhancement?

   • A.Run the bit at top speed so the whole surface is smoothed in one pass.
   • B.Keep the bit flat and moving, at the speed the product requires.✓ Answer
   • C.Use the bit edge along the eponychium to clean up the base line.
   • D.Hold the bit on one spot until the lifted product is fully gone.

   A bit held in one place or run too fast concentrates friction heat and cuts a groove, producing rings of fire and heat burns on the plate and the living tissue around it; a flat, moving bit spreads the heat and the cut.

   Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, electric file safety and techniqueReport a problem with this question

7. 7. What is the FIRST step of a basic manicure after the hands have been cleansed?

   • A.Soak the nails in warm water to soften the surrounding skin.
   • B.Apply cuticle remover so it can work while the nails are filed.
   • C.Remove any existing polish, working from base toward the free edge.✓ Answer
   • D.Shape each free edge with a file before anything else is done.

   Old polish is removed first because the true color, surface and condition of the plate cannot be assessed or shaped through it, and polish dust would contaminate the soak; later in the same sequence the massage oil is removed before the base coat so the polish will adhere.

   Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, basic manicure procedure sequenceReport a problem with this question

8. 8. What is the correct order for handling implements during post-service cleanup?

   • A.Store the implements first, then clean them before the next client.
   • B.Disinfect everything on the table, then sort out what is reusable.
   • C.Discard the disposables, then clean and disinfect what is reusable.✓ Answer
   • D.Wipe the table first, then leave the implements out to air dry.

   Single-use items are removed first so they cannot be mistaken for clean stock, and reusable implements must be cleaned and disinfected while the soil is fresh; storing a soiled implement lets debris dry onto it and blocks the disinfectant later.

   Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, post-service procedure and station cleanupReport a problem with this question

9. 9. How should the free edge of a natural nail be filed?

   • A.Straight into the sidewall, to open the groove for growth.
   • B.Back and forth across the edge, keeping a fast even rhythm.
   • C.From the outside corner toward the center, in one direction.✓ Answer
   • D.From the center outward, so the corners stay square and long.

   The nail plate is built of bonded keratin layers, and sawing back and forth or filing into the sidewall separates those layers at the edge, which is what produces splitting and peeling; a one-direction stroke shears cleanly.

   Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, filing and shaping the natural nailReport a problem with this question

10. 10. Which tissue may be gently loosened and removed from the nail plate?

    • A.The hyponychium, the living skin that sits under the free edge.
    • B.The eponychium, the living fold that seals the base of the plate.
    • C.The cuticle, the dead tissue shed onto the plate by the eponychium.✓ Answer
    • D.The matrix, the living area where new nail cells are formed.

    Only the cuticle is dead, colorless tissue sitting on the plate, so loosening and removing it does not injure the client; the eponychium, hyponychium and matrix are living tissue whose seal or growth is damaged by cutting.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, structures of the nail unitReport a problem with this question

11. 11. Which massage movement is used to begin and to end a hand massage?

    • A.Effleurage, a light gliding stroke done with the palms and fingers.✓ Answer
    • B.Friction, a deep circular rubbing of one surface over another.
    • C.Tapotement, a quick tapping and hacking that stimulates strongly.
    • D.Petrissage, a kneading movement that lifts and squeezes the tissue.

    Effleurage is the lightest movement and soothes the nerve endings, so it introduces touch at the start and calms the tissue at the end; the deeper movements are placed between those two because they stimulate rather than relax.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, massage movements used in manicuring and pedicuringReport a problem with this question

12. 12. A technician kneads, lifts and squeezes the muscle tissue of the forearm. Which movement is this, and what does it do?

    • A.Tapotement, which produces the strongest stimulation of them all.
    • B.Petrissage, which boosts circulation and stimulates deep tissue.✓ Answer
    • C.Friction, which rubs one layer over another to warm the joints.
    • D.Effleurage, which soothes the nerves and relaxes the client arm.

    Petrissage is defined by kneading, lifting and squeezing, and the compression and release of the tissue pushes blood and lymph along, which is why its stated effect is increased circulation and deep stimulation.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, massage movements and their physiological effectsReport a problem with this question

13. 13. A pedicure client reports diabetes with reduced sensation in her feet. What should the technician avoid?

    • A.Cutting the toenails straight across and filing the corners smooth.
    • B.Suggesting she see her physician before any further foot service.
    • C.Using a light massage and applying lotion to the tops of the feet.
    • D.Using hot soaks, hard callus reduction and metal foot implements.✓ Answer

    Impaired sensation means the client cannot feel heat or a scrape as a warning, and impaired circulation means a small wound heals slowly and can become infected, so heat and any skin-cutting or aggressive tool is withheld.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, contraindications for pedicure servicesReport a problem with this question

14. 14. Why are toenails cut straight across during a pedicure?

    • A.To match the curve of the fingernails on the same client.
    • B.To let the plate grow faster by relieving pressure on the matrix.
    • C.To make the polish last longer on a wider free edge surface.
    • D.To keep the corners from growing into the surrounding skin.✓ Answer

    A toenail rounded at the corners leaves a spike of plate below the skin line that the growing nail drives into the nail fold, which is how an ingrown nail and the infection around it start; the corners are only lightly smoothed with a file.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, pedicure procedure and toenail shapingReport a problem with this question

15. 15. What is the correct way to reduce a thickened callus on the heel?

    • A.Scrape it off with the edge of a metal pusher while it is wet.
    • B.Trim the loose skin with curved nippers before the massage.
    • C.Smooth it with a foot file once the skin has been softened.✓ Answer
    • D.Pare the raised edge away with a credo blade, then file it.

    A nail technician works only on non-living tissue, and any blade or nipper that cuts into the callus opens living skin and invites infection; credo blades and razor-type callus shavers are prohibited for that reason in most states.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, callus smoothing and prohibited implementsReport a problem with this question

16. 16. How much of the natural nail plate may the well of a nail tip cover?

    • A.Only the free edge itself, with no contact with the plate at all.
    • B.At least two-thirds, so the tip is anchored against side stress.
    • C.The whole plate up to the eponychium, for the strongest bond.
    • D.Up to one-half of the plate at most, measured from the free edge.✓ Answer

    The plate under the well is sealed off from moisture and must still be filed and blended, so covering more than half weakens and dehydrates the natural nail and leaves too little clean plate for the overlay to bond to.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, nail tip application and fitReport a problem with this question

17. 17. An enhancement is lifting at the base near the eponychium. What is the MOST likely cause?

    • A.A mix ratio that was too dry, leaving a crumbly bead at zone 1.
    • B.An apex built too thick over the stress area of the nail.
    • C.A file that was too fine to shape the free edge properly.
    • D.Oil or dust left on the plate, or product placed onto the skin.✓ Answer

    Adhesion at the base depends on a clean, dry, dust-free plate, and any oil, moisture or dust breaks the bond; product that touches skin cannot bond at all and lifts as soon as the skin moves or sheds.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, enhancement maintenance and causes of liftingReport a problem with this question

18. 18. What happens when a liquid-and-powder bead is picked up too wet?

    • A.It crumbles as it is patted out and leaves a chalky surface.
    • B.It runs into the sidewalls and cures slowly and weakly.✓ Answer
    • C.It cures almost instantly and cracks across the stress area.
    • D.It shrinks off the free edge and pulls the plate upward.

    Excess monomer thins the bead so it flows onto the sidewalls and eponychium before it sets, and the surplus liquid leaves too little initiator-rich polymer for a complete cure, giving a soft enhancement and skin contact with uncured monomer.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, liquid-and-powder mix ratioReport a problem with this question

19. 19. How is a hard gel enhancement removed?

    • A.It is lifted with a pusher, because a warm soak loosens it.
    • B.It is filed off, because hard gel resists acetone soak-off.✓ Answer
    • C.It is clipped and peeled, because the bond is weakest at the tip.
    • D.It is soaked in acetone, because the solvent softens the resin.

    Hard gel is so densely cross-linked that solvent cannot break the network apart, so it is not a soak-off product and must be filed down; soft or soak-off gels are the ones with a network loose enough for acetone to penetrate.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, gel systems and removal methodsReport a problem with this question

20. 20. What is the correct way to remove a liquid-and-powder enhancement?

    • A.Soak in warm soapy water and lift the product off at the sidewalls.
    • B.Soak in acetone and slide off the softened product with a pusher.✓ Answer
    • C.Clip the free edge, then pry the product up from the base.
    • D.File the product down to the plate with a coarse abrasive bit.

    Acetone dissolves the polymer enough that it can be wiped or slid away with no force on the natural nail; prying, nipping or peeling breaks the bond by tearing off the top keratin layers of the plate, leaving it thin and pitted.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, removal of liquid-and-powder enhancementsReport a problem with this question

21. 21. What is the tacky layer left on a gel after curing, and how is it handled?

    • A.Moisture from the plate, which is dried before the next coat.
    • B.Inhibition layer, wiped away with a lint-free cleanser wipe.✓ Answer
    • C.Excess pigment from the color, which is buffed off with a file.
    • D.Uncured gel from a weak lamp, which must be cured a second time.

    Oxygen at the air surface interrupts polymerization in the topmost molecules, so a thin uncured film is normal on a fully cured gel and is simply wiped off; it is not evidence of a weak lamp or a short cure.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, curing UV and LED gelsReport a problem with this question

22. 22. What is the sanitary way to apply dip powder to a client's nail?

    • A.Take powder from the jar with a brush kept for that client.
    • B.Pour powder from the jar over the nail and discard the excess.✓ Answer
    • C.Dip the finger into the jar and tap off what does not stick.
    • D.Dip the finger once, then set that jar aside for the same client.

    Anything that has touched the client, including the finger, the wet resin or a used brush, contaminates the bulk container and every client served from it afterward; pouring over the nail keeps the jar untouched and the poured excess is never returned.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, dip systems and salon infection controlReport a problem with this question

23. 23. What is the difference between a fill and a rebalance?

    • A.A fill adds product at new growth; a rebalance restores the apex.✓ Answer
    • B.A fill is done on tips; a rebalance is done on sculpted nails.
    • C.A fill uses gel product; a rebalance uses liquid and powder.
    • D.A fill is done every two weeks; a rebalance every four to six weeks.

    As the nail grows the apex travels forward with it and the enhancement loses its structural balance, so a rebalance refiles and repositions the arch over the stress area, while a fill only adds product to the area of new growth.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, rebalancing and maintenance of enhancementsReport a problem with this question

24. 24. A client says she picks and peels her gel polish off at home. What should the technician tell her?

    • A.Peeling only costs the shine, so she should buff the nail after.
    • B.Peeling does no harm once the gel has grown past the free edge.
    • C.Peeling pulls layers off the nail plate, so book a soak-off.✓ Answer
    • D.Peeling is safe if she applies cuticle oil for a few days after.

    Gel polish bonds to the surface keratin, so anything strong enough to peel it takes keratin layers with it, leaving the plate thin, rough and sensitive; only an acetone soak-off releases the product without removing nail.

    Source: Milady Standard Nail Technology, client home care and gel polish removalReport 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 →