Podiatry Dermatology relates to the condition and treatment of your feets skin and nails.
Corns and calluses
These tough, hard patches of skin can leave you limping if left alone! But what exactly are they and why can they be so painful?
A corn or a callus is proliferation of dead skin cells in response to excess pressure and/or friction.
The buildup of dead skin cells over time can put pressure on the little nerves and blood vessels under your living skin cells, when standing, walking or running! People of all ages can experience this phenomenon.
Risk factors for corns or calluses include;
- Having bony prominences (i.e. bunions, hammer toes, loss of cushioning under the balls of the feet)
- Those who spend long periods on their feet
- Use of poor footwear like thongs (and shoes without good cushioning/support) to name a few
Thankfully, a podiatrist can quite easily remove corns/calluses and make footwear recommendations and paddings to prevent the pressure and friction that cause them in the first place.
Tinea Pedis
Most commonly known as Athlete’s foot, Tinea is a fungal infection of the skin occurring not only in the athletic population but even elderly and those who live a more sedentary lifestyle.
Tinea signs/symptoms at the skin of your feet include;
- Redness
- Itchiness
- Peeling/cracking (known as fissuring)
- Odour
- Red circle shaped (known as vesicular) spots
- Tinea often occurs between the toes, but can also occur at the soles/heels.
How do you get Tinea?
Barefoot in communal/wet areas likes public pools, bathrooms, even hotel carpet!
More commonly, however;
- Use of non-breathable footwear and or
- Poor moisture wicking socks
- Lack of proper cleansing and drying feet and between toes
The buildup of moisture at the skin, in footwear and lack of proper foot hygiene allows fungal spores to grow and eventually infect the skin.
If you think you have Tinea, see your podiatrist for a proper assessment. We can assess how your footwear, hosiery, occupation and lifestyle factors may have a role in your condition. Patient tailored treatment is based on our assessment of all these factors.
There are also a variety of other Podiatry Dermatology conditions which can impact on the skin and nails of your feet. To name a few, ingrown toe nails, warts (a viral infection of the skin), fungal nail infections (very similar cause to Tinea Pedis) and blisters.
Pro Podiatry SA Matt Giardini, Podiatrist