10/31/2018    Janet McCormick

MI Podiatrist Discusses the Benefits of a Medical Pedicure

In reference to Dr. Biernacki's comment on
medical pedicures, his description of the medical
pedicure being 5 minutes cannot be true, but it
can be for a trimming service. Even if a medical
nail technician or podiatrist is performing the 5
minute service he describes, it still should be
listed as a trimming. Clip, clip, the patient is
gone (though a culture can be taken also to
determine fungus or a bacterial disease).

Only if a massage, nail trimming/shaping, callus
reduction, and moisture application is included
does it meet the definition of a pedicure, and
that takes way more than 5 minutes.
Further, State Boards of Cosmetology will say
there is no such thing as a "medical pedicure,"
that pedicures are cosmetic only. Some states, an
example is Ohio, do not allow pedicures (even in
a podiatry office) to be listed as "medical." I
can provide a name of a practice that was given
legal notice to change the name of the service.

Know that not all nail technicians are
unhygienic, though I agree many are. It's best
that you do due diligence and find one you can
refer to safely for a real pedicure. Also, most
are not trained to determine when to refer their
clients to a podiatrist when they should. But
some are, and those are the ones you should
collaborate with professionally (Certified
Medical Nail Technicians) or hire.

One additional consideration - check it out, you
will make more money accepting referrals from a
certified MNT, or hiring one to perform trimmings
or pedicures in office than trimming your clients
yourself.

Frostproof, FL

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