The skin on the soles of our feet is much thicker, has more sweat glands but has no hairs or oily glands The skin on the soles of your feet is much thicker than elsewhere on your body and the cells divide more frequently in response to pressure and friction. This allows the skin to …
What are our toenails for? You might think they are there to provide provide protection, however this is not strictly the case because if your nail was removed the skin underneath would harden. Our toenails are thought to have helped our primate ancestors grasp small objects. Nowadays though, as our feet are enclosed in footwear …
Peripheral neuropathy means nerve damage to the extremities; “peripheral” (at the edge), “neuro” (nerves), “pathy” (suffering or disease). If you have been told you have peripheral neuropathy you may have been told you need to look after your feet, or not walk barefoot because of neuropathy but perhaps you’re not sure why. Because damage to the nerves …
If you can reach them, and see well enough to be able to cut them, then you can cut your own toenails. However, if you have damage to the nerves or blood supply to your feet, don’t cut them yourself unless you have been shown how to, for example by a podiatrist. Cut your nails …
Now that restrictions are easing with regard to beauty treatments and Covid 19 guidance you might be thinking about booking an appointment with your salon. However if you have diabetes it makes sense to be careful when it comes to beauty treatments and your feet, so you may find the following advice useful. Wearing nail …
Corns will often develop on the tops of your toes and on the ball of your foot. Callus will normally develop first and if the pressure continues a hard compacted core of keratinised cells will form, which can press on the nerve endings and be very painful. Corns, like callus, form as a result of …
Cracked heels – also known as heel fissures are tears in the skin that are a common, painful complication of skin that has become dehydrated and thickened. Cracked heels develop as a result of the dry and hard skin being placed under stress. Normal hydrated skin is supple and elastic and will flex when put under …
As we get older our skin tends to get thinner and lose its elasticity. You may find that minor wounds take longer to heal and wear and tear to the joints over the years may have caused some degree of arthritis. However, painful and uncomfortable feet aren’t a natural part of growing old or something …
The human nail is a hard plate of densely packed keratinised cells that protects the end of the digit – the finger or the toe. Although very similar structures, people may think quite differently of their toenails and their fingernails, perhaps because the toenails are often hidden away in shoes, whereas fingernails are almost always …
Around 1 in 3 of us will develop misshapen or clawed toes. A hammer or claw toe is the term used to describe a deformity of the 2nd, 3rd or 4th toes where the toe becomes permanent bent at the middle joint and points downward instead of forwards, as though it is hammering on the …
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