Aesthetic and Regenerative Medicine

Many ask what helps alleviate pain to the bottom of the feet. In the same way we lose skin plumpness, the foot's cushioning fibro-fatty padding atrophies with age. The fat pads become thinner which reduces the feet's ability to absorb mechanical stresses. There can be resulting pain and increased joint degeneration. Secondary corns and callosities can develop, which even after regular reduction and padding never resolve.  Individuals cannot find a comfortable pair of shoes, and standing barefoot on a hard floor is painful. There is literally little protective flesh covering the joints. Wearing high heels is out. The solution is to replace the lost fat pad with cushion. Cushioning for the feet is an innovative way to "plump up" tender areas of the feet where the fat pad is less than normal. This procedure will also stimulate the bodies own production of collagen. 

Dr. Gath’s practice offers aesthetic medicine which includes “cushions for your feet” and “lubrication of your joints” so patients can return to their active lifestyles.

She is one of the few podiatric physicians, Harvard faculty trained, using injectable fillers to replace the loss of cushion in your feet. Dermal fillers are not just for the face.  In addition, she has years of experience with regenerative medicine when first-line treatments fail. There are different foot fillers depending on the unique situation. Make an appointment with Dr. Gath and see which product is right for you. 

What is Aesthetic & Regenerative Medicine?

Since 2009, Dr. Shelley Gath has been using stem cell therapy for a myriad of conditions. Some of them include diabetic wounds and sports injuries.

Many patients have turned to Stem Cell Therapy as a better alternative to foot or ankle surgery, with an easier and faster recovery and with significantly less complications.

Foot and ankle pain can be the result of an injury, such as a fracture or a sprain, or of a medical condition, such as tendinopathy or arthritis. Surgery is often recommended as a treatment for several foot and ankle pain conditions. However, surgery has the risk of complications including pain, blood clots, reactions to anesthesia, infections or muscle loss.

Surgery requires being hospitalized for a few days and the recovery from surgery may be relatively slow, often requiring a period of up to three months wearing crutches or a cast. In many cases, foot or ankle functionality may not be fully recovered after surgery, which can limit the movements of patients.

How does stem cell therapy work for foot and ankle pain?

Stem cells are part of our body’s natural healing resources. They continually renew our cells throughout our body, including our joints and tendons. Unlike other cells, stem cells have the unique ability to develop into a wide range of cells, including those needed to repair tissues in the foot and ankle.

The aim of using Stem Cell Therapy is to support the self-healing process of the foot and ankle, reverse disease progression and suppress inflammatory reactions that can worsen pain, leading to symptom relief and recovery of function.

At Vantage Foot And Ankle Center, we utilize regenerative medicine procedures including patients’ stem cells and preserved regenerative cells to repair the foot and ankle naturally. Stem cells can be collected and then injected into the affected area. Platelet rich plasma is a portion of the patient’s own blood that is obtained by a simple method of centrifugation of a blood sample.

Platelet rich plasma has a high concentration of growth factors that activate the stem cells and that prompt them to produce additional growth factors and anti-inflammatory cytokines, thereby changing the environment in the foot or ankle from inflammatory to healing and regenerating. Stem cells will then begin to heal the injury by stimulating cellular proliferation and local repair processes, and by reducing inflammation, resulting in pain relief and improved function.

Typically, a single stem cell treatment should be sufficient to yield good results for most foot and ankle problems. At Vantage Foot And Ankle Center, we do all our stem cell procedures under ultrasound guidance to increase accuracy and decrease the likelihood of complications.