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There are some things that people think they’re doing to help their feet, but they aren’t. Whether they start from myths that have been around for years or old advice that has since been debunked, today Dr. Joel Segalman, Dr. Stephen Lazaroff, and Dr. Brittany Ciaramello at Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC are highlighting three of these misconceptions.
Cutting a notch in an ingrown toenail will relieve the pressure. Some people believe that cutting a V-shaped notch in a toenail that becomes ingrown will help relieve the pressure and diminish its tendency to grow inward. However, footwear that squeezes the toes too tightly often is the cause of ingrown toenails. That’s an outside force, so cutting a notch is not going to help the situation.
Thinking that corns have roots and warts have seeds.Plantar warts do not have seeds that need to be removed to get rid of the problem. Those little flecks are small blood vessels that have been clotted due to the development of the wart and are completely harmless. What causes a wart is a virus, so removing seeds will not make it go away.
The best way to get rid of warts is through professional treatment from a podiatrist who can identify and address the cause of the rubbing. You should never conduct any self-surgery on your own to address any issue with your feet!
Also, there are no roots on a corn that need to be detached to get rid of it. In reality, corns provide a shield against rubbing and other irritating factors by hardening.
Moisturizing your feet too much. Avoiding dryness in your feet is important to prevent cracks and chances for infections. However, there can be too much of a good thing. Applying moisturizer each day is fine, but the amount you use and how you use it is important. Putting too much lotion on and then putting on socks on is can lead to skin problems.
This is true, particularly between the toes because excess moisture can become trapped there and cause problems. If you are diabetic, you need to be extra careful when putting the lotion in between your toes, or not put it there at all.
What seems like the best advice may not always lead you down the correct path. Dr. Joel Segalman, Dr. Stephen Lazaroff, and Dr. Brittany Ciaramello at Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC can get you on the right path to the best care and maintenance of your feet.
We serve both New Haven County and Fairfield County areas. Contact us today to schedule an appointment by calling our Waterbury office at (203) 755-0489 or our Newtown location at (203) 270-6724.