Medical Nail Technicians

04/26/2008      Bryan C. Markinson, DPM


RE: Medical Nail Technicians From: Bryan C. Markinson, DPM

I have been in conversation with Robert Spalding, DPM from Tennessee, the leading DPM expert on the status of the nail care industry in the United States. He has informed me that the situation in the cosmetics/beauty industry, with a long-term influx of salons that provide substandard beauty services, has created a decrease in the amount of beauty school applicants to crisis levels. It is believed this is because potential nail technicians believe they cannot compete with the low priced salons that choose not to meet standards due to the cost to their profit margin. Unknown to me, and I suppose most of us, nail technicians are state licensed, and a glance at the department of health requirements for licensure of nail technicians reveals them to be surprisingly stringent and comprehensive.

I am also told that a group of podiatrists and several respected educators in the nail industry have come together to create a curriculum for a viable, advanced certification course for nail technicians to become medical nail technicians. The stated goal of this course would be to enable already licensed nail technicians to step up their education to become certified as medical nail technicians. They would then be able to practice these skills only under the supervision of a DPM, and not independently. I believe that this is a fabulous concept that will lend all DPMs the ability, if they chose, to really have a physician extender situation in their offices.

This person would be a curriculum-trained podiatric medical assistant who is also licensed for the performance of cosmetic nail care. He or she can perform MEDICAL nail care ONLY under DPM supervision. This will produce a new job resource for nail technicians, a new revenue stream for podiatrists, and a legitimate resource for clients for safe esthetic care, as well as medical care at their podiatrist's office.

I am told that this is happening soon, and since the medical part of the training would be for certification and NOT licensure, they can move unencumbered. It is the hope that employment opportunities with this enhanced training will increase applications to beauty schools that will offer the certification. I believe that this has great potential for everyone on the surface of it, a win-win situation for all.

Currently, there is no law that prevents any state licensed nail technician in any state from working in any medical professional's office of any specialty. Medical Spas and other podiatrists are already using nail technicians in their facilities currently with no standards defined. This program will standardize training as well as how these "Medical Nail Technicians" can function per newly created podiatry directives.

Participating podiatrists will eventually have access to an individual with advanced training in podiatric principals that can help provide routine foot care and state-approved beautification services to augment your practice as a force multiplier.

Bryan C. Markinson, DPM, NY, NY, bryan.markinson@ountsinai.org