The weather may still be a bit wonky and unpredictable, but that doesn’t mean that your toes don’t deserve some pampering in preparation for spring and summer! For men and women alike, a pedicure can be a great tool for grooming and keeping the feet looking and feeling great.
However, there are times when pedicures can be harmful, rather than helpful. Depending on the health and hygiene practices of each nail salon (or yourself), a pedicure can result in ugly fungal toenails or a bacterial skin infection on your foot.
So what can you do to avoid a “bad” pedicure? Review the following safety tips when getting your toenails done:
- DIY pedicure: One of the safest ways to give yourself a pedicure is to do it yourself. Having your own set of tools makes it easier to make sure that you do not become infected with someone else’s disease. Make sure to soak your toes in warm water before you begin, use tools gently so that you don’t hurt yourself, cut toenails straight across (not rounded), and moisturize the feet after your toenails are dry.
- FIRST!: If you’ve seen this on a social media platform, it means that someone wanted to be the first to comment on a post. In this case, we encourage you to try and be the FIRST to get their nails done for that day. This would (likely) ensure that you are getting sanitized tools and no one else has shared the footbath with you.
- Don’t be THAT person: Who, might you ask, is giving me this fear of infection? Well, it could be anyone! This also means that it can be YOU! If you have a fungal (i.e. Athlete’s foot or fungal toenails), a bacterial (which causes smelly feet), or viral (i.e. warts) infection, try to reschedule your appointment. If you cannot, let one of the pedicurists know so that they can take appropriate steps to protect other people’s feet.
- Diabetic foot care: This includes getting pedicures done or having our podiatrist take care of this. Diabetic patients should be extra careful, especially if they have diabetic neuropathy. Not only is it possible that they will not feel a cut or other injury, it might also take longer to heal said cut/injury.
We have seen patients come in after a botched pedicure job or getting an infection from going to a nail salon. If you need treatment for a pedicure gone wrong, make an appointment to come see us. Call our office at (410) 721-4505 to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll at Crofton Podiatry. He can assess your feet and find you the proper treatment. Our Crofton, MD office also serves the surrounding areas in Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD.