Why is it green?

Today, I had a new client come to see me for the first time. And I’m still impressed—it took her almost two hours to get to the studio.

Before the service, she immediately warned me that about two weeks ago she noticed a green spot under the coating on one of her nails.

With her permission, I filmed the process, because often when I tell clients about similar cases, many don’t even realize that something like this can actually happen under the coating.

The video is sped up several times. In reality, removing just this one nail took me about 5 minutes, but for your convenience, I’ve shortened the process so you can quickly see the whole situation.

I’ve also added photos of the nails before the coating was removed in the carousel.

At first glance, it might seem like the problem is just the overgrown or overly bulky coating. But in reality, the appearance of the coating doesn’t always reflect what’s going on underneath.

I want to point out right away: this post is not about evaluating another nail artist’s work or assigning blame. I simply want to explain the situation.

Most often, such changes occur when the material begins to peel away from the natural nail. Moisture enters the resulting space, creating an ideal environment between the coating and the nail: warm, dark, and humid.

This is very similar to an unventilated bathroom. If the room is constantly damp and doesn’t have enough airflow, mold can develop over time. A similar process occurs under the coating.

This is why such nails shouldn’t simply be re-coated with a new material or polish.

In such cases, it’s necessary to carefully remove the coating and allow the nail plate to grow out. In most cases, with proper care, these changes gradually fade along with the nail plate over a few months.

The most important thing is not to ignore the problem or try to cover it up with a new coating.

Have you ever encountered a similar situation?