Good hygiene can prevent many issues involving the skin and nails on your feet, but not all problems respond to home care. A podiatrist can help if you’re experiencing any of these uncomfortable or painful conditions:
Ingrown Toenails
When a toenail grows into the soft tissue of the toe, the resulting ingrown toenail can be painful and/or infected. A podiatrist can easily treat this problem by cutting back and destroying the nail root in the affected area. To prevent ingrown toenails, trim toenails straight across and never cut into the corners of the nail. Gently file away sharp corners or rough edges with an emery board. In addition, it’s important to wear shoes that fit properly.
Corns, Calluses, and Warts
Corns and calluses are patches of thickened skin that form on the feet from the pressure or friction of poorly fitted shoes or bone spurs. Calluses form on the bottom of the feet, corns form on the top of the toes. Sometimes they can also develop between the toes, on top of the foot, or at the back of the heel. Over-the-counter remedies may help to burn off this thickened skin, but these remedies might also burn healthy skin with resulting pain and possible infection. A podiatrist may safely remove the excess tissue or treat the underlying cause of corns or calluses with orthotics or removal of a bone spur.
Unlike corns or calluses, warts are caused by a virus, and often develop on the bottom of the feet (plantar warts) as thick scaly skin. The virus usually infects moist sweaty feet, or can be picked up in showers and near swimming pools. Treatment by a podiatrist may include freezing the wart off with liquid nitrogen, burning it off with topical acids, or surgical removal. Warts occur more commonly in children than adults.
Wounds
Any deep puncture wound, such as one you get from stepping on a sharp object or being bitten by an animal, requires immediate attention. Initially, it’s important to remove the object if possible, stop the bleeding with direct pressure, and clean the wound with water and mild soap. If signs of infection develop (redness, increased pain, swelling, or pus) you may need a tetanus shot and antibiotics. Be sure to see a podiatrist if the wound in your foot does not respond to first aid.
Athlete’s Foot
If your feet itch and peel, you may have a fungal infection commonly called athlete’s foot. You can pick up the athlete’s foot fungus from the floors around locker room, showers, and swimming pools, and help it spread if you don’t keep your feet clean and dry. The fungus often shows up as a rash between the toes, where it burns and itches and sometimes is accompanied by blisters. If the blisters burst, a bacterial infection may result. You can treat athlete’s foot with over-the-counter lotion, cream, or spray. But for bad cases, your podiatrist may prescribe pills or topical medication. Talcum powder and shoes that allow air to circulate may also help.
Fungal Toenails
Athlete’s foot is one type of fungal infection of the foot; another type is fungal toenails. In fact, the fungus for both conditions is the same. The early stages of fungal infection of the toes show up as a slight discoloration of the nail, but the toenail continues to discolor and becomes thick and painful as the infection gets worse. Ingrown toenails and a foul odor often result. Fungal toenail infection is contagious and, like athlete’s foot, can develop from walking barefoot in areas around public swimming pools, gyms, and community showers. Sweaty feet may help the infection spread. Home remedies include drying feet thoroughly and wearing clean socks every day, but this fungus is stubborn and hard to cure, and usually requires professional treatment with oral or topical medication.
Blisters
When you wear new shoes that rub against your skin, or when you go hiking or running without proper foot protection, fluid-filled blisters may develop as a result of friction. Wearing two pairs of socks can often prevent the blisters associated with athletics. This allows the friction of your foot rubbing against the shoe to be absorbed by socks, rather than your skin. Adhesive bandages and gel pads, and skin protectant sprays may also prevent blisters. If you do develop a blister, ice and mild compression may help. You may also drain the blister, but leave the skin flap in place. See a podiatrist if a blister from shoes becomes infected.
Dry Skin
Scaling, peeling skin on the soles and sides of your feet is often due to the fungus that causes athlete’s foot or fungal toenails. But dry skin can also result from environmental factors such as hot or cold weather and low humidity, from medications, harsh soaps or chlorine, from medical conditions such as psoriasis or eczema, or from advancing age. It can be uncomfortable and unsightly. Besides taking steps to clear up a fungal infection, you can find relief from dry skin that is itchy or cracked by using a lubricating cream or petroleum jelly. Creams that contain lanolin, glycerin, vitamin E oil, and olive oil can help your skin retain moisture. See a podiatrist if you have open sores or infections from scratching, or if you have large areas of scaling or peeling skin.