Feet First Clinic is excited to announce its 12th anniversary on September 1, 2021! After 12 years of caring for people’s feet at our Toronto Foot Clinic, we want to take this opportunity to show gratitude and give back to our patients, partners, practitioners and everyone in the community who helped get us to where we are today.
As healthcare professionals, our goal has always been to achieve the best standards for our patients, and we couldn’t do it without our wonderful patients and caring staff. So, to celebrate our Bloor West foot clinic, we’re heading down memory lane (and also looking to the future!) by revisiting our clinic’s foot care services over the last 12 years.
Let’s Celebrate 12 Years of Foot Care!
Our Toronto foot specialists have offered our beloved patients an array of foot care services for the past 12 years and will proudly continue to do so. These services all promote overall foot health, maintenance and prevention of various foot conditions. From medical pedicures to diabetic foot care, the past 12 years have been an amazing journey in which our friendly foot staff has helped people from all walks of life achieve foot health, and as a result, a better quality of life. Some of these foot care services include:
- Medical Pedicures, Nail Care and Skincare
- Diabetic foot care
- Footwear
- Foot care products
Nail Care, Skincare & Medical Pedicures
Nail Care & Ingrown Toenails
Our toenails can give us a lot of grief when they’re not properly cared for. There’s a lot more to caring for our toenails than you’d expect, and if it’s not done right, it can lead to complications like cracked toenails and ingrown toenails. Ingrown toenails in particular can be a real pain. Commonly affecting the big toe, symptoms include pain and redness along the edge of the nail. In serious cases, infections can occur, causing tenderness, swelling and pus. With our nail care services, our chiropodists can detect the formation of an ingrown toenail and treat it in many different ways, depending on its severity.
The thickness and composition of our toenails also change over time. They can yellow, thicken and become brittle and delicate. When this happens, they become prone to other nail issues that can ultimately lead to discomfort and pain. Fortunately, our services are designed to address all these things: In addition to proper trimming and filing, nail care treatment also involves strengthening the cuticles and the nails themselves.
Want to learn more about toenail care? Check out these articles:
- Simple Hacks to Prevent Cracked Toenails
- Black Toenails: Everything You Need to Know
- How to Cut Your Toenails Like a Professional
Skincare, Calluses & Corns
When we think of skincare, our feet are sometimes the last body parts that come to mind. A common misconception is that the skin on our feet doesn’t need as much care and attention as other body parts, like the face and hands. This couldn’t be further from the truth! For 12 years and counting, we’ve been providing foot care services that treat the skin on our feet. Foot care for the skin typically involves targeting and preventing various conditions, such as:
- Calluses: Our chiropodists can soften and remove calluses using sterilized tools.
- Blisters: Includes blister drainage and preventing infection.
- Corns: Similar to calluses, foot specialists can shave down corns.
- Cracked heels: Focuses on skin rejuvenation and restoring the skin’s natural elasticity.
- Diabetes-related complications: This involves inspecting the feet for wounds and managing other skin issues on the feet, like corns, calluses, etc. Keep reading to learn more about our diabetic foot care services.
Looking for more info on skincare for your feet? Check out these posts:
Medical Pedicures
Of course, it’s always ideal to prevent issues before they happen and start causing problems. That is why Feet First offers medical pedicures to our patients. With a medical pedicure, you can care for both your toenails and skin in the same appointment. A critical aspect of foot care, medical pedicures are all about prevention and upkeep. They keep your nails clean and are a key component to overall foot health. Not only do they tackle potential foot conditions like ingrown toenails, calluses, and fungal infections, but they also keep your nails and feet looking their absolute best.
Routine medical pedicures differ from cosmetic pedicures by focusing on healthy feet rather than aesthetics (although your feet always look amazing afterwards!) Our medical pedicure service includes an examination, precise nail trimming, and thorough cleaning of the cuticles and nail folds. Next, your chiropodist smoothens your nails with a file and inspects your feet for corns, calluses and any skin irregularities. Your chiropodist can then remove or soften any calluses. The process ends with a rejuvenating moisturizing session to prevent cracked and dry skin. The foot care products used at our Toronto foot clinic are specially designed to strengthen the skin’s natural protective properties and help it retain moisture. This helps prevent calluses, corns and blisters, protects your feet from the elements, and keeps them looking soft and smooth.
More resources on medical pedicures:
Diabetic Foot Care
Helping people with diabetes is one of the most important foot care services at Feet First Clinic. Diabetic neuropathy can cause loss of sensation to the limbs and feet. This is problematic because pain is our body’s way of telling us something is wrong so that we can fix it: if we lose feeling in our feet, it means we may not notice if there’s something wrong that needs our attention.
On top of that, diabetic patients don’t have enough blood flow to their feet due to peripheral vascular disease. Good blood flow is required to stimulate the body’s healing process and immune response. Without it, the feet cannot heal properly from wounds. That means otherwise benign issues that typically go away on their own, like a callus or sore, cannot heal properly and may become infected. Even worse, the compromised immune system in diabetes patients means infections can easily grow and spread. Without proper foot care, this can lead to ulcers, gangrene, or – worst case scenario – amputation.
Therefore, to manage and prevent complications, it’s important to be proactive and get regular treatment from a foot specialist for routine foot care. For the past 12 years and for years to come, our Toronto chiropodists pride themselves in providing the following services for diabetes patients:
- Regular foot assessments: We can’t stress this enough: Regular foot assessments are a must for diabetes patients. Our chiropodists inspect each foot for early ulcer development and other abnormalities. Because diabetic patients are prone to blood circulation and nerve issues, our foot specialists also assess blood flow in the calf and foot area and check the feet for any nerve damage. This is crucial for people with diabetes.
- Nail and skincare: Diabetic feet are very sensitive and prone to complications, so the nails and skin require extra special care and attention. It can be hard to do this yourself to the level and precision required for diabetic patients: When you have diabetes, accidental cuts, nicks and irritations that may occur with DIY care or at a nail salon is a risk you cannot afford. That is why our chiropodists offer regular nail and skin care specially catered to the needs of diabetic feet. They also always look for other skin issues, like calluses, lacerations, skin irritation, and more. This is imperative to avoid infections.
- Wound inspection: Again, diabetic neuropathy can lead to unnoticed wounds on the feet, and poor blood flow means these wounds may not properly heal. A chiropodist can inspect for wounds, nicks, cuts or scratches during foot care assessments, so you can nip any nicks in the you-know-what before they become an issue.
Here are some more blog posts on diabetic foot care:
Foot Care Products
As your one-stop-shop for all things foot-related, we offer more than just foot care services! We’re also dedicated to offering only the best foot care products. Foot care products that clean and deodorize your feet, protect your feet from future conditions, and moisturize your feet go hand-in-hand with foot care services! Check below for some information about some of the products we highly recommended:
Creams
Moisturizing is more than soft, silky skin: Moisture is also key to maintaining your skin’s protective properties and resiliency. Keeping our feet properly moisturized helps to prevent many foot conditions like calluses, corns, blisters, cracked heels and more. Gehwol’s foot creams do just that! They work by locking in moisture and supporting skin renewal. They contain high concentrations of urea, which is the compound responsible for helping moisture bind to your skin, so you don’t need to worry about having to keep reapplying your moisturizer as soon as it’s absorbed. On top of keeping your feet protected, these luxurious products make your feet feel amazing. By incorporating lush ingredients like honey extract, milk peptides, and avocado oil, Gehwol’s foot creams leave your feet feeling exceptionally polished and soft.
A patient and chiropodist favourite is Gehwol’s Lipidro Cream. It replenishes and restores the naturally occurring lipids in our skin, so the skin on your feet stays strong and resilient.
Salves and balms
Our Med Salve from Gehwol is perfect for healing cracked heels and skin on the feet. If you struggle with cracked, inflamed skin, it’s a good idea to invest in this product. It’ll help reduce inflammation, and regular application helps your skin become more resilient over time. Ingredients include Vaseline, Bisabolol, zinc oxide, eucalyptus oil and medicated soap. Gehwol also has a leg balm that keeps your calves feeling rejuvenated, and is great for massaging tired, sore muscles.
Deodorants
A crucial part of foot care is fighting embarrassing foot odour. When you kick your shoes off for the day, you want your feet to smell nice and feel soft and smooth. Not only that, but your feet and shoes should coexist happily, which means avoiding a damp, itchy environment (fungal infections love those!) To achieve this, Gehwol has several different types of deodorants! From their deodorant spray to their cream, they all successfully keep your feet dry, fight fungal growth, and defeat foot odour.
Cushioning and Pads
Sometimes foot care is about preventing a foot condition from getting worse! For instance, Gehwol’s cushioning pads are excellent for helping with hammertoes. Furthermore, their toe protection rings help prevent warts and corns from worsening, and their gel pads are ideal for avoiding callus formation and worsening.
Foot files
Filing the bottoms of your feet is an enjoyable part of self-care, and of course, foot care. With a foot file, you can experience one of the best parts of a pedicure from home! Use it to scrape away dead skin, buff your feet and soften calluses. It comes with a soft and rough side, which work together to keep your feet looking their best.
Footwear
Footwear is a significant part of foot care! Ill-fitting, unsupportive for poorly constructed footwear is often the culprit behind many common foot issues. Well-fitted footwear with enough breathing room, cushioning, arch support and shock absorption is a crucial aspect of keeping your feet healthy. Your shoes should never rub against your feet uncomfortably. If they do, it creates a breeding ground for blisters, cracked toenails (from toenails repeatedly hitting the sides of the shoes), corns, and more! (Not to mention general foot pain). Furthermore, if you’re prone to ingrown toenails and would like to avoid them, you should make sure your shoes have enough room in the toe box.
Regularly checking in on your footwear to make sure your foot needs are being met can also help manage debilitating foot pain. Prevention is crucial, so investing in your footwear early and incorporating it into your foot care routines can only benefit you! Everyone owes it to themselves to make sure their footwear supports their biomechanical needs, so their muscles and joints can stay healthy and injury-free. Keeping track of your footwear and regularly replacing worn-out shoes should be a major component of anyone’s foot care routine.
Here are some examples of footwear services available at our Bloor West foot clinic designed to help you care for your feet:
More resources on footwear:
- How Important are Running Shoes?
- Orthotics 101: Our Complete Guide To Custom Orthotics
- Is Compression Gear Worth it?
Here’s to Many More Years of Foot Care!
At Feet First Clinic, we’re always excited to welcome new clients! After a successful 12 years of treating our amazing patients, we’re ready to continue offering only the best foot care services and products. Give us a call to ask our friendly staff any questions you may have! Our Toronto foot specialists are ready to help!
Call us at 416-769-3338 or Book Your Assessment Today!
