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 Things happen fast in medicine so whatever you read could well be outdated, especially if it was written many years ago.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

 

 
A question from Amber:

I sure hope that you can help with some toe advice. I have never had toenail problems in my life, ( I am 29 years old), but since the birth of my daughter in January it has been one sore toe after another. My left big toe finally got so bad and infected I had to go in and have it removed. I wasn't really nervous as the doctor assured me it would be just a sliver and a quick and easy procedure. WELL,  IT WAS HORRIBLE. First, the injections were so painful I cried ( I didn't cry during childbirth). I have a big black bruise ring around my toe from the injections. Granted, I didn't feel the procedure, but I certainly felt the shots. It has been 3 days and my joint is still bruised and sore. In addition to that, the doctor took more than a sliver. I was told the skin would fold over and you could hardly see it. I have at least 1/8th of an inch of showing with no nail on it.

 

Finally, on to my problem. My other big toe, same side, is now severely sore, red and swollen. I am terrified to go in for another procedure so I tried to cut it out myself. It was torture, and though it appeared to help a little, still has not resolved the problem. I am still on antibiotics from the first infection, though they are about gone and doing soaks 2 times a day. I don't know what to do. Is there any chance that if I just leave it alone it will grow out and be O.K., or am I just going to have to bite the bullet, subject myself to more pain and do the procedure again, i.e. better now than later. Any help would be much appreciated. 
 

Thanks, Amber P.

Dear Amber:

I am truly sorry that you had the disappointing experience you describe. It does not have to be that way. As you can see elsewhere on this web site, the anesthesia of the toe can almost always be accomplished without pain and the only part of the nail that needs to be removed is the part under the skin where it cannot be seen. Pain and unattractive toes are not required parts of the procedure. That being said, I must say that two or three times a year even I have patients that experience a lot of pain even though I do everything in my poser to make it painless. I am not sure I can explain why some people experience so much pain. It may be because a very inflamed toe has a change in pH (the acid-base balance) that causes the nerve to experience more pain than usual. Regarding the shape of the nail, taking too much nail is, unfortunately, common. I just think that some doctors are afraid of having facing the possibility of the ingrown nail not being "cured"   or else no one ever showed them the right way to do the nail procedure. Properly done, the nail should not look disfigured in any way. This is what I stressed when I taught the procedure at one of the colleges of podiatric medicine.

I would strongly suggest that you give another doctor a try. Select a podiatrist who is a member of ACFAS or ACFAOM (click the name to go to the appropriate web site to find these doctors) as your doctor. An for goodness sake, if you do not feel comfortable with this doctor don't have the procedure done. Instead say that you need to schedule it for a more convenient time and you will call the office to make you appointment. Then go to another doctor. Do not loose control of the doctor-patient relationship. If any doctor tries to push you into the surgical procedure, even a nail surgery, they he or she is not the person you want working on your foot. 

I hope this helps

l 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

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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