Pedicures Flashcards
What can painful or abnormal feet lead to?
Bad posture, fatigue, headaches, muscular cramps and backaches.
What time of day should you always buy shoes and why?
When buying shoes it is a good idea to purchase them in the afternoon, since the foot can increase by one size in length during the day, particularly if you have been on them a lot and the day is muggy.
Visiting your esthetician is as important as what?
For most people living an average kind of life, a regular monthly visit to an esthetician is as important as a regular visit to the dentist.
How many bones are in the feet?
There are 52 bones in the feet, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles.
What is a callous?
A callous is the most common condition found. It is a normal protective function of the skin to react to aggressive friction and pressure. The thicker they are the more uncomfortable. If a callous is thick there may be burning or itching underneath. If the callous has intermittent pressure, it can turn into a corn. Thick callouses may fissure. Thickened skin has no flexibility causing it to crack with pressure.
What are risk factors with callouses?
- Shores or stockings that are too tight.
- Persons who stand a great deal.
- Bone structure; the metatarsal head has fallen and receives more weight causing friction in the localized area from walking.
What do you use to treat callouses?
- Professional; footlogix callous softener, leave 2-5 mins.
- Use a pedicure wand to remove thick callous.
- Homecare; footlogix very dry skin, or cracked heel formula.
What are corns?
Corns are thickened dense areas of skin forming a raised appearance. They grow from the outside inward and are about the size of peas. They are typically situated on pressure areas such as the toes, or ball of the foot. Corns have cone shaped cores which pass on the nerves to cause a dull discomfort or sharp pain.
What are risk factors for corns?
Continuous pressure and friction on pressure points.
How do you treat corns?
Professional; footlogix callous softener leave 2-5 minutes
- corn pads will help to relieve pressure and cut down on pain.
- can be removed professionally by a podiatrist
- use pedi-wand to relieve pressure on surface.
Homecare; footlogix very dry skin formula daily.
What are interdigital or soft corns?
They are corns found between the toes that are kept soft due to perspiration. People with soft corns have increased discomfort especially when there is a change in the temperature. Increase in humidity causes the corn to swell and causing it to go in deeper.
What are risk factors for soft corns?
The large joint rubbing against the skin on the other toe.
How do you treat interdigital or soft corns?
They can be removed by a podiatrist. Use footlogix callous spray and leave for 2-5 minutes and use a pedi-wand or nail file to reduce thickening on the surface.
What are bunions?
A bunion is the enlargement and thickening of the big joint of the big toe, being the big toe towards the little toe.
Shoes are not made to accommodate bunions so the areas often become irritated with redness and swelling.
What are risk factors for bunions?
- Bunions can be inherited trait; Hallux values
- Women are more likely to develop a bunion due to wearing shoes that are too narrow in the forefoot and toe.
- Wearing high heels often and for long periods of time, can increase the risk of getting a bunion.
- Can be a sign of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
What is the treatment for bunions?
Proper fitting shoes that do not cramp the metatarsal and toe area.
Soaking the feet in warm water to relieve pain.
Massaging the joint using circular movement.
Surgery to realign soft tissue and bone.
What is athletes foot?
- A fungal infection usually starts between the toes, where the skin is warm, moist and hidden from light, and often spreads to other areas of the foot.
- Symptoms like painful itching between toes, cracked or scaly skin, small blisters and red irritated skin patches.
- Common fungal infection that 9 out of 10 people will get at some time. Skin may be dry and scaly on the sole of the foot extending up the side of the foot often mistaken for eczema.
What causes athletes foot?
- Severe dehydration allows fungus to invade
- Excessive perspiration of the feet.
- Barefoot in the public places (swimming pool, shower)
- Coming in contact with a person that has athletes foot.
- Can also be picked up off carpet and floors.
- Fungus invades the skin.
How do you treat athletes foot?
- Keep feet clean and hydrated.
- Dry between the toes.
- Use a foot powder to help keep feet dry throughout the day.
- Change shoes often, allowing shoes to dry out.
- Wear clean socks and tights everyday.
- Wear protective footwear around swimming pool and shower areas.
- Do not share footwear.
Homecare; footlogix peeling skin formula or rough skin formula.
What are common warts of verruca vulgaris?
- Firm papule with a rough surface
- Most frequently found on hands but can be found on the face or body.
- Dark in colour
- May increase in size as the virus spreads
What are flat warts or verruca plana?
- Are smooth, pearly epidermal elevations
- About the size of pinheads
- Usually in groups and situated of the face and hands.
What are plantar warts or verruca plantaris?
- Small swellings of the skin, usually found on the thick skin of the soles of the feet.
- Flattened by pressure so they do not project beyond the surface.
- Can become painful, as it is pushed inward.
What causes warts?
- Warts are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
- Warts are contagious and can be acquired by contact with another person suffering the condition.
How do you treat warts?
- Warts may disappear spontaneously.
- They can be removed by a family physician using liquid nitrogen.
- Medicated wart removers containing salicylic acid.
What are ingrown toenails?
Ingrown toenails typically only affect the big toe. The edge of the nail is driven into soft tissue by the pressure of tight shoes, or a crushing blow.
What are risk factors with ingrown toenails?
- Accident to the nail, dropping something on the toe.
- Wrong cutting
- Congenital
- Nail breaks the skin of the nail wall and grows into the skin.
How do you treat ingrown toenails?
- Cutting the nail properly; straight across with the corners slightly rounded.
- Use corner file to relieve pressure in the nail grooves. Buff the nail to thin it down giving the nail more flexibility.
- If infected advise them to see a physician.
Why is cutting a v in the toenail not an effective way to treat an ingrown toenail?
Cutting a āvā in the centre of the nail to relieve pressure, is not recommended, as this will only last a few days. Nails may get caught on stockings causing damage to the nail or nail bed.
What are the symptoms of poor blood circulation?
Persistent unusual feeling of cold, numbness, tingling, burning or fatigue in the feet and legs, usually marks this condition. Other symptoms include discoloured skin, dry skin, absence of hair on feet and legs, or cramping or tightness in leg muscles.
How should you treat the feet of clients with poor blood circulation?
Feet should be bathed daily and blotted not rubbed, and dried. A foot cream with camphor in it can be applied to help the circulation and keep help the skin retain its moisture. It is important never to soak feet for more than 10 minutes.
What makes diabetics more susceptible to foot problems?
Poor blood circulation and diminished sensitivity are complications of diabetics, making diabetics especially vulnerable to foot problems. Keeping feet warm and wearing non restrictive shoes is important for diabetics.
What should diabetics avoid when it comes to foot care?
Diabetics should avoid cutting callouses and corns and using any product that contains salicylic acid.
What are some congenital foot problems?
- Not enough toes
- Too many toes
- Webbed toes
- Club foot
What are some acquired foot problems?
- Hammer toes - toes are pushed up, toenails become thicker, can develop corns on top or end of toes caused by shoes that are too short.
- Flat foot - arch of foot has fallen, see a chiropodiatrist for inserts for shoes
- Callouses
- Corns
