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Health and Wellness
(908) 755-8400 Other Services: • Hydrafacial • IPL • Laser Hair Removal • Laser Genesis • Titan Skin Tightening Bella Fina Medi Spa Dr. Patricia Barsanti 154 Mount Bethel Road • Warren, NJ www.bella/namedispa.com Don’t Forget to Mention this Ad for Your FREE Botox * Call Today at (908) 755-8400 *While Supplies Last. Terms & Conditions Apply. OFer Expires 3/31/17. Before After 1 Syringe After 2 Syringes After 3 Syringes Kybella Treatment Juvéderm® Treatment 1 Year Juvéderm® XC Optimal Correction & 1 Year Before-and-After Photos Parentheses lines treatedwith Juvéderm® Ultra XC. Parentheses lines treatedwith Juvéderm® Ultra XC. Parentheses linesand marionette lines treatedwith Juvéderm® Ultra XC. FREE Botox * (Up to $750.00 Value) with any Kybella or Juvéderm® Treatment Call Today to Schedule a Free Consultation! BACK ON YOUR FEET: 6 MYTHS ABOUT FOOTCARE By: Dr. Kenneth Donovan, DPM “Don’t cross your eyes, they’ll stay that way!”, “Don’t go swimming after eating!” Myths like these have been around for ages and can con- tinue to circulate due to lack of infor- mation. However, when it comes to your health, continuing to believe certain myths can be dangerous. Myths about foot care are especially pervasive because people tend to overlook their feet and when a foot problem arises, people tend to want the quickest fix possible. From myths about wound home remedies to the origin and treatment of bunions, I have heard it all while treating patients at my Warren office. Today I share 6 common myths about foot care and the realities behind them. Myth: Shoes cause bunions. Reality: It is understandable for patients to think that bunions are caused by shoes due to the shape bunions take. However, bunions are most often caused by a genetic bio- mechanical instability. This is why bunions tend to appear later in life. After years and years of many miles on the foot, this inherited foot insta- bility can lead to bunion formation. While wearing tight shoes can make bunions more painful, the shoes themselves do not cause bunions. Myth: Heel spurs cause pain. Reality: Most causes of heel pain are due to a condition called Plantar Fasci- itis. The plantar fascia is a ligament located on the bottom of the foot that can become scarred and inflamed, leading to heel pain. Sometimes patients develop a heel spur due to the damage incurred on the plantar fascia ligament but the pain results from the ligament, not the spur. Myth: Corns have roots. Reality: Having a “root” implies that once removed, the corn will be gone forever. Unfortunately this is untrue in the case of corns. Most corns result from a hammertoe where the knuckle rubs against the shoe. The only way to eliminate these corns is with surgery or proper cushioning as advised by a podiatrist. Attempting to cut off a corn or applying med- icated corn pads can lead to serious infection. Myth: Peroxide heals wounds. Reality: When peroxide first hits a wound, the bubbling effect you see is the release of free radical oxygen molecules. Over time, these mole- cules actually damage the cells that are trying to fight infection and repair the wound, leading to delayed healing. While applying peroxide once to cleanse a wound right after it forms is not harmful, repeatedly applying peroxide is not recommend- ed. Diabetic patients should especial- ly avoid trying to self treat wounds and seek professional guidance to avoid mistakes that can lead to amputation. Myth: Dry skin is white and flakey. Reality: Dry skin can have a white, flakey appearance but more often than not, these symptoms point to an underlying fungal infection (ie. “Athlete’s Foot”). Fungus spreads in moist, damp environments. By con- tinuing to moisturize what many people assume is simply dry skin, the fungus can become worse and start to spread to other parts of the foot, including the toenails. Myth: Thick or discolored toenails are always nail fungus. Reality: Not all thick, discolored toe- nails are infected with fungus. Prop- er patient history taking and nail test- ing is needed to determine the cause of these abnormal nails. Patients with prior trauma to the toe, for example, may have a permanently deformed nail that resembles a nail with fun- gus. More importantly, any dark col- oring of the nail could be a sign of melanoma and should be evaluated immediately.