The Importance of Taking Care of Your Nails

by Kristen White Blogger

Women consider nails a way to enhance how their feet look through proper care and with nail polish, while men typically only do something when a nail starts bothering them. One of the easiest ways to prevent issues in this area is to keep the nails cleaned and trimmed with the proper tools. This can be done at home or by a professional at a nail salon or spa, which should be reviewed for its cleanliness to ensure that the individual does not deal with an infection or accidental cut.

Even with the correct routine maintenance, it is still possible to develop a painful issue such as an ingrown toenail, which can happen because of genetics, type of shoes worn and lifestyle. It’s important to wear shoes that fit comfortably, giving the foot room to move and ‘breathe’, and match the task they are being used for. Individuals that wear pointed high heels throughout an entire day are more at risk for ingrown nails and other foot issues because the appendage is constantly under pressure with no relief and forcing the toes into an unnatural position.

Fungal infections are another common condition especially for athletes or individuals with active lifestyles outdoors. Shoes must be ‘aired out’, dried out from the sweat and cleaned out periodically to remove the bacteria that can develop in the dark environment. A top podiatrist in Houston should be consulted if the signs for any of these three conditions appear and over-the-counter treatment does not work. Antibiotics or a more complex treatment plan may be needed and it is better to get this sooner rather than later when an infection can spread or the issue starts to create problems with walking and in other parts of the foot.

Heel pain can be a result of walking or running differently because the user is trying to ease pressure on one part of the foot that is uncomfortable by placing more pressure on another part. The best solution is to seek professional treatment as soon as possible and get the issue resolved before surgery becomes a necessary option along with a recovery time period requiring the patient to be completely off their feet. Partial nail removals, puncturing a blood hematoma under the nail (or on the toe) and removal of bone growths are just some of the surgical procedures that can apply when nail conditions are left untreated.

The nail may seem like such a small part of the foot but the consequences can be significant when individuals decide to let the problem work itself out but it can’t and so it gets worse. Take care of your feet by making an appointment with the best podiatrist who can perform simple treatments in the office as well as complex hammertoe surgery in Houston so that the treatment matches the problem at the lowest level possible. Mobility takes place with the feet so take preventative measures to keep them pampered and taken care of while knowing where to go if the issue gets worse.