Skin and Nail Concerns Treatment

What You Need To Know

Understanding common skin and nail conditions that affect the feet and when to seek care.

Skin and Nail Conditions of the Foot

The skin and nails of your feet are prone to a wide range of conditions, from fungal infections to rashes to more serious concerns like skin cancer. The foot is an ideal environment for microbes to latch on, as it is a damp and moist space, especially the web between your toes. The damp, softened tissues provide the perfect space for the roots of a fungus to penetrate.

Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that typically develops between your toes and affects between 3 to 15 percent of the population at any given time. It’s especially common in people with sweaty feet or who wear tight shoes with little room to breathe. Common symptoms include a scaly, red rash, the formation of blisters and ulcers, and dry or scaly skin on the soles and sides of your feet.

Fungal infection of the nail, or onychomycosis, is often ignored because it can be present for years without causing any pain. The disease is characterized by a progressive change in a toenail’s quality and color. When the tiny organisms take hold, the nail often becomes darker in color and foul smelling. Debris may collect beneath the nail plate, and the infection can spread to other toenails, the skin, or even the fingernails.

Toenails often serve as barometers of our health. Common nail problems include splitting, peeling, or brittle nails, color changes, changes in shape or texture, ingrown nails, and separation from the nail bed. If you spot any discoloration or infection on or about the nail, schedule an appointment with us to have it evaluated.

Foot Odor, Skin Infections, and Prevention

Bromodosis, or foot odor, is a common problem. The feet sweat more than other parts of the body because each foot has over 250,000 sweat glands, and together they can produce up to a pint of sweat in a day. The feet also naturally have bacteria that break down sweat as it is released, and the mixture of bacteria and sweat build up causes smelly feet.

There are many simple things you can try to prevent sweaty feet. Wear shoes that allow your feet to breathe, and dry feet thoroughly after bathing. Wear cotton socks rather than synthetic ones, wash your feet frequently, and change your socks as soon as they feel damp. Anti-fungal foot powders, sprays, and antiperspirants applied to the soles can also help.

Skin infections are usually caused by microbes like bacteria, viruses, or fungi. When barefoot, the feet are constantly in contact with microbes and are particularly prone to infections. Usually, the immune system prevents these pathogens from attacking, but if there is a cut or break in the skin, or if immune defenses are low, the chances of infection increase. Common skin infections of the feet include erythrasma, cellulitis, plantar warts, and hand, foot, and mouth disease.

Skin cancer can also appear on the foot, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Soft tissue tumors or masses on the leg and feet are common, and early diagnosis is important. Whether a lump is symptomatic or not, see a podiatrist to have it assessed so any concern can be addressed promptly.