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Professional training for the use of lasers on fungal nail

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by stevenjan0, Feb 18, 2020.

  1. stevenjan0

    stevenjan0 Welcome New Poster


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    Hi everyone, I'm a newly qualified non-surgical footcare specialist in Yorkshire and am exploring further training to incorporate laser treatments within our clinic but several courses appear to require a health and beauty level 3 qualification. So am hoping someone could recommend a training provider or share their experiences on alternative training routes.

    Thankyou in advance any advise would be greatly appreciated.
     
  2. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    I'd like to help you but I don't know what a 'qualified non-surgical footcare specialist' is.

    Can you explain a bit more about this qualification and what you actually do?
     
  3. stevenjan0

    stevenjan0 Welcome New Poster

    Thank you for taking the time to reply to my thread Catfoot. Its a level 3 practitioner course provided by the BSY consisting of 11 modules and a weeks practical training within a clinical setting. I did my practical training at Rosewood foot clinic in Louth. My mother and sister both took the same course and worked for 14 and 4 years respectively as mobile practitioners.

    We offer nail trimming, removal of hard skin/ callus, corns, minor ingrowing nails, at the moment when we're faced with fungal nail it's a case of thoroughly debriding and thinning out the infected nails and advising our clients on treatment with over the counter topical solutions. At the moment we're recommending the Scholl antifungal lacquer.

    It's still very early in my professional development and I'm eager to explore additional training, including the possibility of offering laser treatments and retraining with the SMAE college to access their orthotic courses. I fear either avenue is still a long way off but I'd like to get as much information as possible in the mean time.
     
  4. AH29

    AH29 Active Member

    When you say 'Footcare specialist' do you mean FHP?
     
  5. stevenjan0

    stevenjan0 Welcome New Poster

    Yes, but my certificates state non-surgical footcare specialist so I advertise as such to make sure I'm not accidently misrepresenting myself or misleading our clients.
     
  6. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    Hi again Steve,
    This is the problem with taking these low-level courses, the scope of practice is very limited.

    Have you ever though of taking a Podiatry Degree to significantly expand your skill-set and knowledge base?

    As for lasers, well, there are different types of laser such as Low Level Lasers, the Lunula Cold Laser and the Pinpointe Laser (TM) for nail fungus.
    As I understand it, when you purchase one of these items from the manufacturers then training is provided. You could try approaching them and see.

    For orthotics, the major suppliers (such as Vasyli, Algeos) run training courses for their products.
    I also found this one - https://www.bxclinic.co.uk/learn/

    HTH

    Maybe someone else who know more than I do about this topic can help you. I don't get involved in orthotics, I refer to others who specialise in this area.
     
  7. Seamus McNally

    Seamus McNally Active Member

    That was a very kind, gentle and helpful reply Catfoot. From what I gather the companies supplying laser machines for treating fungal infections of the nail will be only too delighted to help. Problem is the outlay. The degree you advise the gentleman to undertake would probably cost less. Besides there is limited evidence for the success of such treatment and every time I hear them mentioned my nostrils fill with a scent of expensive snake oil.
     
  8. stevenjan0

    stevenjan0 Welcome New Poster

    Thank you very much for the advice Catfoot

    I would like to progress, though having just opened a business with my mother I am limited both financially and time wise at the moment any further training would start 2021 earliest and need to fit around the business. I fear through naivety and being possibly too keen to become self employed I've blocked several routes off to myself.

    At the moment I see my possible route to a full podiatry degree involving retraining with the SMAE institute FHP course and progressing to the podiatry assistant course and then on to a full podiatry course as I don't believe my current academic qualifications allow me to apply directly to a university.

    Laser treatments are something I would love to be able to offer our clients but again the shear cost of the equipment means it will be some time but the manufacturer training programmes make it more of a possibillity than a pipe dream as several IPL courses I've looked at charge per module and require additional courses also charged by the module to complete.

    Thank you so much for taking the time to advise on this and supplying links, you have given me a lot to think about but already it seems clear my main focus should be furthering my core skills before attempting to offer additional services... admittedly something that should of been apparent to me already but I do tend to get carried away with future possibilities.

    Thanks again
    All the very best
    Steven J
     
  9. fishpod

    fishpod Well-Known Member

    I hope you are not working and seeing clients during the pandemic
     
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