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Skin and Nail concerns

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The human foot has 42 muscles, 26 bones, 33 joints, and at least 50 ligaments and tendons made of strong fibrous tissues to keep all the moving parts together … plus 250,000 sweat glands. The foot’s myriad parts, including the toes, heel, and ball, work in harmony to get you from one place to another. But the stress of carrying you around puts your feet at high risk of injury, more so than other parts of your body.

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Many foot problems, including hammertoes, blisters, bunions, corns and calluses, heel spurs, claw and mallet toes, ingrown toenails, toenail fungus, and athlete’s foot, can develop due to neglect, ill-fitting shoes, and simple wear and tear. Your feet also can indicate if your body is under threat from a serious disease. Gout, for instance, will attack the foot joints first

 

At Aubrey Podiatry we see feet everyday. There is nothing to be embarrassed about, or for you to be too scared to show us.

As Podiatrists, our role involves us seeing your feet and we have hundreds of feet visit us each year, so it is very unlikey that we have not seen your foot condition before.

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Corns

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Corns are small circles of thick skin that usually develop on the tops and sides of toes or on the sole of the foot. However, they can occur anywhere.

Corns are often caused by: 

• wearing shoes that fit poorly – shoes that are too loose can allow your foot to slide and rub

• certain shoe designs that place excessive pressure on an area of the foot – for example, high-heeled shoes can squeeze the toes

Corns often occur on bony feet as there's a lack of natural cushioning. They can also develop as a symptom of another foot problem, such as:

• a bunion – where the joint of the big toe sticks outwards as the big toe begins to point towards the other toes on the same foot

• hammer toe – where the toe is bent at the middle joint

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Calluses

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Calluses are hard, rough areas of skin that are often yellowish in colour. They can develop on the:

• feet – usually around the heel area or on the skin under the ball of the foot

• palms of the hands

• knuckles

Calluses are larger than corns and don't have such a well-defined edge. As callused skin is thick, it's often less sensitive to touch than the surrounding skin.

Calluses develop when the skin rubs against something, such as a bone, a shoe or the ground. They often form over the ball of your foot because this area takes most of your weight when you walk.

Activities that put repeated pressure on the foot, such as running or walking barefoot, can cause calluses to form. Athletes are particularly susceptible to them.

Other possible causes of calluses include:

• dry skin

• reduced fatty padding – elderly people have less fatty tissue in their skin

• regularly holding objects such as a hammer or racquet

 

Preventing corns and calluses, after having treatment at Aubrey Podiatry

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Look after your feet and choosing the right shoes to wear.

Follow the advice below to help stop any hard dry skin developing:

• Dry your feet thoroughly after washing them and apply a special moisturising foot cream (not body lotion).

• Wear comfortable footwear that fits properly. Always shop for shoes in the afternoon, because your feet swell as the day goes on. This means shoes that fit in the afternoon will be comfortable. You should be able to move your toes inside the shoe with a small gap between the front of the shoe and your longest toe. If possible, avoid wearing heels as they increase the pressure on the front of your feet.

• Don't put up with foot pain as if it's normal.

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A violent toe-stubbing, dropping a heavy object on the toe or some other trauma can injure the nail bed and cause the nail to grow in deformed ways. The nail may be thickened or ridged. Brittle nails are common in elderly people because of the tendency to poor circulation. Deformed or brittle nails can benefit from professional attention. Trimming, shaping and nail care from your podiatrist can improve the health of your nails.

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