Getting Your Nails Done with Lupus

Having an autoimmune disease like lupus can be overbearing. Sometimes being a mother, wife, and working as well, you tend to not treat yourself when it comes to placing yourself first and taking time to pamper yourself. I can say I have not gotten pampered since having my second child and here is why: it was a lot of ups and downs with my second pregnancy, which caused me to be in a continuous flare up. This made me take preventative measures when it came to when and how I will "treat myself".

Getting nails done with lupus

I ended up going to the nail salon while pregnant and going to get my nails and feet done just in time for the delivery. It felt good to me but I could sense the nail tech was not at ease at all until I reassured her of a few things that I will share.

Education

The first thing to remember, is to not get offended when the nail tech asks what is wrong with your skin. Why? Because lupus is not the only disease that causes skin issues, and some people's skin issues could cause nail salons to refuse a service. They might feel like it could be a liability. Take the time out to educate the person who is asking the question, because they might not know much about lupus. I love to be able to educate someone who is honestly intrigued at my condition.

Heat

Second, as the process is going on I just reassure the nail tech that the water is not hurting - I just can't be in extremely hot water, only lukewarm. Why? Because this will help the flare up not open into a wound and it helps me calm the heat from my flare ups as well.

Cuticles

Third, when they get to my cuticles, I remind them again that they are not hurting me and that I will bleed once they start to dig into a cuticle. I had one woman that understood the whole process of treating me and was nice about it. I have seen others refuse service. I asked an owner one time, instead of refusing service why not just have me sign a liability form? Just so they know if someone requested any type of service that the company would not be at fault.

Knowing your skin

It is not that easy to find places that are willing to do things for you, especially if they feel like you will not enjoy it. I bled a few times due to my skin being open but the outcome was marvelous.

They talked to me about infection and wounds, and I reassured the nail tech that I have been getting my nails done for years with skin issues. I said to treat me as if I am a regular customer with no issues. I think the real issue is the lack of education behind the assumptions. So do not take every question as an offense as well and try and treat it as an educational purpose.

That being said, it is always important to keep an eye on your skin and any reactions after receiving a service like a manicure or pedicure. You know your skin best, but infections can and do happen to anyone. It is best to check with your doctor if you notice anything unusual happening with your skin.