Skin conditions

The skin is the largest organ of the human body, totaling  20 square feet. The role of skin is to protect us from microbes (bacteria, fungal, viral), insulates and regulates body temperature and permits sensation of touch, heat, and cold.

Some of the most common foot conditions involve the skin and can be quite painful affecting quality of life.

Common foot conditions that may require podiatry treatment and intervention include;

• Plantar warts: a viral skin infection caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV infection causes the skin to grow excessively forming a wart. Warts can be found around the human body, however those that are found commonly at the bottom of the feet (plantar warts) can be debilitating to walk on. Warts can be easily misdiagnosed as corns, thus proper evaluation and diagnosis is important. The treatment of plantar warts vary on size, depth and pain levels. Common treatments involve topical acids and creams or surgical intervention known as curettage or needle therapy.

• Corns and Callus: Corns and Calluses are a common skin condition involving the thickening of skin in areas of friction and load/ pressure when weight-bearing. Calluses generally form under the ball of the foot or bottom of the heel, covering a large area. Calluses that are left untreated, commonly experienced in the heel region can result in fissuring or cracks which can be quite sore and painful to walk on. Corns are more focal and tend to be more painful appearing between toes and in areas of high pressure. Often mistaken for plantar warts, Corns can often be described as a ‘‘rock in the shoe’’. Treatment consists of physical debridement/ removal. Our podiatrist will also be able to formulate a treatment plan for preventative care by also considering the cause of the corns and/ or calluses.

• Fungal infections: Fungal infections of the skin commonly known as ‘‘Tinea or The Athletes Foot’’ can cause itching, inflammation, dryness and cracking in between the toes or around the soles of the feet. Those that spend a lot of time in closed in shoes such as work boots and those that either suffer from excess moisture (sweaty feet) or spend a bit of time near moisture (swimming lessons) may pick up Tinea of the feet. Treatment can vary from each individual and may require creams, ointments, laser therapy or oral medication.