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Dublin, OH 43017
Phone: (614) 859-FEET (3338)
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Posts for tag: nail fungus laser

By drbhatia
May 21, 2012
Category: Foot Care

 

Womens Health, Columbus Womens Podiatrist, athletes foot, nail fungus, nail fungus laser, foot health during pregnancy, foot cancer, Columbus Podiatry, Dublin Podiatry, Female PodiatristWomen around Columbus took part in a variety of activities celebrating National Women’s Health Week over the past week.  Local YMCA branches offered free health screenings, and events promoting a healthy lifestyle including a “Fitness Friday”.  Feet play a huge role when it comes to screening for health problems and maintaining good health for women. 

According to the American Diabetes Association, 10.8% of women over 20 years of age have diabetes.  This means that teaching women with diabetes how to care for their feet is a huge focus in women’s health.  In people with diabetes, their elevated blood sugars impair the function of white blood cells which are responsible for fighting off infection.  Because of this, serious infections can happen more easily in people with diabetes.  Foot infections are the most common infection individuals with diabetes develop.  Women with diabetes should schedule annual podiatric exams and always call their podiatrist at the first signs of infection in their feet.  The cardinal signs of infection to watch for are swelling, pain, redness, increased warmth of the skin around a wound, and loss of the normal function of the foot.  Foot health during pregnancy should always be monitored as it can be an important indicator of health problems, but pregnant women also need to focus on preventing the condition called “gestational diabetes”.  Women who develop this pre-diabetes condition during pregnancy are at a greatly increased risk of developing full blown diabetes type 2 and the foot and ankle complications it brings with it.

With summer on the horizon, many women will want their feet and toenails to look nice so they can wear their tall sandals out or go to the beach without feeling embarrassed by their toes.  One of the most important things women should do to care for their feet in the warm weather is to always apply sunscreen to the tops of the feet anytime the skin will be exposed, including when wearing strappy sandals.  This is one of the most missed areas for sunscreen application and creates high risk of developing malignant melanoma, or skin cancer in the foot.  Before summer, many women would like to get rid of dry scaly skin, and unattractive, thick, crusty toenails.  If your dry skin does not improve with moisturizing lotion, it can be a sign of a fungal infection or athlete’s foot and you should contact your podiatrist to receive anti-fungal medication.  Thick, discolored nails are also a sign of fungal infection.  Toenail fungus is very difficult to treat in the short period of time left to be ready for beach season, unless you choose to undergo treatment from the PinPointe Foot Laser.  Normally, when nails are infected with a fungus, nail polish should not be worn on the toes because it covers the fungus and allows it to continue growing and thriving.  However, with the PinPointe system, immediately after the treatment nails can be painted over and ready for your next pool party!

Please visit www.ColumbusFoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Westerville. If you would like to see a podiatrist in Dublin, Ohio near Tuttle Crossing, call 614-885-3338 for an appointment.

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia

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By drbhatia
June 27, 2011
Category: Foot Care

 

It is that perfect time of summer to head from Columbus, Ohio to the nearby beach at Alum Creek State Park, or your favorite local pool.  While you may be looking great in your new bathing suit, you want your feet to also look healthy when your toes are on display for everyone to see. 

If your toes are not the translucent, shiny nails that you would want to see, and are instead are becoming thickened, and discolored this could be a sign that you have developed a fungus in your toenails. The nails will become brittle, flaky and chalky and the nail discoloration can range from yellow to brown or even black if the fungus developed after a nail was bruised. 

Especially in the summer, prevention is critical to avoiding a toenail fungus.   A toenail fungus can initially be picked up as Athlete’s foot or a foot fungus on the skin, before it invades the nails.  Fungus can be transmitted from skin cells that have been shed, which naturally occurs from both healthy and unhealthy skin.  Fungus also thrives growing in places that are damp, dark and warm.  Based off of these ways that a nail fungus is transmitted, it is important to keep you feet dry and clean and avoid being barefoot in wet areas where many other people are barefoot, including locker rooms, pools, and water parks. 

While some fungal infections can often be treated with over the counter creams, fungal toenails require seeing a physician for treatment that will actually get rid of the fungus before it becomes painful.  Because nails grow relatively slowly and to cure toenail fungus you want to make sure it is completely gone, prescription oral medications typically require being taken for at least 12 weeks, with some medications requiring even longer.  While often helpful in clearing up toenail fungus, patients should know that there are some possibly serious risks involved with taking an oral antifungal medication, including liver and kidney problems.  There is also a more recent FDA approved, less risky and less time-consuming way to treat toenail fungus called the Pinpointe Foot Laser.  Utilizing the Pinpointe Foot Laser to remove fungus from a toenail is painless, takes only 30-40 minutes and has no health restrictions or adverse side effects.  Whatever treatment option you choose, it is important to take care of your toes and call your podiatrist at the first sign of abnormal changes to keep your toenails healthy and ready to be shown off during summer and all year round!

Please visit www.columbusfoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Worthington.

By Dr. Animesh (Andy) Bhatia

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Podiatrist - Animesh Bhatia, D.P.M., C.W.S. , Sarah Newby, D.P.M. , Columbus OH, 43235, Dublin, OH 43017, (614) 885-3338
If you are in search of an experienced podiatrist in Columbus Ohio, you have come to the right place. Our podiatrists in Columbus, OH and Dublin, OH are highly skilled in many aspects of podiatric treatments. Selecting a foot doctor in your area can be a difficult task, but it doesn't have to be, especially when you have Dr. Bhatia and Dr. Newby as options.