8 ways to watch out for your tootsies
at your next pedicure
Posted by: U.S. News & World Report
Short of going barefoot,
nothing conjures the free spirit of summer like sandals. But given the way we
treat our feet—whether we're running marathons or home from work and in shoes
that pinch, press, and blister—it's no wonder they need grooming before
flaunting.
Fact: Your feet require some
TLC. More facts: Salon pedicures can
be rife with risks. In fact, some foot baths might as well be renamed
cesspools, hotbeds of germs that can lead to bacterial, viral, and fungal
infection. Not to sound biblical, but customers have
gone home with boils. Unsanitary tools aren't much better, and can spread infections such as hepatitis.
So the next time you treat your toes to a pedicure, follow these
tips for feet as happy as they are healthy.
1. Shun the razor. Never, ever let a nail technician put a razor to your feet and be wary of doing so yourself.
The practice can lead to permanent damage along with upping your risk of
infection through cuts and the possible transference of blood between
customers. Callouses provide cushioning between you and the ground, and
removing too much of the toughened skin can make it hurt to walk. A much
gentler option is to soften your feet with a pumice stone, foot file, or
exfoliating scrub, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association
(APMA).
2. Don't cut corners. Go for a shape that's square, not oval. Round toenails are more
likely to dig into skin, causing painful ingrown toenails, says
Hillary Brenner, a Manhattan-based podiatric surgeon and an APMA spokesperson.
3. Beware of the foot bath. "Do not use the foot spa if
you are not sure it is disinfected and safe to use," warn the
Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
in a fact sheet on preventing infections from salon foot spas. To reduce the
risk of infection from bacteria that can grow in foot spas, salons should use
an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant between each customer, and nightly, and
according to the directions, which usually call for 10 minutes of disinfection,
according to the government groups.
For your part, hold off
on the foot bath if you have any cuts, scrapes, scabs, bruises, or open sores
on your legs or feet as broken skin eases the passage of germs into your body.
The EPA and CDC also include bug bites on this list, which seems to ensure no
one could ever possibly be fit for a pedicure, given the coinciding seasons of
pedicures and bugs. Also, skip the pre-pedicure shave to avoid causing any
nicks. The APMA suggests scheduling your spa pedicure early in the morning,
since "salon foot baths are typically cleanest earlier in the day."
Brenner advises patronizing nail salons that use disposable plastic bins inside
the foot bath to lower your risk of infection.
4. Don't feed your feet
to the fish. The trend of using
so-called "doctor fish" to eat up dead skin on people's feet is one
you might want to skip—if your state hasn't already banned the practice. A
letter published this month in Emerging Infectious Diseases found that
these fish, imported from Asia to salons in the United Kingdom, carried a range
of potentially dangerous bacteria.
5. Keep away from the
cuticle. "The cuticle is
the nail's protective barrier and should not be pushed back, which can damage
it and increase the risk of infection," according to the American Academy
of Dermatology, which warns that buffing nails too intensely can harm your
cuticles as well.
6. Use your own tools. Because germs can spread through tools that aren't properly
cleaned, it's best to bring your own. That includes emery boards, which can't
be sterilized due to their porous nature. Pedicure tools can be found for a
variety of prices in most beauty supply stores. Some salons even sell individual kits they then
keep on hand for regular customers.
7. Skip the salon
and see a podiatrist. A doctor's office doesn't exude the pampered feel of a salon.
But that may be changing. Podiatrists are increasingly offering medical
pedicures, which include paraffin wax for dunking and softening feet along with
chemical-free, anti-fungal nail polish, Brenner
says. These treatments come with a cost—anywhere from $80 to $150, says
Brenner, who notes an alternative could be a simple callous removal. Inspired
by the results of her own facial peels, Brenner has begun offering her patients chemical foot peels,
which shed the top layer of skin to reveal smooth feet.
8. Do it yourself. For an at-home pedicure treatment, Brenner
advises soaking your feet for 10 to 15 minutes two to three times a week in an
Epsom salt solution, made of two cups of Epsom salt per gallon of tepid water.
Follow that with a foot scrub (Brenner likes the apricot scrub by St. Ives) and
a thick coating of moisturizer like shea butter. At that point, you've done
most of the leg work, so to speak, and you can leave the polish to the
professionals.
Warning signs. Infections from the nail salon can often look like bug bites,
which worsen and enlarge and can cause pus and scarring, according to the EPA
and CDC. Yellowed nails or scaling skin around the base of the foot indicate fungal
infections, while anything "red and angry
looking" is likely a bacterial infection, Brenner says. Determining the
existence of hepatitis requires a blood test.
Please
call the Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg Center
office in Las Vegas and the Henderson area anytime @702-878-2455
between Monday – Friday (9am to 5pm) and we would be happy to set up an
appointment for you. Please visit our
website @ www.FallCenter.com.
When pain or injury occurs, you
deserve highly personalized treatment using the most advanced techniques. At the Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg Center (FallCenter), you’ll enjoy an unsurpassed level of quality
care. Dr. Ricciardi, Dr. Shalev and Dr.
McLeod are proud to provide comprehensive solutions for all types of foot and
ankle problems.
Your quality care begins
the minute you arrive, as our staff greets you by name and answers your
questions. Our team of foot and ankle
specialists will inspire your confidence and their genuine warmth and
compassion will earn your trust.
You’ll receive a prompt and
thorough assessment, including on-site diagnostic ultrasound and digital
x-rays. Your treatment plan is designed
to resolve your condition without surgery whenever possible. When surgery is needed, your feet are in the
hands of leading physicians with expertise in the latest minimally invasive
techniques. As a result, you’ll be back
on your feet and back to your active life as quickly as possible.
Without proper treatment,
an injury or chronic condition can keep you from performing even the simplest
everyday tasks. To meet patients’ most
critical health needs, Dr.
Ricciardi, Dr. Shalev and Dr. McLeod have developed the following “Center
of Excellence” treatment programs: Bunion Solutions, Heel Pain, Diabetic Foot
Care and Sports Performance Center.
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