Pure Peninsula Spa is a podiatrist-owned pedicure/manicure spa in Silverdale, Washington. Dr. Sarah Neitzel, our founder, came up with the concept of opening the spa after she saw a need for pedicure and manicure services that could be available for her higher risk and diabetic patients.

Within her medical practice, Peninsula Podiatry, she regularly sees painful ingrown toenails as well as foot fungus and toenail fungus that have resulted from the improper procedure and sanitizing techniques in nail salons.

Having been a nail services client for many years, Dr. Neitzel recognized that typical cleaning techniques and nail treatments were unsafe for many people. Thus, in 2020, Dr. Neitzel began building Pure Peninsula Spa, a pedicure and manicure spa that provides truly sterile and medically safe nail services for her community.

In addition to the tools and techniques following sterile procedure guidelines, Dr. Neitzel also saw an opportunity to utilize these services to aid in treating some of the more common foot conditions such as toenail fungus, poor circulation, neuropathy pain, and chronically cracked heels/calluses.

Pure Peninsula Spa offers a truly amazing spa experience, where clients can reap the many benefits of having podiatrist-inspired medical-grade pedicures and/or manicures.

These benefits include:

• Our Licensed Spa is licensed by the state, which means that we have met all the hygiene standards, and the salon has been inspected.
• Our Technicians are certified and licensed by the state board. They have all been specially trained to assess the physical condition of a client’s feet, hands, and nails before beginning any spa treatment.
• Our Convenient Location is literally located next to Peninsula Podiatry in the same office space. This close proximity to Peninsula Podiatry allows our clients the opportunity to see a podiatrist if the situation warrants it and if specific, prescription-level products are needed.
• Our Tools are sterilized to surgical grade standards.
• Our Products are specifically chosen for their unique therapeutic qualities and all-natural ingredients. Our staff and Dr. Neitzel trial them. They are free from harmful acids, chemicals, and additives, and they prevent common nail fungus.
• Our Pedicure Chairs are extremely comfortable, providing a relaxing experience for our clients. All seating is cleaned between each and every service.
• Our Safety Standards adhere to the strictest of infection control procedures to ensure our clients experience a truly unique spa experience–a place where infection control matters.
  • We follow aseptic technique and all sterilization protocols.
  • We provide a sterile set of instruments for each client’s visit.
  • We follow EPA guidelines for cleaning foot spa basins. Disposable liners are used for each client.
  • We discard nail files or foot scrubbers after a single use.
• Our COVID-19 Precautions include additional cleaning measures to ensure the health and safety of our staff and clients. See our COVID-19 Policy.
• Our Spa Layout is strategically and purposely set up to separate our manicure stations from our wet pedicure tubs. This is to minimize any spread of germs or fungal spores that could lead to potential nail infections.
• Our Linens are exceptionally clean and provided for each and every use to protect the health of our clients as well as our nail technicians.

Our Cleanliness Protocols include the same level cleaning protocols used within a medical practice where all table services and pedicure tubs are cleaned after every treatment.

At Pure Peninsula Spa, you can look forward to a sublime pampering experience that is medically safe for patients with various medical conditions (e.g., neuropathy, circulation issues, and over-fatigued feet, legs, and hands).

All Pure Peninsula Spa clients enjoy the following benefits:

• Podiatrist owned and operated spa
• Licensed and certified medical nail technicians
• Assessed physical condition of feet and nails
• Prevention or treatment of cracked heels
• Decreased chances of infection
• Preserved skin moisture
• Podiatrist-chosen medical-grade products
• Improved mental health

At Pure Peninsula Spa, a pedicure is a cosmetic treatment of the feet and toenails and often includes a therapeutic component with a foot soak and massage. Medical-grade products are used as well as a fresh set of sterilized instruments for each client.

Besides having a cosmetic and therapeutic treatment of the feet and toenails, a pedicure can also have a medical component, depending on the facility. It can help make clients aware of and prevent nail diseases and nail disorders. Your nail technician does a professional assessment of your feet and toenails before proceeding with any treatment. You may be referred to a podiatrist if the nail technician feels you need medical treatment prior to a pedicure.

A medical pedicure provides the safest pedicure option for people with compromised immune systems and other medical conditions, like diabetes, that would delay their ability to heal in the event of injury to their skin. While non-medical pedicures at Pure Peninsula Spa are still performed under sterile and clean conditions, our medical pedicures are tailored to the clients’ needs for skin, nails, and callus care using enzymes and masques instead of harsher tools.

During a medical pedicure, the nail technician will review your concerns for your feet and nails and any medical conditions you have indicated on your intake form. Based on your information, the nail technician can help you customize a pedicure package that will safely care for your feet during your service. As part of the assessment, the nail technician will evaluate your feet for signs of the following:

• Possible infection (e.g., bacterial, fungal, or viral)
• Possible skin conditions (e.g., calluses, corns, skin irritations, or open wounds)
• Possible nail abnormalities (e.g., thickened toenails, ingrown toenails, discolored toenails)

After the foot and nail assessment, the nail technician will soak your feet for a shortened period of time to soften your toenails and skin but prevent microscopic skin breaks that could open you to infection. This type of attention to detail, personalized assessment, and expert care level are the keys to making these pedicures the safest option for our more at-risk clients.

To get the full benefit of a medical pedicure, you should have a pedicure at least once every 8 weeks with polish changes in between. This will significantly decrease your risk of infection from long nails or hard calluses.

You shouldn’t have a pedicure if you suspect you have an infected or irritated ingrown nail, open wounds on your feet or legs, or active peeling to your feet from athlete’s foot. If you have any of these conditions or toenail problems, it would be best to see a podiatrist to treat these conditions before sitting for your pedicure service. Dr. Sarah Neitzel is available for new patient appointments within her practice, Peninsula Podiatry.

Dr. Sarah Neitzel recommends that people with diabetes have a foot care service at least once a month to maintain the moisture in the skin to prevent cracked heels and other skin irritations or nail infections.

For a diabetic safe pedicure, also considered our medical pedicure, our techniques and protocols are modified from a standard pedicure to ensure optimal foot health for our diabetic clients:

DOs

• Do use cream, lotions, and moisturizers free of extraneous preservatives, harmful chemicals, and alcohol.
• Do use a foot spa but for less time to prevent micro openings in the skin.
• Do scrub the foot but less aggressively.
• Do provide a foot massage to stimulate the muscles, improve circulation, and reduce pain.
• Do use sterile instruments for each pedicure.

DONTs

• Don’t use pumice stones for foot scrubs.
• Don’t cut cuticles.
• Don’t use a callus trimmer. If the diabetic patient has a large callus, it should be removed by a podiatrist. Note: These should be removed before scheduling a pedicure.

We recommend that you get a manicure at least once a month to help maintain healthy nails and remove any dead skin or cuticles that could grow onto your nail beds. Of course, you can always get a manicure at whatever frequency you prefer.

Discoloration can occur for multiple reasons. The leading cause of minor discoloration is nail polish sitting on the nails, disrupting the flow of oxygen to the nail beds. An easy fix would be going with a natural manicure minus the polish to give your nails time to heal. Fungus can also cause discoloration, but it can be medically treated.

A freshly manicured nail bed, where the nail technician removes any dead skin or cuticles that may be adhering to the nail bed, allows the nail polish to be applied more smoothly and lasts longer.