I have full confidence in the review I am about to leave. As an operating room RN, I took my time evaluating different procedures and techniques for bunionectomy procedures. I had bilateral foot bunions that I waited to have surgery on for almost 20 years. Having said that, I am a working wife and mother, so I knew that I needed to find a way to proceed with surgery with minimal downtime or time off work. I knew a few nurses that had worked with Dr. Keith and Dr. Sam Sklar. Of course, I had also heard the Foot First Podiatry commercials on the radio. I decided that it was my time to investigate their procedures. I will start my review by saying....DON'T HESITATE TO SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT TODAY! From the moment I arrived and was greeted by the scheduling administrators, as well as the office health team coordinators and professionals: they made me feel comfortable and this office staff is extremely knowledgeable. I did go to 2 of their offices: Schaumburg and Oakbrook. Each office was excellent in service and knowledge. They make you feel so comfortable and know you by name as you repeatedly come back for your visits. By the time I had spoken to Dr. Keith and Dr. Sam I knew I wanted both to care for my feet. That day, I scheduled my first foot for June 2019 and my other foot for 2 weeks later. By the way, I also spoke to patients in the waiting room that sang the praise of this father/daughter MD team. They are amazingly kind, caring, skilled and talented. I did ask Dr. Keith about how he came up with his technique for the Sklar Bunionectomy.....as I have never seen this surgery done like this. He worked with an engineer...need I say more: uniquely talented and innovative. I met Dr. Sam during my consultation first: professional, caring, a patient herself of this procedure, and just a lovely person in general. I then met Dr. Keith at my pre-surgical consultation a week before my surgery: kind, confident and with years of training and talent. I knew I was in the right office and doing the right thing with having the surgeries done. In addition, they really work with medical testing to see if your circulation and healing properties are in order before they schedule your surgery. This is crucial, and they are thorough. Dr. Ruckman was also part of my team in office visits and in X-ray consultation at times also: he is also very receptive to questions, concerns and a talented part of the professional team. The office staff also makes the insurance process seamless. You know in a day or so what will be covered, and what will be out of pocket based on your insurance coverage. No surprises at a later date...as they depicted early in the process. This also eases your mind. If you are prepared to read the post-op instructions: you are set for a very straightforward recovery. Dr. Sklars' informative instructions depict each day/weeks feelings, needs and expectations. I have never received better instructions for post-surgical preparations in my life! So exact and prepare you for your journey. I was in recommended athletic shoes in 14 days and had no complications what so ever. Yes, you have pain for 1 day post-surgery and limitations in wearing shoes other than those shoes for weeks, but I was able to get back in regular shoes in no time! Looking at my feet without those bumps is amazing and my scars can barely be seen (they are on the sides of big toe). I must also give a big shout out to the CRNA (anesthesia professionals) from Lake Anesthesia Associates (Tom and Mark) who were kind, quickly comforting, and skilled. I have never been happier with a surgical team. Please do not hesitate to make Dr. Keith and Sam part of your recovery to having pain free and awesome looking feet. You will be so happy you went for your consultation. read more

That single star up there is for the lovely nurse who started my appointment and later mouthed "I'm sorry" to me because the doctor was being such a dick. Everything else about my experience at Foot First was dismal. Dr. Sklar has a terrible bedside manner. He strolled in (1 hour and 10 minutes after my appt time, btw) and said something to the effect of "What's going on here?" No introduction, no asking me who I am or how I'm doing. He barely looked at my toe (I went for a broken big toenail and swelling) and immediately said I needed x-rays, even though I brought a set of x-rays from the emergency room. (Hey, how about you actually inspect the toe first?) He also wanted me to get an MRI, and when I asked him why, he responded like I was an idiot for asking. I asked him to show me what about my x-rays was concerning him, and he told me he couldn't really explain it to me because I "don't have the training." So I asked him to try, in layman's terms. Isn't that what a doctor is supposed to do?? I stupidly let him take new x-rays of the part of my foot he claimed he needed to see, and when I asked him what he saw on this set, he again said he couldn't really explain it to me b/c I don't have the training. He spent very little time with me and was incredibly sarcastic and rude. Sarcasm is my mother tongue; I can go toe to toe (no pun intended) with the best. But I was coming to a new doctor for healing, and this guy didn't care to show any kindness or interest in what was happening to me. The worst part was toward the beginning of the appointment, when he asked me where I was from. Me: Schaumburg. Sklar: No, where are you *really* from? Me: *Schaumburg* Sklar: *blank stare* Me: I was born here. Sklar: *turns to my mom, who graciously accompanied me and was clearly also getting pissed off at this guy* Sklar: Well then where are *you* from? You should have seen the flames rising in my mom's eyes. I thought she might deck the guy. He also questioned how often each of us goes "home," to which my mom had to clarify that our home is here. Another lovely exchange: Sklar: So do you have a boyfriend? Me: No. Sklar: Why not? Me: *silently stares daggers at this guy* How about you not make assumptions about a patient you just met and know nothing about? While you're at it, you should really get some cultural competence training. I ended up not letting the doctor do anything else to me because I felt like he only saw dollar signs and because he didn't want to take the time to explain anything to me. He may be right about my toe (I'll be getting a second opinion to find out), but he was such a jackass that I don't care or trust him enough to let him touch me. He was a bully, and I left his office in tears. I would not recommend him to anyone. read more

Where do I start??? I have suffered from gout for several years and this past summer the pain became unbearable. I saw a different podiatrist in the Schaumburg area who told me I also suffered from bunions. This was new news to me; I didn't even know what a bunion really was. When I asked what could be done to resolve my problem, he told me that surgery was the only option. He stated that I would be in a cast and on crutches for 6 weeks!!! As a physical education teacher, this was not an option. I also consider myself very active and I did not want to be out of commission for so long. I decided to go for a second opinion and after doing extensive research, I decided to visit Dr. Sklar at Foot First. The diagnosis was confirmed as a bunion but the recovery was very different. Dr. Sklar told me that I would walk out of surgery with a surgical shoe and that in two weeks, I would be back in a gym shoe! I also told Dr. Sklar that I wanted to be active and running as soon as possible. Well, after 8 weeks, I was back to running two miles continuously! At 12 weeks I went back to remove my screws. Today, I went to have my two stiches from the screw removal procedure taken out. I am officially good to go and have scheduled my other foot in December without any hesitation! What I have enjoyed the most about working with Foot First is that everyone there is a real person. They are not pretentious and show a genuine concern for their patients. I have had the pleasure of working with all three doctors Dr. Keith Sklar, Dr. Samantha Sklar, and Dr. Nicholas Ruckman and all are fantastic. If you have pain from bunions and have contemplated surgery, do yourself a favor and visit Foot First; you will not be disappointed! read more

I have NEVER experienced any procedure in my life that was, from start to finish, above and beyond my expectations. From the minute I called the office of Dr. Sklar, at FootFirst, I felt a sense of care and nurturing like never before. From the receptionist, who first took my call, down to the office manager, nurse and Dr. Sklar himself, it was first class service. Everyone was professional and was able to answer any question I had, and I had so many, and was always courteous and patient with me. I had looked up several podiatrists in NY through the last 5 years and was always discouraged by their post-op scenarios. Long recovery time, pain and extremely limited foot movement. Someone recommended FootFirst in Chicago and, actually, showed me her recent bunionectomy on both feet in the last 4 months. I couldn't believe the minimal scarring and her progress at 4 months. Aside from wearing heels, she was back to normal life on her feet. I set-up a phone consultation and felt extremely positive about the whole process. I flew to Schaumberg, Il, 2 weeks ago today and am so please to say that I had absolutely no pain or discomfort since the procedure. Was able to walk to my Uber back to the hotel 2 hours after surgery, saw Dr. Sklar 3 days later and flew back to New York the next day. My family and kids were amazed at how quickly I was back on my feet (kind of) and there are several hours during the day that I even forget I had surgery. I 1000% recommend FootFirst , Dr. Sklar and Dr. Sam to anyone who is considering this type of surgery. Totally reliable, professional and just the nicest people around. read more

On my way back to the University of Chicago to have my other foot (yes both feet) repaired to fix what Foot First screwed up. What's another $20,000+ on top of the other $120,000 from last year which included 4 days in the hospital. They don't deserve even one star, but it is the only way I can post this review. Two years ago this week I found out I had MRSA compliments of Foot First Podiatry. They blamed me for the very serious infection saying I must had gotten it from a sidewalk even though my foot had been totally covered by their bandages for two weeks. How absurd. They did prescribe antibiotics and insisted the infection looked better and kept asking me if I agreed. The infection started directly where they had placed the saw during surgery and worked its way out with a hole in my toe as a result where the infection was draining from. They took no responsibility at all. I did receive a call from Dr. Sklar (which I sent to voicemail) after I didn't go back to them as I was being treated at the University of Chicago, asking why I didn't come back to the office and secondly "oh and how is your foot". I lost part of my toe due to the infection. The MRSA spread in to the tendons and other parts of my foot. No Dr. Sklar the infection was not better. I spent six months on antibiotics and in a boot with the very real chance I would lose my entire toe. Thankfully U of Chicago took excellent care of me. They don't really care about the patients just the money. read more

(Real Patient- Surgery Performed in May 2015) I had started to loose all hope...that was until the pain that I was experiencing, had started to become unbearable! It was at that point...that after searching endlessly, for a Cosmetic Podiatrist...that fate found me, Foot First Podiatry's website! On their website, I was able to easily locate, what was most important to me...that was, the gallery of "before & after" photos! And after seeing such great results...I was definitely anxious to get an appt. for my initial consultation! So shortly thereafter, here I am! I am a very satisfied patient! So satisfied with my results...that I will be scheduling a surgery date for my other foot ASAP! Dr. Skylar & Dr. Ru both did an amazing job on my foot! They were willing to do as much (as they possibly could) cosmetically, while of course fixing, the main cause of my foot pain. They were even able to rectify, some old scarring left behind from a previous Surgeon. To sum it up for you- You will not be disappointed at Foot First Podiatry! Not by the Doctor's and nor by their wonderful support Staff!!! Everyone there made my treatment exceptional! So yes, I would definitely recommend Foot First Podiatry, to anyone that is in need of a Podiatrist! (FYI: I "HAD" (past tense!) two big toe bunions, a pinky toe corn/bump, a shortened toe, a big ole ugly scar (both from a previous surgery), and some tendon issues!) Best Wishes, April Sent from my iPhone read more

I know you must have heard horror stories about getting your bunion(s) fixed. There are so many people in my life that have told me NOT to do this procedure because they (or someone they know) had a bad result. I am a living testimony that you should have this procedure done by Dr. Samantha Sklar right now! Do not waste another minute of your life in pain! Dr. Sam Sklar was so helpful in explaining how her procedure is different than everyone else's. I went to other podiatrists before. They said I would have to take off work for 4-6 weeks. That was simply NOT an option for me. Dr. Sam told me that I can have the surgery on a Thursday afternoon and be safely back to work on Monday in a boot. I was even able to drive to work on my own with my boot! People who know I had the surgery are completely amazed at how well I am walking in such a short time period. In terms of pain, I took ONE pain pill the next day, and I was good to go. It has been one month since I have had the surgery and I had very minimal pain. I am being so careful to heed Dr. Sklar's orders so that I can be up and running in no time. She already said that I can exercise by using an exercise bike. She told me that I will be able to use an elliptical and play golf very soon. Dr. Sklar is simply the best! Don't wait, call Foot First today! read more

I have had bunions my entire life. It became my biggest insecurity. I stopped going to the beach, I couldn't wear sandals in the summer, and wouldn't take my shoes or socks off around people I dated. I HATED my feet and the pain became unbearable. So many shoes would go to the trash after a few months because my bunion distorted the shape of the shoe. I saw Foot First Podiatry on the Doctors show. I knew it was in Chicago and I lived in RI but I knew if I was going to do this procedure I only wanted Dr.Keith Skylar to do it. I flew to Chicago for my consultation Dr.Keith and his staff were so nice and made me feel so comfortable. I knew after going there that I wouldn't do it with anyone else. Dr.Keth knew I was coming from RI so he rearranged his schedule so I could have my procedure done during the week and my post-op Monday morning before my flight. I was able to text him and call him anytime he answer every single ridiculous question I had. One week after my procedure I was driving, I walked, I stood, I worked. One month post-op i was back in sneakers and 6 months after I was able to wear high heels for my birthday with no pain. I'm so happy with my results my foot looks beautiful planning for my second foot. Thank You So Much Foot First Podiatry!! read more

Dr. Sklar was my third opinion for my surgery and after the consultation I knew I was where I belonged! Dr Sklar explained every detail of what was wrong with my toe and exactly how he would fix it. Finally, someone that made sense!! I had a fractured bone spur on top of my toe with the piece of bone stopping me from bending my toe, arthritis at the joint, a bunion, and a cyst on another toe from a bone spur. Other places wanted to put an implant in at the joint or fuse the bones together so I would never be able to stand on my tip toes or wear heels again. That was not acceptable to me! So Dr Sklar at Foot First fixed everything and SAVED THE JOINT! He shortened the bone south of the joint to allow more room for cartilage and movement. I was in his office (yes, his office...so no waiting for hospital openings or their cost) at 10am and out by 11:30am on the day of surgery....and I walked out on my own without crutches or a cane! Four days later he was able to bend my toe without any pain! I am recovering very nicely and will have the other bunion removed in a few weeks! So thankful that I found Foot First and their extremely friendly and knowledgable staff!! I highly recommend them...if you haven't figured that out!! :-D read more

I can't say enough good things about Foot First. I had researched this practice 6 years ago when I had started to think about getting my bunions removed, but it was so hard to make a decision. With all the forums and research I had read, most bunionectomies have such a long recovery time and it did not sound fun at all. So I thought I would give up heels and wear flats/gym shoes for the rest of my life. But it wasn't enough. I decided to at least schedule a consultation. It was important for me to be comfortable, to be able to go back to work right away, and have minimal scarring. So on the day of my appointment I made sure to have these concerns addressed. My surgeons, Dr. Samantha and Keith Sklar (father-daughter combo) were very personable and quite confident that I'd be walking in no time. So I scheduled my right foot first and then my left about 3 weeks after that. Post-op pain wasn't enough to keep me from work and I was back into gym shoes within the first 1.5 months. Since then, I've been recommending these doctors to ANYONE that might be considering surgery. My feet look and feel great, and I'm able to do the things I need to do. What more can you ask for? Shoutout to the staff as well. They are great too! :) read more

Dr. Keith Sklar, podiatrist, is very personable and proactive. He carefully assessed my left foot bunion with bone-on-bone joint. It was very advanced, and barely met criteria for the alternative Swiss restorative procedure known for better outcomes and reduced recovery time. Took only 2 days off work for left foot and 8 weeks to full activity after PT and steady, exciting improvements in function and cosmetic appearance. My right foot was less malformed and required only 1 day off work post-op with speedy recovery. Dr. Samantha Sklar, podiatrist, joined the practice to add even more emotional support along with her new competencies to enhance the father-daughter team. Scheduling was prompt and organized. When I forgot to pick up a written prescription for post-op pain meds following my pre-op office visit, the issue was quickly resolved with a phone call to Jordan who definitely went the extra mile for me more than once. Even then, I hardly needed any pain pills after the right foot procedure. I have full confidence in Dr. Sklar's clinical abilities and appreciate the clean, professional, upbeat environment. If you or a family member suffer from bunions, why wait for an assessment! read more

What's so great about Dr. Sklar? First and foremost, he really does love his practice. He gets excited about new challenges. Dr. Sklar continues to learn and improve his techniques. He uses the Swiss Compression Technique to fix bunions, leaving you walking in a GYM SHOE in 10 -14 days! While waiting for a surgical post-op appt I met a woman who traveled from Indianapolis just to have Dr. Sklar fix her feet. Dr. Sklar has been improving feet for years, but when I went in for my appointments he didn't make me feel like I was "just another bunion case". He does have a lot of patients and this makes him and his staff so knowledgeable, experienced, and skilled at what they all do. I am more than pleased with the results of my bunion surgery (March 2015) by Dr. Sklar: walking (flat foot) in a surgical shoe immediately post op, wearing a gym shoe 10 days post op, in a flat shoe in 7 weeks, and by 8 weeks I had started small heels. Pain post surgery? Not until 2 days later - even then it only lasted a day or so and managed by pain meds. Dr. Sklar is the best around and I continue to recommend him to those seeking attention to their feet. read more

I am extremely happy with both the results and experience of my double bunion surgery at Foot First. Dr. Skylr and his staff are professional, experienced and fun. They worked with me and my insurance company up front so there were no surprises. They were on time with all of my appointments. Dr. Skylr told me what to expect each step of the way and delivered the results. The ladies in the office are kind, compassionate, funny AND professional. I love my feet! Prior to my surgery, I had spent years in fear of the procedure. My mother lost a toe by a botched job while my sister was off work and in agony for over 3 weeks and both bunions returned. Prior to my initial consultation with Dr. Skylr, I interviewed 3 other doctors over 5 years, all of whom I chose not to use. It wasn't until a friend actually was going through her bunion surgery and she just kept raving about this doctor. I was skeptical but thought I'd use her as the guinea pig and if all went well then I'd check Foot First out. All did go well with her and I! read more

From my first consultation to my 8 week left /6 week right post bunionectomy surgeries with Dr. Keith Sklar, Dr. Samantha Sklar, Dr. Ruckman and the staff on my team, I couldn't have asked for a better process. I am walking on both feet in real shoes! I did my research and asked a lot of questions. I still ask a lot of questions! They have been extremely sincere and insightful. I was intrigued by their distinct process and patient recovery. Two foot surgeries within two weeks of each other isn't a cake walk, however having a bunion on each foot was debilitating for me at the end of the day. I made a tough decision to do both feet with Dr. Keith Sklar behind me the whole way. I made a commitment to follow the process and instructions. Please, if you are going to do this listen, follow directions, and respect your body. Invest in the time to recuperate. If you choose to do a bunionectomy, research. I am confident though that you won't find another group like Foot First in the Chicagoland and Rockford IL area. read more

I am so thankful, not only for the surgery Dr. Sklar performed, but also for Dr. Sklar and the wonderful team she has around her. I needed to have a bunionectomy done before I started treatment for cancer. I researched various places, doctors, and treatments. Timing was important to me, so that I could be back on my feet quickly and maintain heart health, etc. prior to treatment. I also needed the surgery to be successful...both short term and long term. I did not want to trade one for the other. I am thrilled with the outcome of my surgery! I was back on my feet in no time at all and the results are amazing! I found Dr. Sklar to be wise, compassionate, and very gracious. The staff at Foot First was so welcoming, treating patients like family upon arrival for appointments. Everyone was so professional and personable! I strongly and highly recommend that you consider Dr. Skkar for your surgery. It was one of the best decisions I made for my health and healing. It will be yours, too. read more

I didn't know what a bunion was until I saw an ad from Foot First showing what looked like my foot! Went for a consultation at the Schaumburg office and was delighted with the super-friendly staff and the expertise of Dr. Keith Sklar. After providing all the information I needed and the step-by-step process of surgery and after-care, I had bunion surgery on January 7 and walked out of the office in a surgical shoe. Amazing! Dr. Samantha Sklar examined my foot on my first two visits after surgery and I spoke on the phone with Dr. Nicholas Ruckman, who was on call at the time - all are very caring professionals. I have had such a positive experience throughout and my foot is healing perfectly. I've scheduled my other foot at the end of the year and highly recommend Foot First, especially if you have doubts. Their website www.footfirst.com is very informative and you can learn more about the procedure Dr. Sklar has perfected for bunions. read more

I have nothing but great things to say about Foot First Podiatry. I have had bunions for many years but fortunately they didn't give me much pain. As the years went by and my feet continued to change more, it became difficult to find shoes that were cute and comfortable that my feet could fit into. I came to the realization that something had to be done or I would be wearing tennis shoes forever! I saw the add for Foot First Podiatry in the paper and also heard about them on the radio. I decided to give them a try. That was the best decision I've made in a long time. I had a bunionecotmy on my left foot in December and am extremely pleased with the results! Dr. Sklar and his daughter, Dr. Sam Sklar have always been professional and very personable and the whole staff very friendly and easy to work with. I'm actually looking forward to having surgery on my other foot. I highly recommend Foot First Podiatry! read more

I had my doubts about doing a bunion surgery even after my first visit with Dr. Sklar. He assured me that I would be wearing gym shoes after 2 weeks of my surgery. I was a skeptic on what he was telling me. I had heard horror stories about these types of surgery. I had the surgery Nov. 10, 2015 and I have no regrets at all. Dr. Sklar and his team did an amazing job! I was in gym shoes 2 weeks after surgery and the pain was bearable just like he told me. My friends were astonished at how fast I healed, the minimal pain I endured and the ability to move around so quickly (I was too!). I can't thank him enough for making this a great experience. I will be doing my other foot next and I know things will be the same. I highly recommend anyone needing surgery to go to Foot First Podiatry. The staff is very friendly & helpful too which only makes things that much better. read more

Dr. Sklar has the experience you can count on to provide excellent results! Besides having a nasty bunion, a cyst had formed at the bottom of my foot that needed to be removed since walking had become painful at times. I was nervous to have the procedure done; however, Dr. Skald's calm demeanor, knowledge, as well as his wonderful staff, put me at ease. Surgery day was easy~ the anesthesiologist did a fantastic job and I was home and on the couch in no time. Having surgery in Dr. Sklar's office building, instead of a hospital, makes the procedure comfortable. The hard part is the recovery~ not an easy process especially having the cyst removed at the bottom of my foot as well; however, I improved daily and with the regular follow up appointments felt I was being well looked after. I highly recommend Dr. Sklar! read more