A bunion is a bony overgrowth at the metatarsophalangeal joint. Bunions are hereditary, however, some factors are known to cause flareups.
For example, people who wear tight and/or pointed toe shoes, stand for a long time, or do a lot of walking tend to see exacerbated symptoms.
Bunions are a painful condition that feels like a throbbing ache.
Bunion treatment
Bunions will not go away on their own, but the symptoms can be alleviated. Bunion treatment varies by severity. In mild cases, changing your footwear and regular pedicures should do the trick. Massaging the joints and warming them with paraffin alleviates the pain.
Ask your Service Provider for foot care tips. Practicing regular foot care helps improve the esthetic appeal of your feet. It also helps maintain the overall health of your feet.
Other treatments for mild cases include toe separators. Wearing them throughout the day or sleeping with them on will reduce tension. More serious cases require a bunion corrector that will fix the issue, not simply reduce the tension. Bunion correctors are a step before surgery.
In general, poor foot hygiene is a cause of nail fungus. It is important to cut the toenails and clean underneath regularly. Keeping them long creates unnecessary pressure.
Properly drying your feet is a must. Wiping your feet on the bath mat after your shower or bath is not enough. A proper drying is necessary, especially for overweight people.
Aside from poor hygiene, there are 3 major categories of nail fungus sources:
Ill-fitted shoes
Tight-fitting shoes create pressure that traumatizes the nail therefore making it vulnerable to infections.
Improper pedicures
What constitutes an improper pedicure? Examples include reusing of disposable tools, poor cleaning protocols, and cross contamination. The risk of cross contamination is high when a Service Provider jumps between two simultaneous pedicures in order to maximize the number of clients served.
People with healthy, unbroken skin won’t regularly have an issue with improper pedicures. However, someone with unhealthy feet may fall prey to a fungus infection.
Shoe humidity
Athletes are most likely to develop fungus infections due to the humidity in their shoes. In addition, they often use locker rooms which are known to provide conditions that make fungi thrive (humidity).
In addition to humidity, runners in particular create extra pressure as their feet pound the pavement. This pressure traumatizes the nail therefore making it vulnerable to infections.
Can nail fungus cure itself?
Nail fungus cannot cure itself. A nail fungus can be compared to a parasite. Unless you remove one of the ideal conditions, fungus will continue to thrive. Ideal conditions include humidity, darkness, warm temperature, and nutrients (for example, dirt or dead skin cells).
What happens when left untreated?
There are many reasons to treat a fungal infection aside from the foot not being esthetically pleasing. Firstly, it will cause embarrassing odour. If left untreated long enough it starts to mutate. The fungus starts growing roots under the nails which bury themselves in the nail bed causing it to “pump” itself up. This pumping manifests as thick nails. Once roots starts growing, the fungus can spread to other nails or other people.
Can I wear nail polish if I have a fungal infection?
We recommend that you not apply colour nail polish on an infected toenail. A clear coat is ok, but colours will create an umbrella effect giving the fungi the darkness it needs to thrive. Its like a bug living under a log.
Another reason to refrain from nail polish is to avoid contamination of your nail polish. Once a bottle of polish has been contaminated it can spread to other fingers and people who use your polish.
Prevention tips
Do not share socks or shoes.
Sock material- not all socks are made of cotton. Some are made of acrylic/nylon material which are more likely to cause feet to sweat.
Do not wear the same shoes 2 days in a row, especially closed-toed shoes made from material that builds moisture.
Do not wear poor quality shoes. Some shoes are made of plastic and the paint on the shoes is also plastic which causes sweaty feet and bacteria.
Clean and dry feet properly.
Do not cut nails so short that it breaks the seal.
Wear sandals in locker rooms.
Nail Fungus Treatment
There are different levels of nail fungus treatment.
Anti-fungal drops
This is something you can do at home. The natural toenail takes one year to replace itself. This is the amount of time it will take to care for your feet with drops.
Advanced pedicure
In an Anti-Fungal Tx, we cut the nail down to a safe point in order to cut and scoop as much fungus out. We then insert soaked therapeutic pads where the fungus was removed. As a result, there is less area for moisture to collect.
Your service provider will provide you with post care to continue to care for your infected nail at home.
Weather-wise it’s been a great summer in Edmonton, Alberta. Now that it’s coming to an end, it’s time to consider a skin recovery plan. Hiding behind a tan is the damage left behind by heat and harmful sun rays.
Whether you’d like to remove sun spots, or regain some elasticity, a photofacial is great for skin recovery. Throughout September 2022, receive 25% off ANY full face photofacial. This special is not valid with any other promotion. Offer is valid from September 1-30, 2021. No pre-purchasing.
Like mother earth deep cleaning to make room for new life, a facial provides a deep cleanse to make room for fresh skin cells. Our facials include all the essentials such as deep cleansing, exfoliation, steam, and extractions. The products used in our facials are handpicked at each visit in order to adapt to the skin’s changes and progress. Throughout April, receive a complimentary peel (acid) boost with your RELAX or BEAUTY facial. This special is not valid with any other offer or promotion. This offer is valid from April 1-30, 2022.
What are acid boosts?
Boosts are mild skin acids. While the acids used in boosts are not as strong as in our chemical peels, they sure do pack a punch!
BOOSTS can be used to pre-treat the skin before transitioning into stronger skin peels. In addition, they are great for seasonal maintenance and anti-aging. Furthermore, they can be added to other skin care services, such as facials or dermaplaning, to amplify results.
Please review the treatment criteria before booking your treatment. There is an expected downtime of 1-3 days depending on your skin.
AHA (10-20%)
Add this boost to your facial to relieve dry skin. Similarly, this boost reduces fine lines and pigmentation. Ideal for dry or mature skin. Reg. $55
BHA (10-20%)
Add this boost to your facial to treat active acne. The boost is applied after extractions. Ideal for oily skin. Reg. $55
Vitamin C
Add this boost to your facial to give your skin extra protection from reactive oxidizing agents and other free radicals. Reg. $65
Q: “My body hair ranges from dark blonde – light brown… Does IPL / LASER work on blonde hair?” – N.N
A: Yes, you can achieve results! Advanced IPL / LASER operating systems can now effectively treat lighter hair tones.
Hair colour plays an important role when setting expectations for treatment outcomes. The light energy pulsed by the operating system targets pigment cells found in the hair bulb. As a result, the more pigment cells present, the more energy is absorbed and therefore, producing optimal results.
Those with dark blonde – light brown hair tones are categorized as “Light” hair on the treatment scale. Light natural hair tones usually contain enough base pigment to properly absorb the energy into the hair bulb. In most cases, there is enough pigmentation to achieve significant hair reduction. Therefore, you can expect 25 – 75% reduction given proper aftercare.
In conclusion, IPL/ LASER treatment offers optimal results for those looking for carefree maintenance and to clear their skin of unsightly stubble. In addition, it saves the skin from the routine of painful removal procedures.
“Ask Dérmica” is a blog dedicated to answer your questions. Ask us anything regarding skincare, for example, treatments, products, home care, myths, facts…ANYTHING! We look forward to your questions and will try our best to respond as soon as possible. Some questions may be published anonymously.
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Dérmica offers what is commonly known as a laser treatment in Edmonton, specifically, IPL Phototherapy.
TREATMENT CONSIDERATIONS for IPL Hair Removal
When predicting the before and after results of your IPL Hair Removal, we take the following factors into careful consideration: your hair type, skin tone, and treatment area. These key points help us set realistic expectations for your treatment course and keep your skin safe.
To help you better understand how these points come into play when predicting your before and after results, allow us to dissect the consult.
SUMMER 2022- Free UA with Bikini- *Saturdays only*
Receive a free session of IPL Hair Removal on your underarms with the purchase of any IPL Hair Removal bikini.
This special is not valid with any other offer or promotion. Offer valid from June 25 to August 27, 2022. No pre-purchasing. Please include both areas when booking your appointment.
Are you ready for your treatment?
PLEASE SHAVE AREAS TO BE TREATED FLUSH TO SKIN THE MORNING BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT.
REVIEW THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA BEFORE BOOKING ONLINE.
Book your IPL Hair Removal Treatment with Dérmica!
March 2022- Free underarms with any bikini
Receive a free session of IPL Hair Removal on your underarms with the purchase of any IPL Hair Removal bikini.
This special is not valid with any other offer or promotion. Offer valid from March 1-31, 2022. No pre-purchasing. Please include both areas when booking your appointment.
25% OFF IPL HAIR REMOVAL
Throughout February, receive 25% OFF any IPL Hair Removal session. This special is not valid with any other offer/promotion. Offer valid from February 1-28, 2022. No pre-purchasing.
Multiple sessions allowed for facial areas; to take advantage of this offer, book one session on the first week of February, and your next session on the last week of February.
Purchase a treatment package! Receive 15% OFF when you purchase a series of 6 treatments.
BOGO IPL
We have IPL deals to kick off the new year! Throughout January, choose your complimentary IPL Hair Removal session with ANY IPL Hair Removal treatment of equal or greater value.
Select from:
Chin
Lip
Spot Tx
Unibrow
Underarms
This special is not valid with any other offer/promotion. Offer valid from January 1-31, 2022. No pre-purchasing. Areas must be booked on same day. Areas purchased must be of equal or greater value to complimentary service. Multiple sessions allowed; to take advantage of this offer, book one session on the first week of January, and your next session on the last week of January.
How do I book this special?
After reviewing the pre-booking criteria, use our online booking system to book all areas being treated. Depending on your chosen areas, you may need to book 2 separate times. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Book your IPL Hair Removal Treatment with Dérmica!