Warts
Warts are small growths on the skin caused by viruses. They are commonly found on the hands and feel as well as areas of the body that perspire frequently. To make matters worse, they LOVE warm and climates (sorry south Floridians). Due to their infectious nature, they can easily spread to other parts of the body if not cared for properly.
Some warts may be self-limiting meaning they will go away on their own, however if they persist and are unsightly or bothersome to the patient, the patient may elect to have the wart removed. This can be done multiple ways including using topical agents (which chemically burn the wart off) as well as surgically (most commonly performed in the office under local anesthesia). Recovery is normally uncomplicated, however in the case of plantar warts (warts on the sole of your foot), the patient is normally instructed not to put weight on that part of the foot or walk gingerly until the area has healed and is no longer sore.
Corns and Callouses
Corns and callouses are an elevated thickening of the epidermis caused by excess friction between two points. They are formed by the body over time to protect that area of the skin (think of a guitar players’ fingertips) and prevent break down which would eventually cause an open wound. While callouses normally occur under on the sole of the foot due to improper biomechanics and/or improper shoe gear, corns normally present on or in between the toes. This happens when enlarged knuckles from adjacent toes rub against each other or when the top of the knuckle (normally in hammered toes) rub against the top of the toe box in your shoe.
Palliative care includes shaving down the hypertrophied excess skin, yet there is a 99% chance the wart/callous will return. Many people are ok with returning every 2-3 months (or whenever the corn/callous returns) to have it shaved down again, however some patients elect to have the underlying issue permanently corrected to avoid recurrence. This may be done by controlling the biomechanics of the foot (orthotics/bracing…) or by surgically correction (like with non-reducible hammer toes or enlarged bony knuckles).
Athletes foot
Athletes foot is a condition in which a fungus infects an area of the skin causing a rash-like lesion and is usually accompanied by intense itching. Commonly, the condition is caused by untreated fungal nails or people wearing wet and warm shoes (athletes, labor workers…). Living in Florida only makes the problem worse due to our natural climate, but the condition may be reversed with a few simple steps.
Most importantly, one must make sure to keep their feet clean and DRY. If you are a sweater, this may mean having to change your socks once or twice throughout the day. Additionally, an anti-fungal cream applied to the area will not only help eliminate the fungus, it may help soothe the area and reduce itching (some anti-fungals include low dose steroids which help with this). If the rash persists, it may be due to a different reason other than a fungal infection. I recommend coming into your podiatrists’ office and allowing them to properly diagnose the causative agent.
