How to Prepare for Your First Podiatry Appointment

If you're visiting a podiatrist for the first time, you may be wondering how to prepare for your appointment.

The good news is that there isn't much you need to do. However, a few simple steps before your appointment can help your podiatrist assess your feet more accurately and provide the best possible treatment.

In this guide, we'll explain how to prepare for a podiatry appointment and the common mistakes that can sometimes make assessment and treatment more difficult.

Why Preparation Matters

Podiatrists assess:

• Your skin

• Your nails

• Areas of pressure or pain

• Hard skin, corns and calluses

• Signs of infection or inflammation

  
  

Certain well-meant habits (like soaking your feet or applying cream just before your visit) can actually make it harder for your podiatrist to assess and treat your feet safely and accurately.

What Happens During a Podiatry Appointment?

A podiatry appointment may involve assessment of:

• Foot pain

• Skin conditions

• Nail problems

• Corns and calluses

• Footwear

• Walking pattern and biomechanics

• Signs of infection

• Circulation and nerve function

The exact assessment depends on why you are attending.

How to Prepare for Your Appointment

1. Remove Nail Polish Before Your Appointment

If you want any advice or treatment for your nails, we need to be able to see them clearly.

This includes:

• Nail cutting and filing

• Ingrown toenail treatment

• Fungal nail assessment

• Nail trauma

• Nail colour or thickness changes

  
  

Why nail polish causes problems:

Regular nail polish: We can usually remove this (if your podiatrist has remover available), but it eats into your consultation time meaning that there is less time to do the stuff that actually matters!

Gel nail polish: This is much more difficult. Some podiatrists have specialist burrs to remove it safely, but this isn’t always possible. Gel polish can also clog files and instruments, making them ineffective.

If you don’t need any nail treatment or advice, this tip doesn’t apply to you.

2. Don’t Soak Your Feet Just Before Your Appointment

While soaking your feet can be helpful for dry skin at home, it’s not a good idea to do it immediately before your podiatry appointment.

Why soaking beforehand isn’t helpful:

• It softens the skin and masks areas that need treatment (such as calluses and corns)

• Using sharp instruments on recently wet skin isn’t advised

• Soaking softens nails and cuticles, making them more permeable to infection

  
  

We really do appreciate the effort - but it won’t help you get better results from your appointment.

3. Don’t Apply Foot Cream Right Before Your Appointment

This one surprises a lot of people.

Applying foot cream shortly before your visit can:

• Make the skin soft and mask problem areas

• Make the skin slippery and harder to treat

• Prevent tape, padding or dressings from sticking properly

  
  

We absolutely recommend regular use of foot cream as part of good foot care.

Take a look here for the best foot creams as reccomended by podiatrists

But you can skip it just before your appointment. Your podiatrist will usually apply cream for you at the end anyway.

4. Avoid Medicated Corn Plasters

I could write an entire separate post about medicated corn plasters, but for now I’ll keep it simple: we generally advise avoiding medicated corn plasters before seeing a podiatrist.

Why medicated corn plasters are a bad idea:

Most contain salicylic acid, which:

• Macerates both the corn and the surrounding healthy skin

• Makes it harder for your podiatrist to remove the corn safely

• Can damage healthy skin

• Increases the risk of infection or ulceration

  
  

If you have a painful corn:

• Book an appointment with a podiatrist

• Use non-medicated padding to offload pressure

• Avoid anything containing acid

What Should You Bring to a Podiatry Appointment?

Consider bringing:

• A list of medications

• Orthotics or insoles

• Footwear you wear regularly

• Information about your symptoms

• Relevant medical history

What Should You Wear to a Podiatry Appointment?

Wear:

• Comfortable clothing

• Footwear you wear regularly

• Clothing that allows easy access to your feet and lower legs

When Should You See a Podiatrist?

Consider booking an appointment if you have:

• Persistent foot pain

• Corns or calluses

• Nail problems

• Cracked heels

• Fungal infections

• Diabetes-related foot concerns

• Changes in sensation

• Difficulty walking

Final Thoughts

A little preparation before your appointment can help your podiatrist assess and treat your feet more effectively.

Fortunately, preparing for a podiatry appointment is simple. By avoiding a few common mistakes and bringing any relevant information with you, you can help ensure you get the most from your consultation.