Pterygium Dilemma !

[Marlise]

Hi Everyone,

I'm busy doing some "homework" in preparation for my course that I will be attending at the end of the month and have just come across something stated in my workbook which has greatly confused me (easily done LOL !)

The workbook says:

"Gently push the cuticles back with a cuticle pusher. The cuticles should be pushed back and Ptergium removed, because any product applied over this growth will result in lifting"


Now, in my limited knowledge, I believe the above statement is completely incorrect.

I'm sure what they are trying to say is:

"Gently push the eponychium back with a cuticle pusher. The eponychium should be pushed back and cuticle removed, because ......."

I have attached and extract from Nailclass and have read it about a million times. I'm not sure if I'm right or whether I've just managed to thoroughly confuse myself !!!

If I'm correct, can someone please also just clarify what Pterygium is and what it looks like as I'm reading loads of conflicting info on it.

Someone please help !


Marlise



Exerpt from 'nailclass' by gigi rouse

There is much confusion as to just what cuticle is. It is referred to as: True cuticle, non-living tissue, pterygium, and probably many more things, all misleading. Some think the eponychium is the cuticle. Let’s define.

Cuticle is made up of exfoliated skin cells from the folds of skin surrounding the nail unit. Cuticle is non-living. Cuticle is NOT pterygium (which is an over growth of skin cells). Cuticle is not the eponychium (which is living skin surrounding the base of the nail unit). Cuticle is not ‘true cuticle’ as opposed to false cuticle, it IS cuticle.

If the cuticle is not regularly removed or rubbed off in some way, then it will build up and stick together until it almost looks like a membrane which is growing from under the eponychium … but it is not growing and it is not living, it is just building up until such time as it is removed.

 

[geeg]

You are absolutely correct in that Pterygium is the wrong term for what is in fact cuticle.

Many old text books are wrong in this respect and have not updated their information.

Perhaps you could show your tutor the 'nailclass' definition and tell her that you will be sticking to that on all test papers and to please respect that the information in the text book is wrong.

If the tutor will not go along with that, then do what yo have to do to get the scores you need to get and then 'ditch' the incorrect information in your professional life.

 

[izzidoll]

The terminology used in your coursework is out of date.

when I first trained I was also told that the non living tissue on the nail plate was called Pterygium, and that was what we removed. Some companies are still using this out of date terminology too.

Check with your course Educator and see what she can do regarding this....and if she wants you to stick to the out of date thinking...or if she is prepared to update there syllabus!

We now know that Pterygium is an abnormal growth of skin..there are 2 types Dorsal and Inverse. Dorsal pterygium is skin that remains attached to the nail at the eponychium area and gets dragged and stretched as the nail grows. (most often seen in burn victims)
Inverse pterygium is skin under the free edge that attaches to the nail, and also gets stretched as the nail grows. Both should really be referred to a doctor for treatment. As I said this is an ABNORMAL growth of skin.

HTH


I wish I could type faster...Geeg beat me to it...in a more concise manner (as usual).

 

[Marlise]

Thanks for confirming my suspicions !!

Will show the tutor and see what she says.


Marlise