Patricia Mushero is a Licensed Nail Technician and Certified Clinical Podiatry medical assistant (CCPMA) with more than 20 years of experience. Patricia was first introduced to GEHWOL products during her years in school in the Netherlands, where she graduated as a hand and foot care professional.
She owns Las Vegas Medi Pedi, and works from her suite inside the podiatry office of Dr. Kirk Larkin, DPM, Larkin Foot and Ankle Institute, in Las Vegas, Nevada. She specializes in nail reconstruction and non-soak med pedicures.
Patricia is passionate about offering the best care, services and products to her clients, “Having healthy, functional feet affects the overall health of the body in many ways. My ultimate goal is to help people keep their feet healthy.”
How did you end up in the foot care business?
When I was younger I started like most girls do, with the passion for ‘pretty nails’ art and designing. After school I was only doing my own nails and didn’t have a salon but did services in-between working on my own business. But it changed from doing my own nails to doing my families, friends and later clients.
After immigrating to the U.S., I noticed that nail technicians here are more interested in the aesthetic aspect of nails, like I was at the beginning. Then I recognized the opportunity to focus on not only nail but foot care as a whole. Working in a beauty salon I realized that I didn’t want or couldn’t work this way. My ideas for hand and foot care were too different. I started to focus more on education and making foot care my priority service. This resulted in renting a space in Desert Podiatry in Las Vegas where I did my internship for MNT. My goal was set and path was clear! My own business… clean and safe services, educating my clients, and using high quality products.
Why are you so passionate about foot care?
The difference you can make for people who want or need proper foot and hand care makes me smile every time I help somebody. I do believe people’s foot health can be better with good information and care. Educating my clients while they get their service and explaining why I use certain products makes a difference to them. I also believe that a good pedicure is not always cosmetic but a must for clients who have abnormalities which they cannot deal with for themselves due to health problems, age or any other reason. Staying in your scope and knowing how you can use your skills to make a difference in your clients’ foot care is the challenge for me. It makes me happy and it is very rewarding when clients are happy at the end of their service, some even get emotional and they are always thankful.
What is a typical work day like for you?
My business is open 5 days a week. And I start every morning a half hour before opening with making my hot towels ready for my clients, going over my clients for the day, and getting all their packages ready for their service and home care. I review intake forms for new clients and update myself with the info from returning clients’ information from their last visit. Preparing for my clients that day, their dishes with the autoclave implements, the disposable files, and any oils and creams I need per client. My services vary from skin, foot and hand care services. The podiatry office is very busy so it is coming and going with patients from Dr. Larkin. I get referrals from the doctor’s practice. When he refers a patient to me I take over and inform them about the possibility of having foot care services.
Being in a high traffic medical building means that every night after hours a cleaning crew comes in to clean. At the end of the day there is clean-up and set-up for my first client the next day. The doctor’s MA’s autoclave all my implements.
Do you feel the work you do is important? What’s the most rewarding thing you do/see as part of your job?
Yes, it is. A lot of people take up a good maintenance regime when they start or are having foot problems. I try to inform them that even though I cannot cure the damage done, I can make their feet look and feel better. Also, in some cases, I can slow the condition’s process and improve the overall look of their feet and nails. I try to teach them proper home care to help them in their daily life.
What’s your favorite GEHWOL product and why?
I have more than 1 favorite Gehwol product for different reasons. I love the Herbal Foot Bath. It makes the skin soft and flexible. I use it in two ways. I do non-soak services, so I use the Herbal Foot Bath soak every day to wet my hot towels. This has the same result as soaking in water, which is not an option for many of my clients because of health issues.
But The Leg Vitality Cream is magnificent, easy in use and so nice to use as a mask. Lots of my clients have dry skin issues and you see it changing under your hands when you massage it in. Dry skin becomes all nice and smooth.
Now the Herbal Lotion is maybe my favorite. Deodorizing and very refreshing, from my experience it also locks up the creams used before. And personally, while some of my clients mentioned this, the smell is amazing and soothing for the soul. The combination of mountain pine, lavender, rosemary and eucalyptus has a relaxing effect when I perform the service. Maybe that is why it is my favorite to use.