Spring is about to be sprung. For many, this means we already feel guilty for not putting in enough effort to achieve that summer body. Many of us are either looking to frantically do some last minute workout and diets or just to make that guilt go away and feel beautiful and healthy. Without doing any hard work that is. As a result, pedicure season is about to start, a clean, healthy and beautiful foot does a lot for self-confidence, and that's without taking into consideration foot fetishes.
The word itself actually translates to mean 'care of the foot', but how safe is a pedicure really. Pedicures have never been considered risky before but recently an innocent pedicure has resulted in a serious injury to one unfortunate woman.
Like with any service, in particular health and therapy services, you develop a relationship and trust with your favourite therapist. You probably even end up recommending them to all your friends because good service is valuable and hard to come by.
What happens then when your usual trusted pedicurist closes down then? Well, it's inconvenient but you try a new place. It's just a pedicure, the worst thing possible is rude service and a bad quality job, right? Maybe not, it could be a little more serious.
This is what happened to Wilson's mother. Her trusted pedicurist quit her job, so she was forced to try somewhere new and booked an appointment. Unfortunately, her appointment with the new therapist didn't go as smooth as she had hoped.
Shaela Leggett-Wilson's mother when in for a simple pedicure and ended up with a bizarre and horrific result. She ended up in the Intensive Care Unit under doctor's supervision, awaiting surgery on her foot. On top of antibiotics, you'll never guess her treatment.
Shaela Leggett-Wilson told the world of her mother's experience and warned them to beware of pedicures via social media site, facebook. Her warning is like a cold shower of shock. How could something as regular as a pedicure led to he mother's condition.
Her warning reads as follows "Ladies (and fellas) please take extra care when getting a pedicure." She then continues revealing her mother's experience to support her warning. "My mother's regular pedicurist quit her job, so Mom used someone else a few weeks ago."
"Now Mom is in the ICU awaiting surgery to remove all of her toes and part of her foot." You read that right. Not only was she hospitalised and on antibiotics, but she was awaiting surgery too. Not just any minor surgery either, removal of her toes and part of her foot!
Shaela's mother's situation was looking incredibly grim. Luckily, and furthermore, due to the doctor's skill and inventiveness, the amount of amputation need was minimised and much of her foot was able to be salvaged. She ended up only losing her big toe.
While this extreme case is a real eye opener, there are many more other risks on an innocent pedicure. Her we'll give you some tips to avoid disastrous and simply uncomfortable outcomes. Rule number one is, no matter what, don't let them use the bubbles in the foot baths.
According to Dr. Jackie Sutera, a podiatrist based in New York, "The jets in the whirlpool bath can harbor bacteria and fungus,". She estimates that she sees 10 to 12 patients a week with fungal or viral infections caused by these whirlpool baths.
Similar to the doctor's tools, it is of utmost importance that the pedicurist's metal tools are cleaned and sanitise in-between every single patient. Look for tools soak in that blue liquid, that's disinfectant, that should kill all microbes that could cause you to end up with an infection.
The metal tools need to be sanitised, and every other tool is a one time use only. A non-metal tool should be used on you, and only you. If the tool didn't need to be 'unboxed' before being used on you there's a problem unless they're tools you brought from home to be used on only you.
There is a right and wrong way to cut toe nails. If you want to avoid a trip to the doctor, then don't be afraid to tell them exactly how to cut your nails. They need to be cut straight along the contour of the nail, never into the corners.
Yet that's right, if your immune system is compromised you should reconsider getting a pedicure. Furthermore, if you have these conditions it's advised that you avoid pedicures altogether: diabetics, people with HIV, the elderly or anyone with vascular disease or circulation problems because they are more at risk.
