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Posts for tag: fungal toenails

By Crofton Podiatry
October 02, 2018
Category: skin conditions

Are your feet experiencing symptoms like dry, cracked, and/or scaly skin? It might make you think that your skin might be extremely dry and that you need to moisturize after you shower tonight. However, there might be something else going on! Read on to see if it might be symptoms of athlete’s foot.

You don’t have to be an athlete to get athlete’s foot. The foot fungus, which is in the tinea family, causes what is commonly referred to as athlete’s foot. This same fungus also causes fungal toenails, ringworm, and jock itch.

What symptoms should I look for?

  • Red rash between the toes
  • Stinging/burning skin
  • Itchy blisters on the feet
  • Itchy dry skin near the toes, up the sides of the feet, and along the bottom of the feet.
  • Cracking or scaly skin that begins to peel
  • Fungal toenails, which are also infected by the fungus (discolored, brittle toenails)

Where did I get Athlete’s Foot?

  • Walking around in locker rooms while barefoot
  • Using communal showers while barefoot
  • Community saunas or pools
  • Sharing towels, socks, or shoes with someone who has a fungal infection

If you have sweaty feet, causing your socks and shoes to be chronically damp or wet, you are more likely to create an environment in which fungi can thrive. Any small cut, scrape, or opening can allow the fungus to enter into the skin and cause an infection.

How do I treat it?

  • Self-treatment: You can use over-the-counter antifungal creams, ointments, lotions, powders, or sprays
  • Prescribed treatment: Our podiatrist can prescribe a stronger topical treatment or oral medication to treat fungus that has spread.

How do I prevent it?

The best ways to reduce your risk and reduce the impact of an infection include:

  • Keeping your feet dry (change your socks midday, rotate the shoes you wear, use shoes with ventilation)
  • Use flip-flops or sandals in public places, rather than going barefoot
  • Wash your feet with soap and warm water daily, especially after walking barefoot
  • Don’t share items like towels and shoes with those who might be infected

If over-the-counter treatments and medications do not work, come in for an evaluation and treatment. Make an appointment by calling (410) 721-4505 to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll at Crofton Podiatry. Our foot and ankle team is ready to assist you and your family at our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the surrounding Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie areas.

 

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By Crofton Podiatry
July 11, 2018
Category: skin conditions

Heading to the beach this weekend? Don’t forget to put sunblock on your feet too!

There’s a reason why your skin is the body’s largest organ. It covers every inch of us, giving us information about the outside world, through the magic of touch. But that also means that in addition to soft and cuddly sensations, the skin is also exposed to harsh elements like the sun, rough surfaces, friction from shoes, pathogens, and anything you might be allergic to.

The skin on your feet are susceptible to the following:

  • Blisters, rash, or hives: Allergies can cause your skin to react to certain substances like sock materials or grass. You may feel itchy at the contact location, and pain if blisters occur in response to allergic contact dermatitis.
  • Athlete’s foot: Dry, itchy skin near the toes (as with Athlete’s foot) can be caused by the fungus, tinea. The same fungus can get into the toenails, causing brittle, discolored toenails, or fungal toenails.
  • Rash: Athlete’s foot can be a cause for a rash on the feet, but autoimmune skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis can also cause dry, itchy, scaly skin and rash.
  • Corns and calluses: These are caused by chronic friction, typically on the toes or near the balls of the feet. As a preventative measure, the skin thickens and can become painful and unsightly.
  • Smelly feet: Foot odor usually occurs when there is an overgrowth of bacteria or fungi. They can be contracted in communal areas such as locker rooms or community pools and can live in your socks and shoes. If you tend to sweat throughout the day, especially if you have hyperhidrosis, there’s a good chance that the bacteria and fungi thrive and make things stinky. They can also cause an infection!
  • Infection: Any cuts, scrapes, or large wounds are susceptible to attack by bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Any open skin allows for pathogens to enter and cause problems for your skin, including ulcers.
  • Warts: If you an open wound on your foot comes into contact with a surface in which someone else with warts has touched it, you are at risk of getting warts on your feet too. They can come and go on their own, but warts can become painful and continue to live in your body if not properly treated.
  • Malignant melanoma: While not commonly found on the foot, it is still possible to find an unusual looking mole on your feet, especially if your feet are often exposed to the sun.
  • Dry skin and heels: Just like the rest of your skin, your feet might become dry as well. The most commonly dry area of your feet is the heel. When you’ve got heel fissures, your heels can become dry and cracked, even causing you pain.

If you’ve noticed some changes in the skin of your feet, make an appointment at our Crofton, MD office to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll. At Crofton Podiatry, we will use the latest treatment options to assess and take care of your foot and ankle care needs. Our Crofton, MD office serves the surrounding areas of Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD.

 

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By Crofton Podiatry
June 27, 2018
Category: Runners Foot Care

If you’ve been a runner for a while, you know how much your feet endure when you hit the pavement. A long run or even a quick sprint can leave your feet throbbing, aching, or in pain. Long-term, you might suffer from foot problems such as chronic plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis.

Still, you can’t beat that runner’s high, right? If you can’t seem to resist that daily run, here are Top 5 Tips you can use to take care of your Runners’ Feet:

  1. Start slowly and increase slowly. Beginners should start with a slow pace and a short distance and increase as experience grows. If you increase speed or incline too much, too quickly, you can end up straining the tendons and ligaments in your feet and ankles.
  2. Use the right shoes. Running shoes should be supportive and have adequate cushioning to reduce the impact on the bones and joints. Repetitive pounding on the hard surfaces can lead to weakened bones that are prone to fractures. Arches and heel cups will keep the feet stable in the shoes. If you have existing foot problems, you can use orthotic inserts to prevent worsening symptoms. 
  3. Don’t skimp on socks. Wearing shoes without socks can lead to irritation and blisters on the skin of the feet. Sweaty feet can make the shoes smelly, and increase the chances of bacterial or fungal infection like Athlete’s foot. Always wear a clean, fresh pair of socks for running to reduce the likelihood of foot issues.
  4. Stretch the toes, feet, ankles, and calves. Always warm up and cool down, including stretching of the lower extremities. Strengthening the toes can help to reduce chances of toe deformities and help you stabilize your feet in the shoes.
  5. Practice good foot hygiene. After a good sweaty running session, you’ll want to make sure to wash your feet (probably while you shower) with soap and warm water and then change into a new pair of socks. If you run every day, you may want to invest in more than one pair of shoes so that you can allow them to dry out completely between running sessions. Keep toenails short and take care of any ingrown toenails or fungal toenails. Additionally, any cuts and scrapes can become more inflamed while running, so be sure to treat them promptly.

If you’ve sustained an injury while running, or if you have concerns with whether or not your feet are in shape for running, come to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll, at Crofton Podiatry. Call us today at (410) 721-4505 to make an appointment at our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the surrounding areas of Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD.

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By Crofton Podiatry
May 02, 2018
Category: Foot Fungus

Nope, no spoilers here about the new Avengers movie, but we do want to talk to you about your constant and seemingly never-ending war with foot fungus. The extremely dry, flaky skin sometimes goes away with lots of moisturizing and antifungal creams, but then rears its ugly head again just as you let your guard down.

Will it ever end?

Yes, we can help you find a way to put an end to your unceasing war! Depending on how extreme your foot fungus is, and where your fungal infection is affecting your feet, we’ve got the treatment for you!

But first, some background: Did you know that the same type of fungus causes both fungal toenails (onychomycosis or tinea unguium) and athlete’s foot (tinea pedis)? So if you’ve got symptoms of athlete’s foot – red, itchy rash between the toes or scaly, dry skin on the bottom of your feet – as well as ugly, discolored fungal toenails, there’s a good chance that it’s all caused by one original fungal infection. You could have gotten it from sharing shoes, walking barefoot at the gym, or sharing a foot towel with someone who has the infection. 

How is it treated?

If you take measures to prevent fungal infection from returning, there’s a good chance that you can be done with foot fungus after you’re treated at our office. Depending on the severity of the fungal infection, our podiatrist may suggest treating it with:

  • Prescription topical antifungal creams
  • Prescription oral antifungal medication
  • In office laser therapy

After successful treatment, be sure to prevent recurring infection by:

  • Washing and drying your feet every day
  • Wearing flip-flops in communal shower areas
  • Rotating the shoes you wear each day and wear a fresh pair of socks
  • Not sharing towels, socks, or shoes with anyone who might have a fungal infection.

Are you ready to end the war against foot fungus? Make an appointment with our foot doctor Dr. Brad Toll at our Crofton, MD office. At Crofton Podiatry, we will use the latest treatment options to take care of your foot care needs. With the help of our podiatry team, you can beat the fungal war on your feet! Come visit us at our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the surrounding Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie areas.

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By Crofton Podiatry
April 11, 2018
Category: Foot Care Tips

The weather may still be a bit wonky and unpredictable, but that doesn’t mean that your toes don’t deserve some pampering in preparation for spring and summer! For men and women alike, a pedicure can be a great tool for grooming and keeping the feet looking and feeling great.

However, there are times when pedicures can be harmful, rather than helpful. Depending on the health and hygiene practices of each nail salon (or yourself), a pedicure can result in ugly fungal toenails or a bacterial skin infection on your foot.

So what can you do to avoid a “bad” pedicure? Review the following safety tips when getting your toenails done:

  • DIY pedicure: One of the safest ways to give yourself a pedicure is to do it yourself. Having your own set of tools makes it easier to make sure that you do not become infected with someone else’s disease. Make sure to soak your toes in warm water before you begin, use tools gently so that you don’t hurt yourself, cut toenails straight across (not rounded), and moisturize the feet after your toenails are dry.
  • FIRST!: If you’ve seen this on a social media platform, it means that someone wanted to be the first to comment on a post. In this case, we encourage you to try and be the FIRST to get their nails done for that day. This would (likely) ensure that you are getting sanitized tools and no one else has shared the footbath with you.
  • Don’t be THAT person: Who, might you ask, is giving me this fear of infection? Well, it could be anyone! This also means that it can be YOU! If you have a fungal (i.e. Athlete’s foot or fungal toenails), a bacterial (which causes smelly feet), or viral (i.e. warts) infection, try to reschedule your appointment. If you cannot, let one of the pedicurists know so that they can take appropriate steps to protect other people’s feet.
  • Diabetic foot care: This includes getting pedicures done or having our podiatrist take care of this. Diabetic patients should be extra careful, especially if they have diabetic neuropathy. Not only is it possible that they will not feel a cut or other injury, it might also take longer to heal said cut/injury.

We have seen patients come in after a botched pedicure job or getting an infection from going to a nail salon. If you need treatment for a pedicure gone wrong, make an appointment to come see us. Call our office at (410) 721-4505 to see our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll at Crofton Podiatry. He can assess your feet and find you the proper treatment. Our Crofton, MD office also serves the surrounding areas in Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD.

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2411 Crofton Lane, Suite 25
Crofton, MD 21114

Podiatrist - Crofton, Crofton Podiatry, 2411 Crofton Lane, Suite 25, Crofton MD, 21114 (410) 721-4505