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Posts for tag: hyperhidrosis

By Crofton Podiatry
January 23, 2019
Category: Fungal toenails

Fungal problems are more common than you think. They can affect many parts of the body, from the tops of your heads to the bottoms of your feet. For the feet, in particular, the most common issues affect the skin and the toenails. In fact, one infection (toenail fungus) can start from another (Athlete’s foot).

Where would you get this fungal infection on your feet?

Some places where you might have picked up the infection include the gym locker room, sharing a towel with someone who has a fungal infection or from the tools at the last pedicure you received. 

Fungus thrives in moist and warm environments. So moisture + a break in the skin of a warm foot = fungal infection. It passes from person to person, foot to foot, and toenail to toenail pretty easily. Once your toenails are infected, they are likely to become discolored, thick, brittle, and develop a smell.

So what can you do to prevent a stubborn fungal toenail infection?

  • Practice good hygiene. Wash every day with soap and warm water to reduce the risk of developing an infection.
  • Do not walk around barefoot in a gym locker room. Wear flip-flops or sandals, especially if you’re using a communal shower.
  • If you are prone to sweating a lot due to hyperhidrosis, bring a pair of socks to change into when your socks have soaked through.
  • You can also use antifungal or foot powder in your socks or shoes to reduce moisture in the shoes. 
  • Do not share nail grooming tools with someone who is infected (or at least be very diligent about disinfecting).
  • Cut your toenails properly. Ingrown toenails can cause breaks in the skin that make you more prone to a fungal infection.
  • Go to a reputable salon for a pedicure. Make sure that you can see how they sterilize their tools. Otherwise, schedule your pedicure for their first appointment of the day to ensure that they are starting the day with freshly cleaned tools on you.
  • If you have Athlete’s foot or other fungal infection on your hands, be sure to clean your hands often before touching your toes. Treat your Athlete’s foot condition promptly to prevent spreading.
  • You may have to stop using nail polish altogether as your toenails will have a harder time recovering from a fungal infection when it cannot breathe (due to polished nails).

These prevention measures should lower the risk of having to deal with fungal toenails. However, if you do somehow get infected, our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll, can help you treat the condition with topical or oral medication or painless laser therapy! Request an appointment by calling Crofton Podiatry at (410) 721-4505, which provides services to Crofton, Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD areas.

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By Crofton Podiatry
December 05, 2018
Category: Foot Odor

The discomfort of wet feet from hyperhidrosis may be enough for you to want to seek professional treatment from our podiatrist. Even for those of you whose hyperhidrosis isn’t always so severe, you may still experience some complications. These secondary effects often need podiatric treatment, so we encourage you to take precautions to prevent these problems if you tend to sweat a lot.

  • Blistering – If you have lived with hyperhidrosis, you know that this is common anytime you run. Blisters form on the toes as your feet slide to the front of your shoes as you dash forward. Try wrapping your toes in gauze or bandages to add padding to your toes before putting socks on. You may have to take a break and rewrap them if you tend to blister or bleed a lot during your running or sporting event (e.g. soccer).
  • Fungal growth – fungi love warm, moist places. Your shoes mimic this environment that allows fungi to thrive and make you prone to fungal infections like athlete’s foot or fungal toenails. Allow your shoes to fully dry before you wear them again. Never re-wear socks. Always wash your feet at the end of each day.
  • Foot odor – The fungus can also cause you to have an embarrassing odor on your feet, your socks, and in your shoes. Be sure to keep good hygiene and treat fungal infections to prevent ongoing odor problems.
  • Foot strain from instability in the shoes – You can develop overuse injuries like plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis if your feet have to work hard to stabilize within your shoes. Supportive shoes with arch pads and heel cups can help your feet stabilize. Change your socks midday if they tend to get drenched as you go about your day.

Not only can our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll, help you with the complications of hyperhidrosis, but he can also help you treat your hyperhidrosis. Say goodbye to embarrassing and frustrating sweaty feet! Make an appointment by calling Crofton Podiatry at (410) 721-4505, which provides services to Crofton, Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD areas.

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By Crofton Podiatry
February 21, 2018
Category: Proper Footwear

There are certain habits that are picked up without realizing it. Picking at scabs, shaking your legs while sitting, saying “like,” and not signaling when you change lanes in your car are all bad habits that you might pick up without consciously trying to do them.

Likewise, there may be some bad habits that you may have picked up regarding your shoes. The following are unconscious actions you might be doing that could be harming your shoe (and therefore your foot and ankle health):

  • Wearing the same shoes each day – If you have a pair of shoes that you wear each day, such as work shoes or walking shoes, there’s a good chance that you’ve developed at least a little bit of a funky smell in them. That’s because bacteria and mold love to grow in moist and warm places, such as in your footwear. As you sweat throughout the day, the microorganisms thrive and can survive long after you’ve taken them off. To help reduce odor and even breakdown of the shoes, rotate the shoes you wear each day. You may even need to buy two of the same pair of shoes if you really need to wear those particular ones. 
  • Putting them away as soon as you get home – This can perpetuate the above mentioned bacterial and fungal growth in the shoes, as they don’t get a chance to air out and dry out. Get in the habit of leaving them out overnight and putting shoes away before you leave for work in the morning. Or better yet, leave them out until you get back after work later that day.
  • Not wearing socks with shoes – Some people get into this habit out of convenience or the idea that certain shoes do not need socks. However, any enclosed shoes would benefit from socks as a barrier between the inner lining and your feet. Socks can absorb the moisture that would otherwise go into your shoes; they also protect the inner lining of the shoes from features of your feet, such as long toenails. TIP: If you’ve got hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), change your socks at least once midday.
  • Folding the back of the shoes – When you’re just running out to grab something from the car or get the mail, you might just slip your feet into shoes and fold the back like a slipper. It makes easier to get in and out of the shoes. However, not only are you breaking the structure of the shoe, you’re also wearing down the rubber soles of your shoes since it’s more likely to be dragging on the ground. Proper heel cupping in the shoes is important to preventing some overuse injuries like plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis.
  • Dragging your feet when you walk – Some of you might be more inclined to drag your feet when wearing certain shoes like fur-lined boots or certain sandals. That could really wear down the outer soles of the shoes, causing problems with the structural integrity and support your feet and ankles get. Pay attention to your gait.
  • You wear high heels, flats, or other uncomfortable shoes every day – You may have become a pro at wearing certain shoes each day, but high heels, flats, and pointed-toe shoes can all end up causing you problems. They all lack supportive features and make your feet work harder than they need to. If you MUST wear these uncomfortable shoes, at least try to change out of them as soon as you leave the office since you may develop bunions or metatarsalgia otherwise.
  • Wearing shoes too long – This is not a habit, per say, but something you’ve been resisting. You may have a favorite pair of shoes that you want to wear until you can’t, but it could leave you with more pain than joy. If you really want to extend the life of your shoes, consider wearing them with orthotic inserts to maintain support for your feet.

Do you think you might have foot or ankle problems because of bad shoe habits? Make an appointment by calling our office at (410) 721-4505 to consult with our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll at Crofton Podiatry. He can help you with an assessment and treatment if needed. For dedicated care for your feet and ankles, visit our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the surrounding Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie areas.

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By Crofton Podiatry
January 24, 2018
Category: Fungal toenails

Onychomycosis, more commonly known as fungal toenails, is a contagious fungal infection. This means that you can get the tinea fungus, which causes your toenails to become discolored, thickened, and brittle, from someone else who was infected. Tinea and other fungal strains can infect you through breaks in the skin, such as cuts or scrapes, which means that going barefoot makes you more prone to becoming infected.

But you didn’t notice that someone else had it, so how could you have gotten it?

There are a few ways you may have become infected, including:

  • Going barefoot in communal showers and locker rooms – Tinea thrives in warm, moist environments, so if someone who had fungal toenails or Athlete’s foot (also caused by tinea) was barefoot in the same places, your feet could have picked up the fungus. This also goes for communal pools or saunas where you walk barefoot in warm, moist areas.
  • Sharing a foot towel with someone who has foot or toenail fungus increases your chance of being infected.
  • Borrowing shoes or socks from someone who is infected.
  • Getting a pedicure at a salon where they did not properly disinfect the tools or sharing nail clippers or nail files with someone who has it.

Here are some Prevention Tips:

  • Stay healthy – Those with weakened immune systems are more likely to be affected by foot and toenail fungus once it enters the skin.
  • Treat cuts or wounds promptly – This is their primary form of entry, so it’s best to pay attention to the area around your toes, especially if you have ingrown toenails.
  • Use flip-flops or shower sandals – After a workout, showering at the gym can be convenient, but be sure not to go barefoot!
  • Change your socks once or twice a day – This is important especially if you sweat a lot due to conditions like hyperhidrosis. Fungi can flourish in your warm, damp shoes.
  • Allow shoes to fully dry before you wear them again – Fungus can survive in shoes for a while if they remain damp. Rotate the shoes you wear each day or get two pairs if you have a favorite work shoe.

For home treatment, you can try topical antifungal medications applied directly to the nails and skin around it. File down thick nails to allow for better penetration. For stubborn fungal nails, you may have to come into our office for stronger treatments including topical, oral, or laser therapies. Schedule an appointment at Crofton Podiatry for the right treatment by contacting us online or calling our Crofton, MD office at (410) 721-4505. You can consult with our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll, and our dedicated team. We serve the surrounding areas of Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD and are ready to assist you.

 

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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