More and more people want to work as self-employed. With the growing demand for good foot care, a pedicure practice is a popular option. Pedicure is a liberal profession and can be carried out both from a practice (at home) or mobile (at the client's home). There is also demand for professional foot care materials from the (informal) care sector and for interim maintenance.
In this blog, we briefly explain what a basic foot treatment entails and what materials are used for this.
If you want to work as a podiatrist, it is obviously very important that you know your stuff and follow a course of study so that your customers are in good hands. Various training providers offer courses or home study. The training for basic pedicure varies per training provider, but can usually be completed within a year.
As preparation for the treatment, it is important to use the correct personal protective equipment so that you can work hygienically and safely. This includes nitrile gloves, a plastic apron, safety glasses and a face mask. In addition, it is important to work at the right height so that you do not have to sit hunched over. A height-adjustable treatment chair is ideal, but if you do not have one at your disposal, a high dining chair and a footrest (small table) with a cushion on it is often also a good solution.
A foot treatment consists of
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An analysis
of the feet and any problems. The use of medication (especially blood thinners), any illnesses and/or allergies are also important to identify in order to provide the right treatment. -
Disinfection of the feet
If the feet are very dirty, they are first cleaned and then disinfected with a liquid on an alcohol base. Usually, 70% alcohol or 80% alcohol is used for this. For dry skin, it is desirable to use a disinfectant with an emollient. To apply the alcohol, a cotton pad or cellulose pad can be used. The latter has the advantage that it does not fray. -
Nail care
Clipping, thinning, polishing and cleaning the nail area. A professional nail nipper does half the work. Unlike nail clippers, this allows you to cut thickened nails without having to apply much force. A podiatrist also uses various drills to shape the nails to the correct shape and thickness and to achieve a nice smooth finish. To clean the nail area, a little hydrogen peroxide 3% can be applied, which causes the dirt to fizz as if by magic. With an excavator, the loose material can then easily be removed from the nail fold and under the nail edge. -
Callus removal
Large calluses are removed manually with a scalpel blade with a handle (heft). There are sterile blades (packaged individually) and non-sterile blades (packaged in 5). For larger callus areas, blades no. 10 and 20 are often used. After that, the callus area is finished with the pedicure motor with a drill. Both diamond drills, steel drills, ceramic drills and combo drills (hybrid twister) are suitable for this. The coarser the drill, the more material (callus) is removed. -
Removal of ingrown nails.
Removing an ingrown nail is precision work. Good light, preferably a magnifying lamp and a steady hand are important. If it is a soft ingrown nail, it is preferable to first treat it with petroleum ether so that it is easier to cut. The ingrown nail is removed with scalpel blade no. 11 or 15. After that, the ingrown nail is finished mechanically with a ball-head drill. -
Nourishing finish
As a conclusion to the treatment, it is nice to treat the feet with a nourishing foot cream in combination with a foot massage. Often this is the client's favorite part of the treatment. And it is also no unnecessary luxury to properly rehydrate the feet that are often disinfected with alcohol in between. You can also treat the cuticles with a cuticle oil so that the feet leave the door in top condition again!
This is obviously a condensed version of a foot treatment. Every treatment is different, because every foot is unique! In a following blog, we will go into more detail about other treatments and materials that you can apply to the diabetic foot, ingrown nails and postural deviations.