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Hello everyone

Despite the usual request for patients pre appointment to remove nail varnish, we all still get them arriving with it on. This obvious cuts into their appointment time as we remove it. But what I'm finding increasing is the number of patients coming in with shellac on who expect us to remove it, or who didn't even realise it is shellac in the first place. Currently I am advising them to go back to where they had the nails painted to get it removed, but wondered if the middleman could be cut out, i.e. what is the easiest way to get it off? I've read soaking it in acetone and scraping it with an orange stick works, but sounds messy and unprofessional. If anyone can shed any light on this it would be appreciated.

Thank you
Kathryn

 

My simple solution?....I tell patient they must reschedule their appointments, with their nail polish removed, if they want me to inspect the condition of their nails. They found a way to get the stuff on their nails, they need to be given the responsibility of finding a way to get the stuff off their nails. It should not be your concern.

 

Kevin is right, it shouldn't be your concern but shellac is increasingly the norm for painting of nails due to it's durability, flawless, self levelled mirror finish and the fact that it has no drying time.

It is true that many people don't even know that they have shellac on their nails as not all cured, gel derivative nail polishes are shellac. There are many= other brands

My practice happens to have beauty therapists who can invariably do the removal for the podiatrist. Our podiatrist has also had shellac training so can do it and reapply it herself. However, in your own practice, it does take time to remove relative to normal polish(depending on how good the nail technician applying it was!)

If you go to a nail technician just for a shellac removal, they will invariably charge £10(usually free if you are having it reapplied) so charging for the removal is absolutely fine in my opinion.

You could do one of 2 things

1. Carry on as now or be more strict and do as Kevin has said
2. Embrace the trend and do the training with CND http://www.creative-nail-training.co.uk/Courses/Workshops/CND-Shellac-Attack . You can then offer it to ladies as an optional treatment. The courses are relatively cheap (£150 from memory) and take 3 days. The starter kit is a few hundred pounds and doesn't take up too much space.

It can be reasonably profitable - a standard podiatry treatment is £35 - a medical pedicure with shellac would be £70-£75 but would take twice as long as a standard treatment

As an aside, i don't think it is very healthy for the nails if used long term. For short periods, it seems to have minimal impact but the therapists usually advise a break from Shellac usage every 12 weeks for 3-4 weeks. As a health professional I have a bit of an issue with it harming the nails but it becoming the norm and if you don't do it, there are plenty of others who will. At least if you are doing it, any warnings about it might carry a little more gravitas

For removal, the technique that works well is

1. cut a cottom wool pad into 4
2. soak the cotton wool in 100% acetone(this is important)
3. Apply to the nail and then wrap round the cotton wool and the top of the finger with kitchen foil.
4. leave for 10 mins(the rest of your treatment can continue in this time)
5. Use a wooden/orange stick to scrape away the polish.

If you are having to scrub too hard, then you are probably damaging the nail and the acetone should be left on longer.
The acetone will greatly dehydrate the nail so it is worth applying something after the polish is removed(opportunity to sell something like a nail nourishment oil - SOLAR OIL is what CND recommend)

So, hope this helps. BTW I have no financial interest in shellac or CND, i just happen to work in an environment where it is something that is talked about all the time. My wife also does our in house training for shellac with our therapists so I pick up a lot from her

robin

 

We always reschedule them.

 

I discharge them.

 

Thank you all for your feedback, much appreciated.

Kathryn

 

What are you on about?

 

Our profession is hung up on nail care! Hire a nail tech to handle the pedicure related care while the physician provides medical care

 

Straight to the point. Bravo!