Chiropody

Difference between chiropody and pedicure

Having beautiful feet is not the same as having healthy feet. Many people who worry about having well-cared feet decide to go to a professional. To provide them with the care they need, it is necessary to differentiate between two treatments that are often confused; chiropody and pedicure which, contrary to what many people think, are not the same.

 

If you want your feet to look not only beautiful and cared for, but also healthy, you need to know how to distinguish between these two treatments and go to the right professional.

 

If you want your feet to look not only beautiful and cared for, but also healthy, it is necessary to know about the Unterscheidung between these two treatments and go to the right professional.

Chiropody

Chiropody is the medical treatment through which the podiatrist, who is the professional in charge of carrying it out, can achieve the comprehensive care of patients’ feet. The podiatrist, through chiropody, deals with treating and curing foot diseases from a medical perspective.

 

Chiropody is performed by a professional podiatrist and includes the treatment of pathologies such as: ingrown toenails, calluses and corns on the feet, and other alterations that produce pain that make it difficult for the patient to walk normally and have a healthy footprint.

 

The podiatrist is also in charge of detecting, at the moment the chiropody is being carried out, other possible ailments: papillomas, bunions, plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, hyperkeratosis, diabetic foot, sports injuries, claw toes, foot fungus, etc.

 

These diseases can have effects not only on the patient’s feet, but also on other parts of the body producing: hip, back or knee pain. To prevent these pains, it is very important to visit a podiatrist who will apply the most suitable medical treatment in each case.

 

Chiropody is a painless, brief and effective treatment, since it is performed by a professional. In addition, in some cases it is necessary to use local anesthesia to prevent the patient from suffering when the necessary treatment may cause pain, it is necessary that a medical professional who is placing this anesthesia.

 

Pedicure

A pedicure is a cosmetic treatment of the feet. In this treatment the nails are filed superficially, the “dead” skin is cut, and aesthetic products such as moisturizer to give a more beautiful appearance to the feet or nail polish are placed on the nails.

 


It is a purely aesthetic procedure for this reason the person who performs it will be a beautician, not a professional podiatrist. It is important to remember that the pedicure does not guarantee a complete care of the feet, they will look more beautiful but this does not mean that they are healthier.

 


When the pedicure is not performed correctly, it is possible that the patient’s feet may suffer injuries, for example, if the beautician has removed the cuticle too much, or has not filed and cut the nails correctly. This can cause the nails to become ingrown and, therefore, the patient may suffer pain in the feet. On the other hand, if you are dealing with a good esthetician, this should not occur during a pedicure in any case.

 


In a pedicure, calluses or corns can be treated, but only superficially. When these are deeper, the pedicure will not be able to remove them and they will regenerate again.

 

 

 

Conclusion

As you can see, to take care of the health of your feet, and not only their aesthetics, it is necessary to visit a podiatrist. 

More information and contact: PodoStudi

 

Source: Masquemedicos

Removing a callus at home can seriously harm the health of the feet

The Official College of Podiatrists (ICOPCV) has warned that removing a callus at home can seriously harm the health of the feet, being an “extremely dangerous” practice for diabetics or anticoagulated people.

 


“We have to bear in mind that a callus is a sign of poor support and may be more than a hardness that we have to remove for simple aesthetics. Hyperkeratosis is one of our body’s responses to excess friction and/or pressure on the certain areas of the foot. And it is essential to go to a podiatrist to find out the cause of this overpressure in the area”, explained the president of the ICOPCV, Pilar Nieto.

 


A callus is produced because the body produces keratinocytes (epidermal cells) in response to an external stimulus, creating layers and layers, until hyperkeratosis appears. It is a defense mechanism that causes layers of devitalized tissue to accumulate in an attempt to prevent the area from suffering a major injury, such as an ulceration.

 


“We absolutely do not recommend treating calluses at home because the appearance of a callus is a symptom of something that needs a solution in our lower limb. Mainly, it means that there is poor support when walking, therefore, it must be corrected with the appropriate treatment. In addition, it can hide a bone deformity that, although it may not be evident at the moment, may do so in the future, affecting the person’s biomechanics,” said the vice president of the ICOPCV, Maite García.

 


On the other hand, podiatrists have also warned that some types of calluses are often confused with plantar warts and, if they are filed off, the pathology could worsen since they require specific treatment and, furthermore, they are contagious.

 


“There is a belief that calluses can be removed on their own, but this is not the case. Only when a podiatrist finds the origin can it be treated. Sometimes templates are required and, on other occasions, excision of the callus. In cases more severe, surgery may be needed,” Nieto clarified.

 


Likewise, the ICOPCV has reported that calluses worsen in smokers due to the effects that nicotine has on skin cells. Finally, they have remembered that if greater wear of the footwear is detected on the outside or inside, it is important to go to the foot health specialist to be able to balance the tread in the most appropriate way, since this will help prevent future injuries and pain in the members of the musculoskeletal system.

More information and contact: PodoStudi

Source: Murcia Plaza