On 12/21/2014 Zita said: Yes, by all means be careful, but to imply that only a podiatrist can handle toenails is ridiculous. (Do they have real medical training?) And it's even more disingenous to say that people who want pedicures do it for vanity reasons! Finally, some of us have back and disability problems and can't "do" their own pedicures. Do you really think your medical insurance will pay a high-priced podiatrist to do this without an underlying medical issue?
Finally, I 'm confused by the the poster whose friend almost lost a foot when she had a manicure. Really? Did the infection travel that fast from hand to foot?
Seriously, I really do hope the op got some real medical attention for her problem.
Yes, Zita, they do.
A podiatrist is a doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM), also known as a podiatric physician or surgeon. Podiatrists diagnose and treat conditions of the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg.
Podiatrists are the most qualified doctors to care for your feet. They complete four years of training in a podiatric medical school and three years of hospital residency training. This training is similar to that of other doctors. They are licensed in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.
Podiatrists can specialize in many fields, including surgery, sports medicine, wound care, pediatrics (children), and diabetic care.
And, yes, if you have a medical condition or a diagnosed disability that makes you unable to bend to reach your feet or if you are diabetic, many insurance companies and Medicare will pay for you to have it done by a podiatrist every 2 to 3 months.