Meanwhile on Dr. Oz.....Nail salons are a dirty business!!!!

This is a topic we beat to death, but for good reason, even the most sensible and smart ladies I know(including doctors, lawyers, college professors and my super smart stay at home mom friends) many people who still continue to take the risk of manicures and pedicures even though they know there is a chance they could walk out with an infection.  So this makes me think they really don't realize the risks, and how great the risks are.

Since I am a foot doctor, I am going to stick to the pedicure side of the coin. I can tell you anecdotes over the last 13 years of patients that have come into the office after a  pedicure with an infection that is bacterial or fungal.  I see at least 20 plus patients a week that present to the office with a fungal infection that is a direct result of a pedicure.  I try to make the patient feel better knowing that at least they didn't get a bacterial infection that could have led to limb loss, but somehow this is not comforting to those who just want a pretty nail!  Our need to be beautiful sometimes precedes good common sense and judgement.   The picture to the right is of a fungal nail infection that was a direct result of a pedicure. This is what you put yourself at risk for if you are not asking the right questions at you nail salon. But this is not the worst case scenario of how bad your pedicure can affect your limb.  There are accounts that have been published where nail salon clients walk out unknowingly infected with a bacteria that eventually would lead to amputation or death! (Death By Pedicure, by Dr. Robert Spalding  Chattanooga Fu Fu Factory; 1st edition (August 19, 2006))

Getting a pedicure is sometimes considered a relaxing treat that helps us beautify ourselves at a fraction of the cost of what we spend on our hair.  But the reality is that most of us feel uneasy once we sit in that chair and contemplate the water in the tub below our feet. In a recent episode of Dr. Oz (who by the way gives my patients many terrible ideas for treating their problems, but in this case I agreed with him)he had a certified medical nail tech explain many of the dangers you can encounter in your standard nail salon. People choose the cheap nail salon for a pedicure but may be picking up a problem that could cost them thousands plus dollars to treat and may never get rid of it!

Below is a link to the Dr. Oz episode from this past February, where Dr. Oz and the certified medical nail technician go over the importance of sterilizing instruments that are used for a pedicures. They go over what you should be looking for in your pedicure salon. I recommend watching this clip when you are done with this blog. (warning you have to sit through a 15 second commercial you can't skip but after that it gets good)

http://www.doctoroz.com/article/what-you-need-know-about-your-nail-salon

From Michele McGowan on clipix.com (via doctoroz.com)

A certified medical nail technician is what you will find often times in a podiatrist's office that offers pedicure services.  A certified medical nail technician is licensed via their state that has completed the Advanced Nail Technician Certificate that is above and beyond what their state requires.Cosmetic pedicures are performed by the certified medical nail technician in a podiatry practice.

It always seems like a shameless plug when I mention that we have a technician that performs pedicures in our podiatry office. But the reality is, the only reason we have this service is because we are in the business of keeping feet healthy! So we developed spa services in our office that are for those who care about their feet as much as they care about their hair.  It is sad to to think that some people spend over $150 every 8 weeks for highlights and style for hair but then turn around and cheap out on their feet, which they need to walk on! It is totally true that the cheapest pedicure you can get in our office is an express $50 and our most expensive pedicure is our Therapeutic Spa Pedicure for $65.  But when you have a pedicure in our spa it is not an inflated cost of a pedicure(which you have to watch out for an inflated cost of a pedicure that is not taking your safety into account). What you get is the following The Safe Pedicure Experience:

1.  A sanitation protocol that is above and beyond our surrounding market.  All instruments are autoclaved. No dirty instruments are ever used on a client. Our nail technician uses universal precautions using disposable gloves for each client and she understands that the gloves are to protect not only her but also you!

2.  All buffers and files in our spa are disposable. The use of disposable liners for the tub and a magnetic jet that can be removed and sanitized between each patient goes above and beyond the industry standard.

3. Nail polish is not used from client to client.  In our spa, you pick your color and it goes home with you after the pedicure. Our nail polishes are specially formulated and are 3-free.  They do not contain harmful chemicals that can contribute to unnecessary damage to the nail.  There are many great colors to choose from!

4. My favorite part is that it is private.  It is just you, in an environment that is safe and luxurious.  Our spa is pretty and relaxing.  You can choose to close your eye and rest and you are not hearing a million conversations at once, or you can watch TV or chitty chat with our awesome nail tech Brooke! Brooke has over 10 years experience and is professional who knows what needs more advanced care.

Brooke understands that our spa is different then others and takes great pride in being part of something special.

5.  We also offer other services like the KeryFlex Nail restoration for deformed nails.  KeryFlex a is cosmetic treatment that can give you beautiful nails for up to 8 weeks. This procedure cost $150  and this is not a treatment for nail fungus, but for those who struggle with thick nails and just want to wear sandals for the summer this is an awesome treatment.

If you would like to learn more about our safe pedicure experience visit our website at http://centeranklefootcare.com/id102.html

Also, if you have not listened to our podcast "Is your Pedicure Killing You?" I included the link for you below, it is informational and entertaining.

Remember to take care of your feet, you are only given two so treat them right!

Michele McGowan, DPM
Center for Ankle and Foot Care
Clermont, FL
Summerfield, FL
centeranklefootcare.com

Don't wait to treat your nail fungus!

It's that time of year again, when we are all hiding our toes in shoes during these cold winter months.
Even in Central Florida this weekend we hit below 40 degrees! But we all know that as we thaw out from the winter cold we will be excited to go back to our sandals and flip flops.  Not everyone will be as excited as the next guys.  There are many of you out there suffering with unsightly nail fungus that want to wear the sandals and flip flops, but will cover those tootsies up instead!

We would like to give you reasons why not to wait one more second to treat your nail fungus!  The number one reason to not ignore your nail fungus even one more second is because it takes FOREVER to get rid of your nail fungus!   Even with the latest technology to help improve the appearance of the nails, like the PinPointe Laser we have in our offices, nail fungus is slow to progress after treatment for a couple of years.  So the sooner you get started with your treatment the better chance you have to healthier prettier toe nails.

Over the last several years, our personal approach to treating nail fungus with the PinPointe laser has changed. Currently, we offer patients many choices to help improve the appearance of their nails.  I tell every patient that they will be treating their nail fungus for a long time, they need to have a realistic expectation of the time it takes to win the war on nail fungus.  I also tell every patient that they need to have a home course of care established as well.  And we spend a lot of time talking about avoiding reinfection by avoiding places like pedicures and other high risk places like showers in a gym.

We also speak with the patient about the other big place they get reinfected, which is their shoes! Believe it or not, this is one of the biggest culprits of reinfection for many people.  Fungus is not like bacteria, fungus does not require a live host to thrive.  Translation is, fungus will slough off in your shoes with your dead skin cells and can live for quite some time, you put your shoe back on and BAM you get reinfected!  I tell patients to give their shoes the "sniff test" if your shoes smell like corn chips, it's time to throw them out.  But for the shoes that do not stink I recommend a shoe  sterilizer.  In many studies, the UV light shoe has been proven to kill the fungus and molds that are common causes of nail fungus.  Below I have attached a couple different ones I found on AMAZON.com. Well worth the investment for healthy feet.


Besides sterilizing your shoes, the after care for the laser requires you to use a topical medication.  Some people choose a prescription medication and others want a cheaper but effective alternative. We discuss both with our patients.  When prescription is not an option due to price we often recommend the products below that are a small fraction of the cost of the prescription medication and if used on a regular routine can work very well to protect your investment of the laser. (Topicals will not cure the fungus but can prevent re-infection and prevent your current fungus from getting worse.)




If you are interested in the laser it is best to come in and see Dr. McGowan or Dr. Henne for a consultation.  At our website http://centeranklefootcare.com/id17.html you can go to our Laser Center page to read on and learn more about nail fungus and the laser as a treatment option.

Thanks Santa, for the gift that tells me how much I really do not move:) (Actually my favorite present ever)

After all of the Prime Rib and Turkey with all of the "fixins" and treats that come along with the holidays, sometimes having Santa give you a reminder that you need to move is good! On Christmas morning I awoke to three kids ripping through presents like they were on a mission.  The excitement of this day for a 3,8 and 10 year old is too much for them to contain themselves. Usually, after the kids are done opening their presents and have already moved into the "I need a screwdriver to put batteries in this sucker" phase is when my husband, Tim, and I remember that Santa brought gifts for us too!

Our gifts from Santa are almost always health related or clothes/ sneakers to do something health related.  This year he stuck to this theme but the gifts were just a little different.  Santa brought us a Withings Pulse O2 Activity, Sleep, and Heart Rate + SPO2 Tracker, which is in line with the Fitbit type tracker.  But Santa knew that we needed to have a screen, being very American and requiring instant gratification. Plus we wanted to be able to pass by each other and immediately tell each other who is working harder by looking at our wrist not having to go to our cell phone to get this information, by then we might be too lazy to brag about who works harder!

Santa also thought it would be a great idea to purchase a group gift for Tim and I, he got us the Withings WS-50 Smart Body Analyzer.  This was not a gift I think I would ever be excited about. Most women over 40, we don't usually do back flips over a gift like this, a fancy scale!  A fancy scale that talks to my phone through my WiFi and tells my phone how much I weigh, my body fat percentage, heart rate and continuous indoor air quality.  That last one, indoor air quality, I still don't completely understand.
There was an easy set up for the scale that was simple enough for anyone to figure out.  The scale becomes, a I think, an important component to the whole process.  It is like why programs like Weight Watchers are so successful, accountability, there right in your face, makes a huge difference in some peoples actions.

I would not usually review a product so quickly but in all honesty, in just one week Tim and I have broken many bad habits due to "the power of the Withings."  The features of the tracker are the following: it monitors all of my steps from the moment I get up until I set it to sleep mode at night.  It also tracks elevation, heart rate, distance, calories and is a watch. I have to say I was truly surprised my first day back at work at how hard it was to get past 5,000 steps.  I am constantly moving when I am at work, running from patient treatment room to treatment room.  So I thought by 5pm I would be over 10,000 steps, wrong! I was tired after my first day back  from Christmas vacation but my Withings said I only burned 150 calories and walked 5,000 steps so I had to show this watch who was boss and I got on the treadmill until I was over 10,000 steps.  Yes, this is crazy but if it keeps the competitive individual from getting lax then I am all for it.  My husband Tim not wanting to be outdone also wanted to show the watch who was boss, but his approach was a little different. Actually, he used the clip accessory and attached it to our dog, he says it was a joke but I will be suspicious if he starts doing 20,000 steps every day:)

Like any exercise program or diet the hardest part is sometimes just starting.  This is a great way to start something new and have some accountability.  Tim and I have a daily challenge of who has completed more steps and this is a friendly competition.  I personally have made better food choices as well, just in case the scale mixes up our weights and Tim starts getting my body fat percentage and weight.

So my thoughts are, no band will make you magically "fit".  Only eating right and exercising daily will truly do this but a fitness tracker like the Withings and the scale  is a nice way to have some accountability and maybe inspire those of us who think we are working hard to push ourselves just a little more to stay healthy. The App for the Withings is available on Iphone and Android phones and gives you the ability to challenge friends or spouses daily and lets you know who is winning, I am all about winning:)

I believe Santa may have bought these items on Amazon as he would have gotten the best prices. I included a link to both if you are interested in taking "steps" in the right direction for your health.

If you are interested in learning more about foot or ankle problems visit us at our website: http://centeranklefootcare.com/