Pedicures

Increased media attention has heightened awareness for the spread of infections from shared instruments and unhygienic practices in many salons. One way to avoid any exposure is to do pedicures for yourself at home. Here are some easy steps to follow that will make sure to keep your feet safe:

1. Soak your feet in warm soapy water for approximately 10 minutes. This helps soften and clean skin and nails.
2. After the foot soaking, gently rub the skin with a pumice stone or emery board. This gets rid of dead skin cells and calluses. Some body scrub products can help exfoliate dead skin. (Please contact our office if you have deep calluses or corns and need help shaving them.)
3. Push back the cuticles with an orange stick or a Hindu stone. Cuticles offer protection from bacteria and infection. Cuticles clearly overhanging the nail margins need to be carefully trimmed. Do not trim any further than the nail margin or draw blood as this can lead to infection.
4. Trim toenails straight across rather than in a curved pattern. This helps prevent ingrown toenails, allowing the straight edge of the nail to advance as one unit. Toenails should be trimmed just enough so that you can see a few millimeters of skin just beyond the nail margin. Nails should not overhang the edge of the toe.
5. Refine the nail edge with an emery board, maintaining the straight edge.
6. Apply cream and moisturizing lotion to the skin and nail margins.
7. Massage the cream or lotion into the feet. A foot massage can help relieve tension and tired, aching feet. You can get a good massage at home by rolling your feet back and forth over a rolling pin or bottle. Specialists in the body's reflexes, called reflexologists, believe that points on the foot correspond to other body parts and ailments can be relieved through reflexology. They believe the ball of the foot has a connection to the lungs, the heel to the lower back, and the great toe to the head. Although no scientific research exists to back up these claims, reflexology does seem to produce positive results in some people.
8. Apply nail polish remover to the nails to gently remove excess lotion. This allows nail polish to adhere better to the nail. To apply nail polish, start with a base coat, followed by one or two coats of the nail color, and, finally, a clear topcoat.
9. Space your pedicures apart by approximately eight weeks.

For people with more serious problems like diabetes, vascular disease, poor circulation, rheumatoid arthritis, or underlying foot deformities, the care of a skilled podiatrist ensures safe and effective treatment.

Medical pedicures are:

• Performed by Dr. Harwood and Dr. Egly, our highly skilled podiatric physicians.
• The most thorough and careful care of the feet and ensure safety and hygiene.
• An opportunity for the doctor to evaluate the overall health of your feet, diagnose other foot conditions, prescribe treatment if needed, and provide education on proper home-care maintenance to keep your feet as healthy as possible.
• Great for Mom's to be, Seniors and Diabetics!

All of the tools our top rated podiatrists use to perform medical pedicures are treated with the same sanitary care as any other medical instruments. She also uses superior treatment products that are specifically made for the care of feet and foot conditions.

If you need these services, call us at Southeast Podiatry to make an appointment with Dr. Brent Harwood or Dr. Brad Egly.