Told to use a pedicure blade or don't do pedicures

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user 52471

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Hi everyone,
I've just started in a new salon, I'm self employed and rent a nail desk. The owner asked me if I use a blade for pedicures to remove the hard skin. I told her I'd never been trained so insurance won't cover me to use one, I'd never even seen one until yesterday.

She wasn't happy about this and started saying the blade used to remove callous' and hard skin is an important part of a pedicure and she was surprised I hadn't been shown. I told her I use a micro plane, which she tried and was surprised by how good it is, but said it was just superficial and not good enough, she's been using blades for pedicures but she's an eyebrow specialist and doesn't want to do pedicures any more.

She used the blade on herself to show me it and I cringed! She said she'll teach me to use it but I don't want to! :Scared: She's said if I want to offer pedicures (under her roof) I'll have to use the blade because that's the standard she's set.
I think this it's really unfair expecting a self employed nail technician to stop offering pedicures (even though she doesn't want to do them!)
Isn't hard skin there for a reason, wouldn't scraping it away make it worse?

With spring and summer on the way of course I want to offer pedicures, is the blade even allowed to be used by nail techs? And is it necessary? I said why don't we let a client book a pedicure with me to get some feedback but, because I won't use the blade she wasn't even willing to let me try!
 
Hi everyone,
I've just started in a new salon, I'm self employed and rent a nail desk. The owner asked me if I use a blade for pedicures to remove the hard skin. I told her I'd never been trained so insurance won't cover me to use one, I'd never even seen one until yesterday.

She wasn't happy about this and started saying the blade used to remove callous' and hard skin is an important part of a pedicure and she was surprised I hadn't been shown. I told her I use a micro plane, which she tried and was surprised by how good it is, but said it was just superficial and not good enough, she's been using blades for pedicures but she's an eyebrow specialist and doesn't want to do pedicures any more.

She used the blade on herself to show me it and I cringed! She said she'll teach me to use it but I don't want to! :Scared: She's said if I want to offer pedicures (under her roof) I'll have to use the blade because that's the standard she's set.
I think this it's really unfair expecting a self employed nail technician to stop offering pedicures (even though she doesn't want to do them!)
Isn't hard skin there for a reason, wouldn't scraping it away make it worse?

With spring and summer on the way of course I want to offer pedicures, is the blade even allowed to be used by nail techs? And is it necessary? I said why don't we let a client book a pedicure with me to get some feedback but, because I won't use the blade she wasn't even willing to let me try!

Our insurance won't cover using the blade especially if you haven't done a course they are really funny about it, it's unfair and irresponsible for her to expect that of you, ring your insurers Infront of her xx
 
Hi Hun

Firstly a s self employed person she cannot dictate what you use.

Secondly as you've already rightly told her, your insurance won't cover you.

Using blades is not something a pedicurist should really be using anyway. We beautify the feet, we don't take to them with a blade! This is really old practice and it was explained to me that actually using a blade on hard skin actually makes the problem worse. If you cut the hard skin off, your body automatically thinks to regenerate more skin as protection. I'm not even sure if chiropodists use this old method any more. With products such as the microplane and Callus Peel on the market, there is simply no need to use blades. Crikey next thing she'll be telling you is cut the eponychium :eek:

I don't know what types of pedicures you offer from basic to more full on, but I would take your time to sit down with her, explain your treatments and why you will not be using a blade, period.

Sorry I can't be much more help than that. Other than to say, if she really insists then unfortunately, I believe, you will have to walk away from the salon. I'm sure this goes without saying, but do not let her put your professionalism in to question. xxx
 
Thank you both, I figured the reason I wasn't shown the blade in training was because it doesn't get used anymore, she did say herself it was 'old school'

I've never had any complaints about my pedicures and think the micro plane is a good tool. Next time I'm in the salon I will reiterate that insurance won't cover me and I won't be using the blade but would still like to do pedicures.
Is any training needed for callus peel? Maybe if I start using something like that it'll be a good enough compromise
 
Hi everyone,

She wasn't happy about this and started saying the blade used to remove callous' and hard skin is an important part of a pedicure and she was surprised I hadn't been shown. I told her I use a micro plane, which she tried and was surprised by how good it is, but said it was just superficial and not good enough, she's been using blades for pedicures but she's an eyebrow specialist and doesn't want to do pedicures any more.

I have had clients ask me if I can sort out their hard callouses, my response is that I am not a chiropodist - I think she is asking you to do something that would be expected of a chiropodist - who would have years of training and expertise to treat problems like this - at the end of the day we are doing pedicures to beautify and pamper not to sort out underlying foot problems. Unless she is willing to pay for you to re-train her way (and as its an old fashioned method I think its highly unlikely there will be any courses out there!) she can't really ask you to carry out something you are not qualified or insured to do.
 
In a lot of states here it is banned but a few NSS still use them illegally, laziness factor I guess as it takes a bit longer if you have to file/microplane/pumice a bit more.

If you are an independent contractor/self employed she cant dictate how you do your treatments.

Times and treatment protocols change so she has to 'get with it" too.
 
I have had clients ask me if I can sort out their hard callouses, my response is that I am not a chiropodist - I think she is asking you to do something that would be expected of a chiropodist - who would have years of training and expertise to treat problems like this - at the end of the day we are doing pedicures to beautify and pamper not to sort out underlying foot problems. Unless she is willing to pay for you to re-train her way (and as its an old fashioned method I think its highly unlikely there will be any courses out there!) she can't really ask you to carry out something you are not qualified or insured to do.

Yes! That's what I was thinking, my job is to beautify. I think you're right, from what she was saying she believes that removing the hard skin is the most important part and what clients want from a pedicure. Personally, when I do my own feet my main concern is which polish colour to use :D

In a lot of states here it is banned but a few NSS still use them illegally, laziness factor I guess as it takes a bit longer if you have to file/microplane/pumice a bit more.

If you are an independent contractor/self employed she cant dictate how you do your treatments.

Times and treatment protocols change so she has to 'get with it" too.

Yeah she did mention the speed but it's such a precise (sharpe!) tool I'd take longer using it to make sure I was using it properly. I think its unfair for her tell me what treatments I may or may not do and feel quite annoyed by it. I think her training may be a bit dated, I'll have to think of a polite way to tell her to get with the times

Thanks for your replies :)
Xxx
 
Have you looked into Callus Peel? There's a whole thread about it, if you use the search button.

And I'm sure that I read somewhere (facebook maybe?) that Doug Schoon was saying that callus shouldn't be removed.

Tell her she is old fashioned ;) and her training needs updating.
 
Have you looked into Callus Peel? There's a whole thread about it, if you use the search button.

And I'm sure that I read somewhere (facebook maybe?) that Doug Schoon was saying that callus shouldn't be removed.

Tell her she is old fashioned ;) and her training needs updating.

Yeah, she did say the blade was old school.
I found this on habias website under FAQs in the health and safety section
ImageUploadedBySalonGeek1393119292.563652.jpg

If it's too small to read it says:

'Use of a callous knife is not covered in the Pedicure unit at Level 2 in the Nail or Beauty Standards. The skin removal methods covered include superficial skin exfoliate products and the use of a foot rasp only. The use of a callous knife is something used by a Chiropodist. It should not be used by a nail technician or therapist.'

happyfeet mentioned callus peel before, I'll have a look through the thread on here for more information about it :) thank you xxx
 
I also was taught that using the blade makes the problem worse- it causes the skin to overgrow so it's something the client ends up having to do regularly. It's also very old school.

If it were me I would do the owner a callus peel to show her the benefits of it while explaining the negatives behind using the blades.

Xx
 
That's a good idea, then she can see for herself :) I watched a video of a callus peel treatment and it looks amazing.
 
They used a blade in the salon I used to work out. Put pressure on me to use it and I refused. I bought a micro plane instead then customers were coming in asking for me specifically because I didn't use a blade.

The state of some of the women's feet when the other girls used a blade was ridiculous! Chunks of skin taken out the foot & it looked terribly painful.
I would refuse to use it if your insurance doesn't cover you as it is very easy to cut someone if not used correctly.
Xx
 
They used a blade in the salon I used to work out. Put pressure on me to use it and I refused. I bought a micro plane instead then customers were coming in asking for me specifically because I didn't use a blade.

The state of some of the women's feet when the other girls used a blade was ridiculous! Chunks of skin taken out the foot & it looked terribly painful.
I would refuse to use it if your insurance doesn't cover you as it is very easy to cut someone if not used correctly.
Xx

When she first showed me it I thought it looked like a potato peeler, and when she started using it on herself scraping off chunks of skin I cringed. I thought I wouldn't like it to be used on me so I really wouldn't want to use it on clients either. I've asked my friends if they've ever seen on used and they said no and they don't like the idea of a blade being used during, what's suppose to be, a relaxing treatment.
 
When she first showed me it I thought it looked like a potato peeler, and when she started using it on herself scraping off chunks of skin I cringed. I thought I wouldn't like it to be used on me so I really wouldn't want to use it on clients either. I've asked my friends if they've ever seen on used and they said no and they don't like the idea of a blade being used during, what's suppose to be, a relaxing treatment.

I know what you mean, it doesn't look relaxing in the slightest! Lol
in my area the NSS salons use them and a lot of ladies that have come to me for pedis (I'm now mobile) have said how their feet hurt when they had it done as too much skin was taken off. so they have a pretty bad rep around here. I'm sure many techs use them without problems, I'm just put off by what I've seen & heard x
 
I also was taught that using the blade makes the problem worse- it causes the skin to overgrow so it's something the client ends up having to do regularly. It's also very old school.


Xx

I heard this too. Xx
 
I'm definitely not going to be talked into using one by her, I think she's just stuck in her ways. She did mention that any time a client has had a pedicure elsewhere at a spa or salon, a blade hadn't been used. That alone should've told her that if no one else uses them there has to be a reason!
 
Crikey next thing she'll be telling you is cut the eponychium :eek:

I don't know how you predicted this, but that has just happened.

She nearly argued with me about it when I tried to explain WHY that shouldn't be done, but I left because a client was in. Apparently, because she's been doing it 20 odd years my training, opinion and knowledge doesn't matter,

I said I'll speak to her when she's not busy, I've tried to keep cool but I don't think I can! :(
Xx
 
Tell her that as new products are invented to remove hard skin the older ways are phased out so there is now no need to use a knife.

Training also moves on to use the new products techniques and this is why you no longer cut/trim the eponychium.

Your self employed and this lady is not your boss, she is your landlord. Would you allow you home landlord to tell you how to cook your food, just because he supplied the cooker? No, then don't allow your work landlord to interfere with what you do & how you work, it's your business & you are within your rights to do whatever treatments you like (so long as your qualified to do so) and to do them however you like, using whatever products you choose at whatever cost you decide. Your also allowed to choose not to do treatments if you don't want to (eg.. I'm trained in eyelash perming but don't offer it because I didn't like doing the treatment).
 

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