Free National Nail Technology Theory Exam Flashcards

The distinction is pathogenic versus nonpathogenic. Nonpathogenic bacteria are harmless or even beneficial and make up most of the bacteria in the environment, while pathogenic bacteria are the disease-causing minority capable of producing toxins or invading tissue. In a salon, disinfection protocols exist specifically because you cannot visually tell the two apart, so every surface and implement is treated as if pathogenic organisms could be present, regardless of how clean it looks.