Children’s Pedicure: What Parents Should Know

• 1. Answers to Main Questions
  • 1.1 Are pedicures necessary for children?
  • 1.2 How young is too young for pedicures?
  • 1.3 What are the contraindications?
  • 1.4 When does applying to a specialist become a necessity?
  • 1.5 What pedicure types are for children?
• 2. Children’s Pedicures: Peculiarities and Procedure
• 3. Choosing a Nail Design for Kids

Painted nails on small children’s toes don’t surprise anyone anymore, but what about children’s foot care? Can kids get pedicures? Are there any contraindications? Is it better to get it done at home or in a salon? theYou is ready to answer parents’ questions.

Answers to Main Questions

Are pedicures necessary for children?

No, there’s no need for them for kids under 13 years old. Keep in mind that pedicures are primarily about feet care. The earlier you start, the easier it is for your kid to get used to it and to develop a healthy habit. Plus, regular pedicures help to prevent some health issues, like ingrown toenails, corns and calluses, and foot massage helps to avoid foot deformities.

How young is too young for pedicures?

A professional pedicure can be done at any age. It’s up to parents to decide when to take their child to a salon for the first time. Salons offer pedicure services to kids starting from the age of 3-5. The minimum age depends on a salon. As does the age at which salons start charging kids at adults’ prices: some start from 12, others from 15. Specialists recommend making pedicures a regular foot care procedure for children from the age of 15.

What are the contraindications?

A pedicure can’t be done if your kid has:

• a viral infection;
• a fungal nail infection;
• injuries on their feet;
• rash on the feet.

When does applying to a specialist become a necessity?

There are situations when you should definitely seek professional help.

• Redness in the corners of cuticles: a professional can help prevent ingrown nails. It’s crucial to spot the first indications, or it might be too late and you’ll have to go to a pediatric surgeon.
• If your child does a lot of sport, their feet are more likely to get calluses and corns. In this case it’s also advisable to turn to a specialist.

Children’s pedicures should be performed by podologists who have advanced knowledge of foot problems and the anatomy of the feet and can give a professional consultation on proper foot care and choosing footwear. If they see signs of foot disorders, they recommend visiting a podiatrist. This is why it’s better to do children’s pedicures at a podiatrist.

What pedicure types are for children?

Pedicure techniques that involve cutting are not recommended for kids as there’s risk of injuries and infection. The European pedicure is considered the best option as it doesn’t include cutting cuticles. For these purposes, specialists can sometimes use a soft file.

Children’s Pedicures: Peculiarities and Procedure

Children have thin and sensitive skin. This is why foot care for children differs from similar procedures for adults, although not drastically. Here’s what you should know:

• Make sure that your specialist uses only sterile tools. Ask them to open sterile packets or boxes with tools in front of you and don't forget to disinfect the client’s feet and hands first.
• The specialist should use gentle instruments: soft files with 180 or more grit and orange sticks.
• Cosmetic products should be solely hypoallergenic and contain natural ingredients.
• The focus should be on the nails. The child’s feet are treated only if there are coarse areas, which is often seen in young athletes.
• Children’s thin nails should not be buffed.
• The younger the kid, the stricter the prohibition on using sharp cutting tools.

Here’s what the procedure includes:

1. Disinfection of a child’s hands and feet.
2. A careful examination of toenails.
3. Soaking the feet in warm water with natural cosmetic products and salt. This stage can be skipped if an electric tool is used.
4. Cleaning dirt from under the nails and cutting the nails with scissors. It’s important to cut them straight across without rounding the edges to prevent ingrown toenails.
5. Treatment of the feet with an electric tool with a soft file, if necessary. Using pumice stones, scrabs, or graters is forbidden.
6. A gentle massage.
7. Application of oil to the cuticles.

Choosing a Nail Design for Kids

Many children look at their parents and ask to paint their nails as well. Should you agree? You can, but here’s what you should keep in mind:

• Use high-quality nail polishes without formaldehyde.
• Apply a protective base coat before a color coating.
• Don’t use many rhinestones or other decorative elements that require glue.
• Don’t use long-lasting coatings.
• Make long intervals. To keep toenails healthy, children shouldn’t wear nail polish all the time.

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What toenail design should you choose? Trust your child and leave this decision to them. It’s not that important what nail art your kid will have on their toenails: ombre at 15 or colorful polka dots at 5. Most importantly, your child should be happy with the result and have well-groomed and healthy feet.

Visit the theYou gallery to check out children’s toenail design ideas!