1.3 Scope of Practice, Prohibited Acts & Penalties

Understanding the boundaries of professional practice is critical for every licensed manicurist in Tennessee. Operating outside the legal scope of practice or using prohibited chemicals not only jeopardizes client health but also exposes practitioners to severe civil penalties, criminal prosecution, and permanent loss of licensure.

Permitted Scope of Practice for Manicurists

Under Tennessee Code Annotated § 62-4-102, a licensed manicurist is authorized to perform cosmetic care, cleaning, beautification, and enhancement of the natural nails, hands, and feet.

Permitted Services and Techniques

• Natural Nail Care: Cleaning, shaping, filing, polishing, and buffing natural finger and toe nails.
• Cuticle Maintenance: Pushing back cuticles and trimming only non-living, dead skin hangnails or eponychium debris using sterilized cuticle nippers.
• Artificial Nail Enhancements: Application, sculpting, maintenance, fill-in, and safe removal of acrylic (liquid and powder) enhancements, light-cured UV/LED gel enhancements, soak-off gel polishes, and nail wraps (silk, linen, fiberglass).
• Cosmetic Massage: Relaxing cosmetic massage of the hands and forearms up to the elbow, and feet and lower legs up to the knee.
• Exfoliation and Skin Hydration: Application of cosmetic scrubs, lotions, oils, and paraffin wax treatments to intact skin.

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Prohibited Medical and Dermatological Procedures

Manicurists are strictly non-medical beauty professionals. Tennessee state law explicitly prohibits nail technicians from performing medical, surgical, or dermatological treatments.

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     STRICTLY PROHIBITED PRACTICES                      │
├─────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────┬───────────────┤
│  Skin Cutting & Razors      │  Medical / Injections    │ Diagnosis     │
│  - Cutting living skin      │  - Botox / Dermal fillers│ - Diagnosing  │
│  - Razor callus blades      │  - Laser skin therapy    │   fungal infection│
│    (Credo blades / scalpels)│  - Microdermabrasion     │ - Prescribing │
│  - E-filing living skin     │  - Chemical peels        │   medications │
└─────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────┴───────────────┘

Detailed Breakdown of Prohibited Actions

1. Cutting Living Skin: Cutting or paring living tissue (eponychium, hyponychium, or living skin surrounding the nail plate) is illegal. Cuticle nippers must only be used on dead tissue or loose hangnails.
2. Razor Callus Shaving (Credo Blades): The use of razor-type callus shavers, surgical scalpel blades, or Credo blades to shave or slice foot calluses during pedicures is strictly prohibited. Removing thick calluses or corns by cutting into skin is considered minor surgery and constitutes the unauthorized practice of podiatry or medicine.
3. Electric Filing on Living Skin: Electric file bits must never touch living epidermal skin surrounding the nail plate or be used to remove callus skin on the feet.
4. Injections and Medical Aesthetics: Performing Botox injections, dermal fillers, laser skin resurfacing, microneedling, or applying deep medical-grade chemical peels is prohibited.
5. Diagnosing Skin and Nail Diseases: Manicurists cannot diagnose medical conditions such as onychomycosis (fungal nail disease), paronychia, pseudomonas infection, or tinea pedis. If a client exhibits signs of disease, inflammation, pus, or open sores, the manicurist must refuse service and refer the client to a licensed physician.

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The Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) Monomer Ban

Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) is a liquid monomer chemical historically used in dental prosthetics and bone cement that was illegally introduced into artificial nail products. The FDA, OSHA, and the Tennessee Board have banned MMA liquid monomer in all salons.

Hazards of MMA vs. Legal EMA Monomer

Manicurists are prohibited from purchasing, storing, or using MMA liquid monomer in any salon. Inspectors test liquid monomer bottles during unannounced visits, and possession of MMA results in immediate citation and disciplinary action.

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Penalties for Unlicensed Practice and Code Violations

Tennessee state law takes a firm stance against unauthorized practice and safety code violations to preserve public welfare.

Criminal and Civil Penalties

• Class B Misdemeanor: Under Tennessee Code Annotated § 62-4-129, practicing manicuring without a valid active license or operating an unlicensed salon is classified as a Class B misdemeanor. Criminal charges may be filed by local district attorneys.
• Board Civil Penalties: The Board possesses statutory authority to levy administrative civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation, per day for each day an unlicensed practitioner operates or a salon remains in violation.

Disciplinary Sanction Levels

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                     BOARD DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS                       │
├───────────────────┬───────────────────┬───────────────┬────────────────┤
│  Formal Reprimand │  Probation        │  Suspension   │  Revocation    │
│  Written record of│  Monitored practice│ Temporary loss│ Permanent      │
│  violation added  │  with mandatory   │  of license   │ cancellation of│
│  to public license│  sanitation re-   │  privileges   │ practitioner   │
│  file             │  training         │               │ license        │
└───────────────────┴───────────────────┴───────────────┴────────────────┘

Grounds for license revocation or suspension include practicing with an infectious disease, using fraudulent credentials, employing unlicensed staff, using prohibited MMA monomer, or failing to pay Board civil penalties.