Pedicures

I get asked almost daily what I think about pedicures. I try to be reasonable in my approach. Patients with Diabetes or poor circulation in their feet should not be seen by a pedicurist in my opinion. The risk of infection is too great. Any patient with disease in their nails or ingrown nails should not be treated by a pedicurist, in fact only a licensed physician is legally allowed to treat these conditions. If a patient or pedicurist feels that a disease process or pathology exists then a physician should be consulted. As far as painting toenails I understand that our culture is for this but as a specialist of the foot and ankle who sees what can happen to toenails that are constantly painted I recommend that moderation be considered. I am not saying never except for the instances noted above, but if you are going to get your nails painted do it but do not leave nail polish on for more than two weeks at a time. Remember fungus, mold, and yeast infections love a hot warm moist environment so there is nothing more attractive to an infecting organism!