Common Skin Conditions
Callous is a yellowish plaque of hard skin. Corn is an inverted cone of similarly hard skin which is pushed into the skin.
Verrucae or warts are benign tumours of the skin presenting as small cauliflower
A common fungal infection of the skin
Corns & Callous
Description
Callous is a yellowish plaque of hard skin and a corn is an inverted cone of similarly hard skin which is pushed into the skin. Both conditions develop in response to rubbing, pressure, and friction.
Causes:
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High heels or inappropriate footwear
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Bony deformities such as bunion, hammertoes, claw toes.
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Increase in activity such as walking or running
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Natural tendency to form callous because of the skin type
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Diminished fatty tissue in elderly people leads to the callous formation on the ball of the foot.
Treatments provided:
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Painless removal of corns and callous and be provided with padding or insoles to relieve pressure or fit corrective appliances for long-term relief.
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Emollient creams delay the callous building up and help improve the skin's natural elasticity. Your podiatrist will be able to advise you on the best skin preparations for your needs.
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Advice on self-care to delay building up of corns and callous.
Always consult a podiatrist for advice before using commercially available products especially corn plasters as they contain acid that can burn the healthy skin around the corn, leading to serious problems such as infection.
Varrucae
Description
Verrucae or warts are benign tumours of the skin presenting as small cauliflower–type growth with tiny black dots and are induced by Human Papilloma Virus [HPV]. They may appear as a single lesion or as a cluster.
Causes:
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Fragments of infected skin from one person enter the skin of another person stepping on it; in communal areas like swimming pools etc. Fragments of the infected skin enter the skin through small abrasions or a micro-injury and maybe helped on their way by pressure or friction. Successful transmission depends on the presence of breach in the skin, the viability of the virus, and the susceptibility of the host.
Treatments provided:
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Acid-based treatments, which are stronger than regular over the counter treatments.
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Cryotherapy, which involves freezing the verruca with liquid nitrogen.
Athlete's Foot
Description
A common fungal infection of the skin that occurs in three areas on the foot:
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In between the toes: it presents as a white moist cracked or peeling area of skin with redness and intense itching.
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In the arch area: It presents as small red vesicles (tiny blister-like) with inflammation at the periphery with or without itching.
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On the heel: It presents as very thickened cracked skin.
Causes
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Fungal infections can be picked up from communal areas such as pools, showers, and changing rooms, or anywhere one walks barefoot. Once the feet get contaminated by fungus the warm dark and moist environment in the shoes provide the ideal breeding ground for fungus.
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Person to person contact
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Moist/Sweaty feet.
Treatments provided:
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Reduction of peeling or thickened skin
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Advice on antifungal creams and sprays.