The spring and summer seasons mean a growing number of people will bare all or parts of their feet, from open-toed shoes to sandals to just going barefoot. The exposed toes lead some people to seek out pedicures to make their feet more attractive.
"Hot pink is the color of the season," Anylin Moreno, of Dallas, said. "I usually do French (pedicures) because it matches with everything."
Men, too, are jumping on the pedicure bandwagon.
"My mechanic gets one, and he's a man's man," Jim Zahnd, of Dallas, said. "And my girlfriend has been on me to get one."
Pedicures, however, don't come without potential dangers. NBC 5 learned of pedicures that led to fungal infections and boils because of unclean instruments and soaking tubs.
Cheryl Sheppard had to turn to a podiatrist after problems developed from a pedicure.
"I had the pedicure at 3:30 p.m., and at 3 a.m., I was waking up with this throbbing pain in my toe," she said.
Dr. Leon Brill, a podiatrist at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, said Sheppard probably fell victim to the second-most common problem that could result from pedicures.
"No. 1, fungal infections and No. 2, ingrown toenails," he said.
Sheppard's ingrown nail also became infected. Her podiatrist had to dig out the nail and clean out the infection.
Brill warned people who are considering a pedicure to make sure the salon is visibly clean and free of any offensive odors. Pedicure customers also should not shave immediately before the procedure because small nicks and cuts could become infected from bacteria.
Customers should avoid chair whirlpools unless the device is pipeless. Most salons, Brill said, fail to properly clean the filters. He suggested requesting a tub.
Pedicure customers should ask the salon staff about the cleaning methods used to sanitize tubs and instruments, and ask how often the cleaning takes place. Customers also should ask the technician to use a disposable file rather than a credo blade to remove dead skin.
"There are some (pedicure salons) that are not so reputable, and some (staff) that are not as educated as others about sterile techniques," Brill said.
Reputable podiatry salons also are licensed, so customers should look for the license to be displayed in a prominent location of the salon.
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