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Athletes Foot
Athlete’s foot, known as tinea pedis, is a fungal infection of the skin. It is most common in adults and rarely affects children.
Appearance
It appears as red spots and small blisters, usually occurring between the toes and in the arch of the foot. Symptoms can vary in severity and can cause bleeding, fissuring and possibly secondary bacterial infection. Transmission of infection occurs in swimming pools, communal changing rooms and showers. It is best to avoid contact with these floors by wearing rubber flip flops at all times, and using a towel to stand on while changing.
Patients very often confuse soggy skin between the toes with tinea pedis. Poor drying between the toes combined with sweaty feet, warm weather and closed in shoes can cause white, macerated skin that can split and peel, causing patients to think they have athletes foot. This can easily be cleared up with careful drying after bathing, swabbing daily between the toes with surgical spirit and getting the air to the feet as much as possible. This macerated skin provides an ideal medium to contract tinea pedis.
Treatment
Good foot hygiene is imperative. Washing feet daily and drying between toes very carefully. Clean socks daily and also alternate your shoes on a daily basis. Let the air get to your feet as much as possible, wearing sandals or bare feet at home.
Fungicidal preparations such as Lamisil ointment which can be bought over the counter, are a very effective treatment for the skin infection, and needs to be used for 2-3 weeks. See the podiatrist for diagnosis & advice.
Fungal nails
Tinea pedis can spread to the skin tissue under the nail plate which cause damage to the nail, causing a thick, crumbling appearance, the nail can have yellow, green and black discolouration and sometimes an odour. Treatment of the nail is most successful with prescription anti fungal tablets called turbinifane. Ointments and paints are unlikely to work on the nail.
A lot of people think they have a fungal nail when usually the nail is thick through damage. See your podiatrist for diagnosis & advice.
Carol can now supply various precription drugs
Carol Howlett can also now supply (not prescribe) patients with various antibiotics, pain killers, anti fungals and steroids for injection, having passed her Prescription Only Medicine certificate at Queen Margaret’s University Edinburgh.
Chilblains
What is a chilblain?
This is a seasonal, sudden constriction of a blood vessel affecting the young and old. This cold injury, when resolving may be mistaken for unusual hard skin or old blisters. There may be an underlying medical condition complicating the problem.
What do chilblains look like?
Chilblains occur most commonly in the winter and are about 2cm in diameter, are usually discoloured and may itch or be painful. They affect the extremities, feet, hands, ears and nose. The discolouration changes according to the stage of the chilblain. Initially the area of cold damage is white due to constriction (closing) of the blood vessels. Later, when the blood vessel eventually dilates (opens) and consequent tissue damage occurs, the site shows a bright red inflammatory reaction. A few hours later the site becomes swollen and bluish from prolonged dilation of the blood vessels. As the lesions resolve over days to weeks, the skin may wrinkle, look shiny and scale. If the chilblain site is damaged then the area may become broken and take some weeks to heal.
Management of chilblains
Management requires minimising exposure to extremes of temperature and rapid temperature change e.g. avoid walking in bare feet on cold floors and then sticking your feet in front of a fire to warm them up. Insulating footwear may need to be a size bigger than normal; adding insulating materials to footwear also requires sufficient space, otherwise the tissues will be constricted, depriving them of local blood flow which will make the situation worse.Topical preparations can be applied according to the stage of the chilblain; a cooling, soothing preparation can be used to control the red inflammatory stage e.g. witch hazel. In the swollen, bluish stage homeopathic and herbal preparations such as calendula and peppermint oil can help with very gentle, superficial massage, but not if the skin is broken.
Proprietary chilblain creams that contain active ingredients such as methyl salicylate and capsaicin are aimed at dealing with chilblains in all their stages.
Low level laser therapy may also help stimulate healing and circulation.
Over areas of pressure which could result in the skin breaking open, the podiatrist can apply deflective padding to aid healing.
Patients with poor circulation need to be monitored carefully to avoid breaking of skin and secondary infection.
Regular exercise can improve circulation and reduce the risk of developing chilblains. Stopping smoking will also improve circulation.
Wilde Pedique
Carol & Judith are now able to provide Wilde Pedique. This treatment is creating false nails for people with damaged toe nails. Find out more
Omega Low lever laser treatment
Howlett & Dickinson can now offer Omega Low level laser therapy which is designed for use in the treatment of a range of conditions from tissue repair and wound care to pain relief. Omega lasers are used every day in medical hospitals and clinics all over the world. Find out more
Cracked Heels
Cracking of the heels (heel fissures) can become a painful condition and is due to severe dryness (anhidrosis). These fissures occur due to a build up of calluses around the heel causing the reduction of elasticity in the skin which can occur due to poor peripheral circulation and/or inadequate footwear e.g. backless shoes.
The hard dry skin & fissure must first be carefully removed by the podiatrist and then regular moisturizing carried out with an appropriate cream.
Excessive sweating can cause painful fissures between the toes; the podiatrist can treat this by using various types of medicaments.
What to expect from your first visit
Business hours
Monday 8 - 7:30
Tue - Fri 8 - 5.30
Sat & Sun Closed
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