BEAUTY

The well-appointed treatment space at Healthy Feet MK in their new premises at The Woodshed, at Pury Hill Business Park

Walking back to happiness

The new year is almost here – and the best resolution you can make is to put your health first, and that includes your foot health. When you are ready to take that first step, Healthy Feet MK are waiting to help...

Let’s be honest, the majority of us don’t afford our feet the respect they deserve. They work hard for us, and in return they get a cursory trim and are plonked inside a heavy boot, or crammed into those ill-fitting heels. We moan when they ache, but in the main don’t really do anything to keep them comfy.

To be fair, I have spent lots of time and money on my feet – over the past four years I have tried a variety of fairly pricey over-the-counter anti-fungal treatments with little or no success, as I tried to take control of an infection which has been present for much longer.

Those nail brushes that promise results ‘in as little as seven days’ haven’t worked even after months of treatment. Painting a liquid onto a massively thickened nail will do nothing – it needs to penetrate the nail plate, and it can’t. It took me years, and a lot of wasted money, to understand that.

My doctor offered oral medication, while warning of the potential for nasty side effects, and limited success. I had to admit defeat; my nasty nails were here to stay.

But a chance glance at a Facebook post back in the summer changed all that.

Those ‘before’ and ‘after’ images you see that look too good to be true (and often are) grabbed my attention.

But this Facebook post was from a local business, so I decided to pick up the phone and inquire about this revolutionary new laser treatment they were promoting. It might make for a good ‘feeture’!

A couple of weeks later, I’d kicked off my flipflops at Healthy Feet MK and my nastiness was on show before business owners, mother and daughter Liz and Kirsty, who have 16 years of shared experience in foot health.

While I cringed at the state of my feet, they spoke about why, no matter how bad the state of yours, you should take steps towards better foot health.

“Your feet are considered to be the foundation of your body, so it’s important to take care of them,” Kirsty said, “Poor foot health can lead to all sorts of problems – and not just for the elderly.

“If you have a build up of hard skin or a painful corn or verruca you might walk in a different way to avoid the pain, which can cause issues with your joints or your back. And complications

Before treatment...

in people with diabetes are common – and can be due to poor blood flow and nerve damage.

“Regular visits allow us to monitor their feet and keep them safe.”

But as anyone struggling with nasty foot issues will agree, getting those tootsies out for a professional assessment isn’t easy. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it.

“We don’t judge,” Liz said, “Fungal and thickened nails, hard skin and verrucae are the most common foot and nail complaints that people come to us with. We pride ourselves on making our clients feel comfortable, and we can promise that whatever you are struggling with, we will have seen it before – and probably much worse!

“We want our clients to leave feeling better about themselves. Our vision with the clinic was to create a space that is ‘in-between’ a doctor’s surgery and a beauty salon.”

This new Lunula Laser treatment that I have signed up for is used specifically for tackling fungal infections, known as onychomycosis, and it seems to make turning nasty nails into nice ones a breeze.

“We were becoming increasingly frustrated with the amount of clients we had with fungal nails who had paid a lot of money for over the counter treatments that weren’t working,” Liz said, “Some had been to the GP and been offered oral medication, but they weren’t happy to take it because of the toxicity on their livers.

“After lots of research, and based on results proven in clinical studies, we decided to invest in the Lunula Laser – we liked the fact that it’s a cold laser with very little risk of side effects and it’s completely pain free.”

The treatment is simple – you slide your foot into the machine and let the laser do its thing while you sit and have a natter. One beam is anti microbial which kills the fungus, and a second redirects blood flow to assist the immune system to beat the bugs. It takes 12 minutes to treat each foot, per session and is completely painless.

As few as four treatments can be enough to banish the infection. The machines aren’t widely available and it’s not cheap; the cost is £150 per treatment. But if, like me, your feet are affecting your confidence, spending £600 to banish the nastiness and regain confidence is absolutely worth every last penny.

The laser tackles the fungus and stimulates new clear nail growth, with no adverse reactions to the nail bed, toe or foot. It can also help to repair and recondition damaged nails, and it works with fingernails too.

Sessions should take place monthly, and it can make a real difference – and it really has for me.

Kirsty took images before each treatment, and the before and after comparisons are quite startling. My disfigured nails, ravaged by infection for so long, are already returning to normal, and as the nails continue to grow out, the results should become even more apparent. But those images (pictured left) tell you everything you need to know right now.

Being honest, I definitely didn’t expect to see such a marked result. I still don’t like my feet, but I do keep swiping those before and after pictures on my phone, because I love seeing normal nails again. I know that this coming summer, for the first time in years, when I pull on my flip-flops I won’t feel ashamed – and that feeling is priceless.

Liz (left) says, ‘We pride ourselves on making our clients feel comfortable’ ‘Your feet are considered to be the foundation of your body’ says Kirsty (right)

Anyone struggling with onychomycosis is prone to reinfection, and a once a year ‘top up’ under the machine might be necessary.

At Healthy Feet MK, I’m not exceptional – just another Lunula success.

“We have had amazing results so far, and have lots of happy clients who thought they were all out of treatment options,” Kirsty said.

The business has just moved to new premises offering better access for all, and can now be found in The Woodshed, at Pury Hill Business Park – a 10 mile distance from both Milton Keynes and Northampton. Clients also have access to an on-site cafe, and can enjoy trail walks in the beautiful countryside, which is another bonus of booking an appointment – you can enjoy a little ‘me time’, too.

Kirsty and Liz advise clients to visit them every six to eight weeks for treatments or simply to maintain foot health.

“We visit a lot of elderly people who wish they’d looked after their feet more when they were younger, but it’s never too late to start,” Liz encourages, “Regular appointments help us to get on top of any issues before they become too problematic. That said, we’d rather people visit us as much or as little as they are able to, rather than not at all.”

While I’m grateful that Healthy Feet MK were on hand to help me, I still don’t get the attraction of working with feet all day.

“We get asked about this a lot,” Kirsty smiles, “For us, it’s not necessarily about the feet themselves, but more about the positive difference we can make to a client’s confidence and comfort.” Healthy Feet MK also offers a wide range of routine treatments, from dealing with hard skin and diabetic foot care, to corn enucleation, and the following pedicures, reconstructions and treatments...

Medical Pedicures

A relaxing treatment which incorporates a routine foot care treatment with a foot soak, exfoliation, cuticle softener and foot massage.

Nail reconstruction

A popular treatment using a hybrid flexible gem to construct a temporary nail which helps to cover any that the client may feel conscious about – perhaps due to fungus or damage. It’s a great option for a special occasion, such as a holiday.

Plasma verruca treatment

It is virtually pain free and no paddings or dressings are required. The plasma pen works on a verruca by disrupting the virus that hides in the skin. It will evaporate the skin cells around it, which prompts an immune response from the body to fight the virus and clear the verruca.

They’ve succeeded on both counts. For more information about the Lunula Laser treatment and to see how Liz and Kirsty can help you, visit healthyfeetmk.co.uk

From dreary to dewy –

essentials that your skin will love!

As we welcome in a new year, it’s a good time to stop, take check and put yourselves first! Here are some skin essentials to get you off to a flying start...

Farmacy’s Green Clean makeup meltaway cleansing balm is such a hit that Sephora sells a jar every two minutes! It’s an adaptable little tub; perfect for all skin types, its gentle formula delivers high-performing results – stubborn makeup and pollution residue doesn’t stand a chance. Green Clean has sunflower and ginger root oils to cleanse and nourish the skin, moringa extract to refresh and banish impurities and papaya extract to exfoliate. Green Clean – guaranteed to clean up!

RRP: £32 Get it: spacenk.com

Are you suffering with irritating dry skin? Farmacy’s Honey Savior is an all-in-one skin repair salve, capable of tackling nuisances on the face, body, hands and lips, thanks to an intense combination of honey, propolis and royal jelly. Use it to target problem areas, or as a daily part of your skin care routine - and it’s kind on the finances too; a little goes a long way!

RRP: £32 Get it: spacenk.com

If you spend all of your time in an air-conditioned office, work from home with the heating on (less likely now, we know) or have to deal with the great outdoors and all that blows your way, your skin might benefit from a little light misting every once in a while – and Heritage Store’s Rosewater & Glycerin hydrating facial mist is a quick and easy treat. Perfect for dry and combination skin, it helps to hydrate and refresh, while locking in necessary moisture – reach for a spritz and go from drear to dewy!

RRP: £11.49 Get it: Superdrug branches at centre:mk and Northampton’s Grosvenor Centre When we think of dry skin, we seldom think of that on our head, but our scalp needs TLC, and Aveda’s brand new vegan Scalp Solutions Collection soothes irritations, and fights the look of premature scalp aging using plant power. An overnight scalp renewal serum will get to work while you clock up your Zzzz’s, but the range also includes an Exfoliating Scalp Treatment, balancing shampoo and replenishing conditioner and protective mist, and don’t forget the scalp brush.

RRP: Prices vary per product Get it: Exclusively at Selfridges from January 6, and nationwide from February 7. Also at aveda.co.uk

The winter chill is just as damaging for our skin as the summer sun, and when you add in that none-too-healthy festive diet we’ve all just enjoyed, our skin is possibly showing the effects! Lush’s Catastrophe Cosmetic Face Mask is full of summer goodness; chamomile, seaweed and rose are among the ingredients helping to soothe, cleanse and relax tired skin. As it’s packed with fresh ingredients, it will need to jostle for space in your fridge and be used within 28 days. Instead of reaching for the naughties in the chiller, reach for this tub for a cool way to softer skin.

Avoid the madness of the sales and save money the sales and save money

New Year New Suit

Purchasing a new suit for business, weddings for business, weddings and other smart events and other smart events makes economic sense makes economic sense with an extra pair of with an extra pair of trousers free of charge. trousers free of charge.

*O er available until the end ofJanuary 2023.

Book your appointment today

Stand out from the crowd with a bespoke made to measure suit, made for you. All occasions catered for: Business | Weddings | Events 10 years at St Crispin Retail Village