Learning & Teaching are forever moments?

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I had to pivot. Yup, we have to do that every once in a while during our lifetime. For me, this was one of those times. You see, I was so excited about what I wanted to blog and share with you this week…but…..life happened.

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I was drawn to a thread on SM which gave me an “ah ha” moment. It was a question being asked in regards to feet. How could I not take the opportunity for a teaching moment. It’s just way to good to pass up.

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Technician performs a pedicure on a client with severe thickness and dryness on the heel of the foot, the sides, the ball of the foot and the sole of the foot as well. There was also some severe cracking.
This isn’t discovered until after the client has soaked and the toenails have been clipped and manicured. The situation is severe. Filling doesn’t touch it.
The Technician recommends the client files her own feet a couple times a week after a shower, uses a cream and wears socks at night to moisturize.

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I’m totally shortening the story, just to get to the guts.
Let’s find out what is wrong with this picture

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Ever hear the comment “I’m in feet heaven”?  Well, I am right now.  This scenario is sooooooo up my alley. Let’s get to it.

1st of all – adjustment #1.  Client consultation.

A client consultation is a MUST in our foot care rooms today.  The rise of diabetes, the rise of baby boomers visiting our salons, the rise of geriatrics now getting Pedicures puts us at risk for something really bad to happen in our chair.  A “proper” client consultation is our Insurance policy.

If a consultation had been done, the Technician would have seen what she was up against prior to servicing the client.  She could have made many choices of what to do at that time.  Should she service her/him?  Should she use a file on her/him?  Should she even soak her/him?  How about a scrub….should it have been used? Did she inquire about any health concerns prior to performing the service.  Obviously, something is going on.  Was it illness, medications, lack of care, wrong care?  It’s imperative to know the answers to these questions and more prior to moving onto the next step.

What should the next step be?

Well, I certainly can’t say for sure because we don’t have all the information needed.  However, I can tell you just based on this small bit of information we do have……I might have suggested this client an at home care regimen for a couple of weeks to seal the cracks.  Once the cracks are sealed is when and only when I would service the client in the Pedicure room.

Open portals of entry on the skin make this client susceptible to bacteria entering the skin and possibly getting in the blood stream causing serious if not deadly issues.

We should never ever service a client who has open skin, either on their feet or their legs.

Technicians as a whole have a difficult time turning clients away.  However, this is not what we are doing.  We have to educate the client to the reason(s) why the service can not be performed.  We have to know what products to recommend.

Once we go through this process (through the consultation), we can schedule an appointment at least 2 weeks out for them to return for the service.

This process not only shows the client your level of education, they will also trust you and respect you for what you have done.

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2nd…..Do you have the right products to recommend to your clients.

I seriously can’t fit everything running through my mind right now in this one short blog.

In this particular case, the client was referred to use a cream and wear socks at night. Well….congratulations Mr. or Mrs. whoever you are…..you now have the most highly moisturized socks in your County. NOOOOOOOOOO!

What “creams” are you recommending or do they have for at home use?  Most (not all) creams have a thick molecular structure. These structures are not tiny enough to process through to the layers of the epidermis in order to be effective. Nor do they have the proper ingredients.  They sit on top of the skin.  Therefore, they not only wipe off on the first thing that touches them (socks), they do nothing for being able to reduce the callus nor soften the skin.

WHAT SHOULD WE RECOMMEND?

When retailing and/or recommending products to our clients

  • Look for products with a fine molecular structure like a mousse based formula or a light cream base
  • Look for products with active ingredients which act as a driver which delivers the ingredients into the layers of the epidermis so the product can work from the inside out.  How do we heal?  From the inside out.
  • Look for high level quality ingredients

There are great products on the market, but they do NOT all work as products which can attack these types of issues.  Many feel good and smell good, but they are not effective.

I represent the following 2 brands because they do work, they do have effective ingredients and they are safe for any immuo comprised client.  As much as I would love to sell you either of these products……do your research.

  • LCN Urea based
  • Footlogix Urea based

Urea is a hygroscopic.  It absorbs into 5-7 layers of the epidermis. It brings the “good” active ingredients with it to allow the skin to repair from the inside out.

We want the callus.  The callus is there to protect us.  However, we want that callus to soften so it will feel better and we also want it to look better.  In addition, the Urea will continuously work allowing the dead skin cells to push to the outer layer of the skin, allow the Stratum Corneum layer to naturally exfoliate

 

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While on the topic of products and ingredients.  I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the harmful effects of using acid based products or a product like baby foot.

When using acid based products we are only “burning” the top layer of the skin.  If we keep doing this, the skin will grow back tougher and thicker.  Remember, the skin is there to protect us.  If we continue to “remove” what is protecting us, it will think it isn’t doing it job.  Hence, growing back thicker and tougher.

Baby foot, literally burns off the top layer of the skin.  It even compromises the integrity of the good skin.  Another problem with baby foot is when the skin begins to peel off, you have a layer of red, tender, exposed skin leaving an absolutely fantastic bacteria haven. In short, it’s just bad!

Disinfection Micrylium BioSurf Kinder Greener Safer

 

[/vc_column_text][vc_text_separator title=”WHAT ABOUT FOOT FILES?” color=”green” border_width=”8″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I’m very passionate about foot files because of my own personal research.  We as technicians are causing roughness and cracking on our clients feet because of inferior foot files that are on the market.  Satan’s grader, sandpaper peel n sticking others, pumice stones and more.

I the case of this story, the technician sent the client home and suggested she file her feet a couple of times a week.  We have a couple problems with this scenario.

  • Did she know what type of foot file she is actually using at home?  Is it possible the file she is using is causing the skin on her feet to crack and be rough?  Absolutely!
  • Why would you send a client home to do your job?  Don’t ever suggest a client does at home what you should be doing in the Pedicure chair.  Not only is it poor advise, but your sending $$$$ out the door.

We recommend the AngelFeet file….hands down.  Yes, its considered to be expensive……BUT……if you cut hair, would you purchase a pair of shears for .75 cents?  If so, don’t expect too many clients.  A foot file is a primary tool in our Pedicure service.  It should be of good quality, it should be safe.  We recommend the AngelFeet file for a variety of reasons.

  • Medical grade, surgical stainless steel.  It can be cleaned, disinfected and sterilized to the highest degree
  • It has the “worlds” only and patented grit technology.  Guaranteed not to shred the skin
  • It won’t rust
  • It’s made in the USA which requires ISO9000 regulation
  • One file offers over 1000+ pedicures
  • It’s available in retail size IF you retail foot files to your clients

Centre for Beauty, during the month of February is offering our FILE BUY BACK program.  Send us your old files and you can purchase the AngelFeet for only $40.00.  This is a $42.95 savings which only happens during our buy back program.  This program is not a given.  We have no idea how many times we will be able to offer this program during the year.  It’s a program you will only find through Centre for Beauty.  For more info contact me @ cj@centreforbeauty.com

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I wish I could get this message to every technician in this industry.  However, unless I visit every salon in existence, it can’t happen without your help.

I talk all the time about changing the image the outside world has of our Industry.  WE are the only ones that can change that. Share this article.  Tell all you friends.  Inform your clients.  This information may seem like feet 101 but it isn’t.  We weren’t taught these types of things in school (still aren’t).  And, there are many people out there offering what they think is good advise, but it’s wrong information.

I don’t fault this technician for doing or not doing what she did.  In my opinion, the fault lies in our Industry for not providing quality education in our schools to our new Technicians.  30 years ago…sure, no one knew what we know today about feet and the products we should or shouldn’t use.  But in todays world…there is no excuse.

I say it again….please share.  Let’s educate each other.  Let’s work together to make a change.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2087″ title=”CJ Murray, President”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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