Welcome to the personal website of

Dr. Michael A. Zapf, DPM, MPH, FACFAS, FACFAOM

Thank you for visiting the web site of Dr. Michael Zapf. He is a member of the Agoura-Los Robles Podiatry Centers

The "real" practice web site, the one that contains registration forms, doctor information for all the office and directions to the office is located at:

www.conejofeet.com   ç Click here

I am Dr. Michael Zapf. I have been offering a full range of podiatric medical services, from ingrown nails to heel pain and foot surgery, to my friends and neighbors in the Las Virgenes, Conejo and Simi Valleys since 1985. This is my personal web site. It has been up since 1990 and has received more than 2 million visits. The entire site is my responsibility only and nearly everything on the site was written by me. You are welcome to peruse this site and learn what you can about me, your feet and the problems your feet can develop. Things happen fast in medicine so whatever you read could well be outdated, especially if it was written many years ago. On this site you will read historic articles that I wrote for a lay audience as long as 25 years ago, so please do not take anything on this site as definitive or as applying directly to your condition. You may wonder why I have my own site even though there is also an official practice site. Well, my partners are of a younger generation raised on tweets, e-mails and iPhones. They want a professional site that they believe better represents the professional nature of our practice. They also believe that people no longer take the time to read anything of length. I, on the other foot, think there is still a world out there full of people who still read lengthy descriptions of problems and solutions. if you are one of those old fashioned readers, then this site if for you. Let me know what you think. Let me know you are out there.

Please note that all information and photographs on this site are copyrighted by me, Michael Zapf, DPM, and cannot be used for any private or commercial purposes. I work with two other podiatrists in my practice who may or may not share any of my ideas and philosophy. Do not expect them to practice the way I do or even believe in any of the speculation I present here. If you appreciate what I have written and want me to be your treating doctor, you will have to ask for me specifically. Even if my office says at first, " He is booked until next month",  I still want to see you as long as you are a little flexible with your schedule. If your visit is an emergency, I know that  you will be happy with either of my associates, Dr. Darren Payne or Dr. Steve Benson. They are exceedingly well trained and capable in any foot emergency.

 

Michael Zapf, DPM, MPH, FACFAS, FACFAOM     (If you want to know what all those initials mean, click here   è  

Our office phone number is (818) 707-3668 and my e-mail address is zfootdoc [at] doctor [dot] com

Agoura Hills Office: 28240 Agoura Road, Suite 101, Agoura Hills, CA 91301

Thousand Oaks Office: 555 Marin Street, Suite 290, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

For the address, hours and registration forms please see the practice web site: www.conejofeet.com


07/24/2010HomeNews+FAQShock Wave

 

To Order Foot Supplies è ç click

For Information about Laser Treatment for Fungal Nails Click hereè
 

For information about Shockwave Therapy for heel pain          click here è

Exciting news!!! New Thousand Oaks Location  è

 

 

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What is bleomycin?

Bleomycin is an anti-cancer drug that can also treat warts.

 

How do you use it?

The area to be treated is first anesthetized (numbed or frozen) with local anesthesia. Then, using a very tiny needle, a tiny quantity is injected into the skin just under the wart. Multiple punctures are used in a "needling" fashion making the wart into a pincushion. The body then forms a blood blister under the wart with the wart in the roof of the blister. The blister needs no care other than taking weight off of it if it hurts. Two weeks later the blood blister is "trimmed" and, with luck, the wart goes along with it. One cc is the most bleomycin that should be injected at one time. This will treat up to six or seven regular sized warts. It is not unusual to have warts so numerous or so large as to need more than one treatment.

 

Is it safe?

Millions of people have received bleomycin safely. In high doses it can cause cancer in rats. Because of this potential, I prefer not to use bleomycin in women who might be or could soon get pregnant. There is no reason to believe that the small quantity injected into a foot wart could cause damage to an unborn baby, but I do not want to take a chance.

 

Is it expensive?

The cost is the worst part of bleomycin treatment. The smallest vial contains 15 units and costs about $350! If your insurance pays for medications, I can give you a prescription for it and you can bring it to the office. Alternatively, I can bill your insurance company for one third of the medication, but they might not pay for it. I divide the medication into thirds and charge $120. If your insurance company does not pay for it, I will ask you for the $120.

 

Is it successful?

Treating warts with bleomycin is about 80% effective, or the same as surgical excision. If you have 10 warts, two of them are likely to remain after bleomycin treatment.

 

What does it look like?

   

 

 

 

 

 

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Send mail to (zfootdoc at doctor dot com) with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2000 Michael A. Zapf, D.P.M., F.A.C.F.A.S., F.A.C.F.AOA.M.
Last modified: July 24, 2010