What does the day-to-day work of chiropodists in cosmetic foot care look like?

Cosmetic foot care is offered either as an independent service or as a supplementary treatment in beauty, nail and hairdressing salons or in wellness facilities. It is primarily for beauty and well-being and usually begins with a short foot bath and, depending on the condition of the skin, a subsequent exfoliation.

The nails are then trimmed and cleaned, protruding cuticles are treated and calluses are removed.

After sanding and shaping the nails, nail polish and other art nail creations can be applied. Fashion and trend-conscious pedicurists are always up to date with the latest trends and colors and can give their customers fashionable advice. The treatment often ends with a relaxing massage. Afterwards, there is time for a sales talk, which gives the customer the opportunity to purchase the care products for use at home.

In contrast to medical foot care (podiatry), cosmetic foot care does not require a license and can be practiced freely.

Target group and skills: Who is cosmetic foot care training suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?

The foot care training course with the school's own certificate is aimed at people who want to become self-employed in a cosmetic profession or who want to expand their existing skills to include foot care. For example:

• Beauticians
• People in the manicure
• Body therapists
• Re-entrants in the beauty and wellness sector

The following qualities are required for a successful career as a cosmetic pedicurist:

• Manual dexterity and good eyesight
• No fear of contact
• A sense of hygiene and order
• Good manners, sociability and helpfulness
• Empathy and discretion
• Ability to self-organize and manage administration
• Sufficient start-up capital to start your own business

Requirements for admission to foot care training:

As a rule, no specific previous training or professional experience is required for admission to the cosmetic foot care training course leading to a "school certificate".

However, the following points are advantageous:

• Manual dexterity and good eyesight
• Good knowledge of German (at least B1/B2)

In addition, some schools require students to bring a model, i.e. a person on whose feet they can practise, for individual days. This must be organized independently by the participants.

Opportunities for recognition:

As there are no protected professional designations or titles, it is important to prove your own seriousness and professional competence accordingly. This can be done, for example, by becoming a member of an association, such as the Swiss Chiropody Association (SFPV). You can find out which criteria you need to fulfill for admissionhere.

Subject matter and content of the training

Cosmetic pedicure training is not federally regulated, i.e. the curriculum is compiled independently by the respective schools; it can therefore vary from school to school.

The following topics are often addressed:

• Basics of the anatomy of the body
• Anatomy of the foot (bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, foot and toe joints, structure and function of skin and nails, etc.)
• Possible applications of foot care and differentiation from podiatry
• Hygiene training, cleaning and sterilization
• Effects (indicators and counter-indicators)
• Disease patterns and consequential damage (development of calluses, nail fungus, etc.)
• Material and equipment knowledge and various grip techniques
• Cosmetic foot care procedure (anamnesis, visual and tactile assessment, foot bath, nail shortening and grinding, nail polish / Shellac, wellness foot massage, etc.).
• Presentation, sales and marketing training

Costs and financing of further training

The costs for foot care training are set independently by the schools. The amount of the tuition fee therefore varies greatly depending on the provider and the course offered.

You can expect the following costs for in-service training:

• Course fees:
  • For shorter courses (e.g. refresher courses, specific topic courses, one-day workshops, etc.) between CHF 390 and CHF 1900.
  • For longer training courses (e.g. basic training in cosmetic foot care) between CHF 4750 and CHF 5300

As a rule, theExamination feesalready included in the course fees.

• Some providers requireExtra costsfor
  • Teaching aids
  • Training documents
  • Provision of models and foot care equipment

Please contact the provider of your choice directly for information on possible extra costs.

Course structure, duration of study, training options, teaching format and learning effort

• Study structure:Cosmetic pedicure training is generally designed to be part-time and has a modular structure.
• Duration of study:The duration of the courses varies greatly and depends on the provider and the offer. For example, there are refresher courses, one-day workshops and in-depth courses on specific topics that last a few days (1-4 days). Basic training takes longer: usually around 20 days, spread over several weeks.
• Training options:The timetables are compiled independently by the schools. They therefore differ from school to school. The shorter courses often take place either on one working day per week or on Saturdays. The longer courses often take place in modules or blocks on two (consecutive) working days.
• Teaching format:Foot care training generally takes place in face-to-face lessons. Depending on the situation, theory lessons can be offered in online lessons or hybrid lessons.
• Learning effort:Thanks to the extra-occupational concept of the course, you can apply and deepen the learning material in practice straight away. Nevertheless, you should allow sufficient time for preparation and follow-up of the lessons and for self-study - how much depends on your prior knowledge, working style and learning speed. We recommend that you allow at least 4-6 hours per week as a precaution.

Degree, diploma and title

As already mentioned, most cosmetic foot care training courses are modular. Those who have successfully completed each module can sit the final examination for the school's own certificate.

As a rule, the final examination consists of a theoretical and a practical part. A pedicure treatment must be carried out in the practical part.

For shorter courses in particular, a course attendance of at least 80% is often sufficient to obtain the school's own certificate.

Diploma and title

Successful graduates receive a certificate / diploma from the respective school: "Chiropodist [name of school] (cert.)" or "Certified Chiropody Therapist [name of school]".