Read up on safety tips for your feet and toes
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
It’s almost time to break out the sandals for spring, but before you prepare your feet to be seen in anything but wooly socks, think about pedicure safety.
If you’re due for a toenail trimming, do so carefully.
“We tell people to use clean instruments for cutting toenails,” said podiatrist Douglas Dickson, associate at CNY Foot Surgery and Podiatry Care, East Syracuse. “If you’re not diabetic and are low risk and if you can reach your toes, you can trim your toenails. We just say cut them straight across. Don’t round the corners or that can cause ingrown toenails.”
It’s advisable to leave a little white crescent. Trimming too closely can cause ingrown toenails.
“See a professional when we’re talking about high-risk people like diabetics or people with poor circulation,” Dickson said.
Many people experience corns and calluses. The foot often forms these growths as a response to ill-fitting shoes. Although they may be unsightly, corns and calluses may not be easily treated at home.
“We don’t advise using any sharp instruments for corns or calluses,” Dickson said. “If they’re thin calluses, use urea cream and a pumice stone. If they’re thick calluses, go to a foot doctor.”
Soaking may help soften corns and calluses so that the pumice stone works better. However, soaking too frequently can dry the skin on the feet, Dickson said. Regular bathing and drying the feet well before putting on socks is the best way to prevent foot problems.
“Most over-the-counter creams are good for rough, dry skin,” Dickson said.
Avoid using moisturizer between the toes. The dark, warm space provides a perfect environment for fungal or bacterial growth. The addition of moisturizer exacerbates this effect.
If you notice a problem with your toenails, see a professional sooner than later.
“Having an ingrown toenail removed by a professional is relatively comfortable,” Dickson said. “Don’t let it go too long; then it could be a problem to deal with. They shouldn’t try to treat an ingrown nail by themselves. If they have pain, they should seek help.”
Pushing back the cuticle can help nail polish last longer. However, Dickson advised against it.
“I wouldn’t mess with the cuticle,” he said. “You don’t want to get anything underneath that can cause an infection.”
Use products as directed with a basecoat, color and topcoat to avoid drying out the nail as much and so the pedicure lasts longer.
If you seek a professional pedicure, select a salon carefully.
“We have a license to do nails,” said Cindy Aoam, manicurist at Idol Nails & Spa in Syracuse. “We hire someone who has a license or they can’t work here.”
You should also ask about the salon’s protocol for hygiene. Poorly cleaned equipment can transmit infections from one client to the next.
“We clean the equipment to sanitize it and clean it after each person,” Aoam said.