Massage therapist's nail requirements

[babydoll]

Hello everyone,
I seen a few posts in the search about this but I'm looking for some clarity on the subject.

I am considering studying holistic massage at college and I've read nails must be short without any polish. As a nail technician (and someone that loves their nails done anyway), this is making me wonder whether it's the right course for me. I'm sure I can adjust to that for the duration of the course but would this be something I would have to commit to long term?

Is this a college rule - and once qualified a therapist's choice to make at their own discretion - or would I be going against industry guidelines?

I can't imagine every single beauty therapist sticking to this but I wanted to make sure! Thank you for any help

 

[mrsd88]

I love nails & have always had really long ones & was gutted when I started college we had to have them short with no polish I haven't done level 3 yet I'm assuming its going to be the same as its mainly massage.

 

[Tranquility UK]

It's just a college rule, nail polish isn't going to affect your massage service. However, you should keep your nails short to avoid scratching the client during massage.

 

[jacqueline]

Whilst at school/college/university. wherever massage courses are taught they are normally quite stringent about it.

Massage is a medical profession here in the States so yes most massage therapist don't wear polish and have short well kept nails.

Saying that I do have some clients who are Massage Therapists that wear Shellac, the really pale colours, but length is really important and your nails have to be shorter or you will possibly scratch or hurt your clients, and forget any intricate deep tissue work.

 

[babydoll]

Thanks for the replies! Definitely wouldn't want to scratch a client, glad to hear I don't have to be so strict with polish though

 

[BeautyByNikki]

I do massage and Shellac in my salon so like to have Shellac on myself to show it off. I have a fair bit of length on my nails, nothing super long but a couple of mm longer than the end of my finger. I have regular massage customers and none have ever commented that they can feel my nails, I have adapted over the years so that I won't scratch. I also find that having Shellac on them makes them less scratchy.

You don't have to give up your nails in the long run if you can work around them. Having said that, I don't do reflexology and wonder if you need short nails for that? Even so, I think you should still be able to have product on them.

 

[jacqueline]

I do massage and Shellac in my salon so like to have Shellac on myself to show it off. I have a fair bit of length on my nails, nothing super long but a couple of mm longer than the end of my finger. I have regular massage customers and none have ever commented that they can feel my nails, I have adapted over the years so that I won't scratch. I also find that having Shellac on them makes them less scratchy.

You don't have to give up your nails in the long run if you can work around them. Having said that, I don't do reflexology and wonder if you need short nails for that? Even so, I think you should still be able to have product on them.

I am a certified/licensed Reflexologist also, and I always make sure my nails are super short when working with those clients as you can't have any nail length to do it properly or else you will be hurting the client for sure.

 

[laurakate]

I choose to keep mine short in the interest of hygene. Dont want oil and dead skin under any free edges. I wear shellac though.

 

[Dani04]

It depends to where your work some salons are more strict than others x

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