What the ‘foot doctor’ told me

Ninety percent of these cases are created by bad pedicure. Most people don’t really know how to take care of their feet, he observed.

PERFECT feet can be achieved with a good treatment.

Albin Brion was 15 years old when he started playing professional football for the Italian team Juventus F.C. His dedication and discipline at a young age earned him a spot in the 34th division of the sport in France. But then, it was during those times when he suffered an injury that changed his whole life.

“I twisted my ankle very seriously. My physiotherapist, the one from my football team, couldn’t heal it so he recommended (that I) see a podiatrist who will create a pair of insoles for my football shoes, which did really help solve the pain,” Brion told Daily Tribune.

As much as he wanted to further pursue football, he was reminded by his mother to not give up on studying.

IMPROPER feet posture can lead to the development of dead skin on your toes.

Albin recalled, “I told her I found the job that I want to do and that is to be a podiatrist. I was so impressed with the technology. You put your feet on the floor and machines can tell how much pressure you have on the top of your foot, at the back and on the bottom.”

He then went on to study the special branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of foot and ankle disorders. “I decided to study podiatry for three years. Then I had one year extra to become a spot podiatrist. I worked between the clinics and hospitals in France,” he shared.

A podiatrist, as Albin further explained, does medical pedicures and special othotics. Othotics is the special insole placed inside the shoes to help rebalance the posture, realign the feet and help prevent injury or pain on the foot.

“Podologue is a three-year study in France. We do pedicure podologue while learning the whole anatomy of the body. We are considered doctors of the feet. It’s very medical in France,” Brion explained.

He represents a French franchise called Bastien Gonzales, an international podiatrist famous for products specializing in pedicure.

For almost 10 years, he has traveled around the world including Dubai, Mauritius, Cape Town and Hong Kong, explaining to clients what is a good pedicure and the proper way of taking care of the feet.

With his professional experience, Brion was chosen to be the podiatrist for the Monaco and Cannes Film Festival. “I also did the US Open in Hong Kong, specially for the Women’s Tennis Association. I also did treatments for celebrities and Princesses.”

“In Asia, I would say the problem that I encounter is that people cut their nails too short and they cut too deep on the side. When you cut it too short, there will be an empty space. The skin will take the empty space and when the nail grows it’ll push the skin, developing dead skin on the end. If the nail is not cut properly or a bit sharp, on the other hand, it will penetrate into the skin and create an ingrown toenail,” he said.

Ninety percent of these cases are created by bad pedicure, as people don’t really know how to take care of their feet. Another factor is women wearing high heels. “When you wear high heels more than six centimeters, all your body weight will be transferred only to the front part of your foot. That’s why you will see a lot of dead skin. This also starts the movement of the toes called grasping that creates friction with the shoes. You can wear high heels, but massage your feet for 30 seconds and stretch them at the end of the day,” Brion recommended.

The quality of the cream, he added, is as important as the massage. “Most of the cream you can find on the market are too greasy, too oily because they are based on glycerin and vaseline. If your feet won’t be slippery after putting the cream, it only means the cream only stays on the surface as it doesn’t penetrate all the skin layers. The skin on your feet is one of the densest compared to the rest of your body. It is seven times more dense compared to your face.”

Brion is currently conducting a limited engagement with Conrad Manila for its “Healing Foot Treatments.” A session lasts for 60 minutes and consist of specially designed foot care, pedicure session followed by a thorough foot massage. The offering will be available at the Conrad Spa only until today, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.

“The frequency of a session depends on the people. Most of all, I want people at home to take care of their feet. But usually my clients see me from three to six weeks. After a few treatments, the condition of the foot will improve and when they also continue to do their own work normally,” Brion concluded.