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Skin And Nails
The skin is the largest organ that we have in our body. The skin is responsible for a number of vital roles including protecting our vital organs, protecting us against infectious agents and regulating our body temperature. It is also a sensory organ, allowing us to feel temperature, pressure and pain. There are a number of conditions that can occur in the skin and it is vital that these are managed appropriately to allow the skin to function properly.
The toenails are largely there to protect the ends of our toes from injury. Their function has changed in comparison to our primate ancestors, where they were originally used to help with gripping onto trees. The health of your toenails can sometimes help identify other health issues including anaemia. Injuries and conditions to the toenails can be quite painful and debilitating and should be treated to prevent them from deteriorating.
Our podiatrists commonly assess and treat the following conditions:
- General foot care
- Corns and callus
- Onychomycosis
- Koilonychia
- Paronychia
- Onychauxic
- Onycholysis
- Ingrown toenails – onychocryptosis
- Warts
- Foreign bodies
- Cracked heels
- Chilblains
- Tinea
- Skin cancers
- Pitted keratolysis
- Raynauds
- Hyperhidrosis/bromhidrosis
- Chronic wounds
- Lymphoedema
- Blisters
To book an appointment, click here or call us on (03) 9432 3689.
- How do I know if I have a fungal nail infection? Fungal nail infections often appear as discoloured, thickened, brittle and crumbly nails. Discolouration usually involves the nail turning yellow, brown or white, but can present in many different ways. Whilst fungal nails are not typically painful to begin with, if they are left too long they may cause pain, as well as permanent changes to the appearance of the nail.
- How does a podiatrist treat an infected toenail? We treat fungal nails by cutting them and burring back the thickness of the nail. This helps to expose the fungal infection. We then recommend that you apply a topical lacquer to begin treating the infection. This may depend on how long the infection has been present and how thick the nail is.
- Can infected toenails cause other infections? Fungal infections often go hand in hand with tinea infections of the skin, as they are often caused by similar fungi. However, fungal infections are considered to be quite minor medically and often pose more cosmetic issues.
- How do fungal nail infections spread? Fungal nail infections can be spread in places such as communal showers, spas and nail salons. They thrive in moist, wet environments, such as the gym or communal showers. They can also be transmitted by using the same nail clippers or nail file as someone who already has an infection.
- How can I avoid fungal nails? You can prevent fungal infections by practicing good foot hygiene. This includes wearing thongs or sandals around the shower, avoiding sharing nail clippers with other and taking your own clippers or nail file when going to a nail salon. For more information on the differences between seeing a podiatrist for general foot care and a nail salon, click here.
- Are fungal nails painful? Fungal nails are generally not painful, however the fungi can often distort the nail shape. This may include increasing this thickness of the nail or causing it to become ingrown. If they do become painful, we recommend seeing a podiatrist to reduce your pain.