Podiatry for beautiful and healthy feet – cosmetic or medical?

Painful corns, ingrown toenails or heel spurs – anyone who has ever suffered from these foot problems knows how important foot health is to our general well-being. In Germany, beauty foot care professionals and podiatrists deliver beautiful and healthy feet. But what distinguishes these two professions? What are the differences in treatment, and what training is required?

Since 2002, the Podiatry Act has regulated the practice of medical foot care (= podiatry). The coming into force of the Podiatry Act brought with it a clear distinction between medical-therapeutic and beauty podiatry treatment. Cosmetic podiatry is a liberal profession with no legally regulated training requirements. The situation is entirely different in podiatry: training is regulated by the Podiatry Act and the associated training and examination regulations, and can last for two years full-time or up to four years part-time.

Cosmetic podiatry, or a pedicure, focuses on the care and beautification of healthy feet. During a beauty podiatry treatment, you can therefore look forward to a relaxing pampering programme that maintains and beautifies your skin and nails: a relaxing foot bath to prepare the feet, gentle callus removal, exfoliation, cutting and filing of the nails, the use of suitable care products, a foot mask, a foot massage and a trendy nail polish to finish are in most cases included. Cosmetic podiatry usually complements the services offered at a beauty salon or a podiatry practice.

As there are no statutory requirements for training in cosmetic podiatry, it can, for example, be completed as a short course. There is no protection of the title. Anyone can call themselves a cosmetic foot care professional – even entirely without any training at all. The scope of work stays focused on foot care and stylish decorative actions on healthy feet.

Would you like to get off to a successful start in cosmetic foot care? The RUCK Academy provides a 3-day training course that covers all the essential basics.

Get started now with the basic podiatry training course

Podiatry is a medical discipline that focuses primarily on the treatment of problems and pathological conditions affecting the foot. Podiatrists undergo thorough medical training and are able to discover and treat a wide range of presentations, such as fungal infections of the skin and nails, ingrown toenails, corns and warts. In this context, interdisciplinary consultation – for example, with regard to the treatment of high-risk patients, such as those with diabetes, rheumatism, circulatory disorders, etc. – has great importance.

The title of podiatrist is protected in Germany thanks to the Podiatry Act (see Section 1(1) PodG). Only individuals who have obtained a relevant professional qualification recognised by the state may use this description and so identify themselves as healthcare professionals. In certain cases, it is possible to claim podiatry services through the health insurance fund: these include damage resulting from diabetic foot syndrome (DF), sensory and sensorimotor neuropathies (NF) or spinal cord injury (QF). Besides a medical prescription, it is necessary for the practice to be registered with the health insurance scheme.

Would you like to become a state-recognised podiatrist? The School of Podiatry in Neuenbürg provides both a two-year full-time training programme and a ‘flex model’ for part-time training.

Discover all the information about podiatry training in Neuenbürg

Whether podiatry or cosmetic foot care – both professions have their place and make an important contribution to foot health in Germany. Particularly in times of a skills shortage and an increasingly ageing population, the two professions can complement and support one another.

From cosmetic podiatry to podiatry – this is the career path Elisabeth Prinz has taken. In her latest video, the experienced podiatrist provides an overview of the two professions and explains how consultation and synergies can be incorporated in the practice.