Quick Feet Fixes
There are a lot of things you can do to help prepare your feet for summer and there are some easy things you can do to get your skin smooth and sandal-ready. In this blog we will be looking at some simple foot conditions and how they can be improved quickly and easily at home
Dry, hard or flaking skin is related to a number of podiatry issues, however when managed properly it can be easily controlled.
There can be many reasons for dry skin building up ranging from fungal infections to a biomechanical issue. One of the most common reasons of this build up is due to excess pressure put on certain areas of the foot which causes the body to create a layer of hard skin to protect itself. This hard skin can cause discomfort in certain circumstances.
There are a lot of things you can do to help prepare your feet for summer and there are some easy things you can do to get your skin smooth and sandal-ready. In this blog we will be looking at some simple foot conditions and how they can be improved quickly and easily at home
First file the skin using a foot file or pumice stone. This will remove some of the excess dry skin. Whilst most people tend to do this on wet feet, you will find using a file on dry feet more excessive and, if you have thin or sensitive skin, you are less likely to cause damage.
Using a Urea-based cream is a good way to soften the skin and start to take control of the excessive hard skin. 10% urea creams such as CCS cream are good for general use. If you have very dry or cracked heels, 25% urea creams may be required eg. Flexitol heel balm. However if there is a significant build up then visiting a podiatrist to get it under control to begin with is a very good idea. They can also diagnose any biomechanical factors that are causing or aggrevating the skin build up. Once the hard skin is under control, a pampering treatment with the Emtrix Foot Mask, which will leave your skin feeling smooth and soft.
Another reason for the build-up of hard skin may be due to a superficial fungal skin infection. This can be characterised by flaking of the skin and can also include itching around the flaking area. There are many creams and sprays available on the market to deal with fungal infections. The trick to successful treatment is to keep going until a week after the skin seems to have improved. Also, shoes and socks will need to be disinfected to stop re-infection. This type of fungal infection is often mistaken for dry skin and sometimes it is hard to tell which is which, so seeing a podiatrist to advise you on which cream to use for which areas will help to make your treatment as efficient as possible.
Nail care is equally important. Ingrowing toenails can be avoided by keeping the nails short, cutting them straight across without cutting down the sides. Smooth the corners with a nail file if needed.
Fungal toenails are also very common. These can present as thickened or discoloured nails. A fungal infection in the toenail can take a long time to progress but can also be very persistent which means it can take a long time to deal with it. A slight infection can be dealt with using over-the-counter products. Seek advice for more advanced infections.
Nails can become thick or discoloured by other causes too, eg. trauma or psoriasis. At Dulwich Podiatry we can confirm the diagnosis of the cause of thickened nail and assess and tailor treatments to the severity of the fungal infection in the nail. Thickened or damaged nails can be thinned down and, if necessary, a prosthetic toenail can be made.
These tips will not just help you get your feet in top shape for the summer. Keeping hard skin under control and nipping fungal infections in the bud early will not just keep your feet looking good, but also make any problems easier to resolve.
If you are worried about your skin or nails this summer, give our customer service team a ring on 020 8693 6000 to make an appointment.
