Health info > Hands & feet care
Athletes Foot
Is the skin between your toes peeling? Do your feet have a rather whiffy aroma? If so, you may well have athletes foot.
Blisters
A blister is a raised area of skin that is filled with a clear liquid, or occasionally blood, over which the skin is intact. They form when that area has been damaged by pressure, chemicals that have been applied to the area, burns, insect bites, allergies, fungal or viral infections.
Bunions
Developing bunions is very painful as they change the shape of your foot. Painful feet affect you every time you stand, walk or run, so bunions can seriously limit your quality of life. Any foot pain needs prompt referral to a doctor.
Chilblains
Chilblains are burning red areas that occur on the end of fingers, toes and other areas of the skin that have been exposed to the cold. They generally occur a few hours after the exposure so you may not always recognise what is causing the itching and burning that usually always follows the damage from the cold.
Cutting Your Toenails
Your fingernails and toenails grow at a constant rate, but older people find their nails, particularly their toenails, become ridged or damaged by infections. They also tend to thicken, making them harder to cut.
Diabetic Foot Care
One of the problems that affect the quality of life for diabetics is problems with their feet. This happens because diabetes, if not well controlled or if under treated, can cause damage to the smaller blood vessels of the hands and feet.
Nail Infections
Infections around the fingernails are called paronychia. They are usually caused by picking or biting at dry skin around the nails or by cutting or removing the cuticle from around the nail too enthusiastically. This allows infection to get into the skin around the bed of the fingernail. The infection can be caused by bacteria, yeasts or fungi, depending on the cause of the injury, and the organisms that get into the wound as a result of this.
Verrucas
A verruca is another name for a plantar wart which is a wart that grows on the sole of your foot. It is a viral infection, similar to the virus that forms warts on other parts of the body. The verruca virus is usually caught as a result of contact with infected skin from other people with the virus.