August 31, 2023
Often, a foot callus will go away independently if you change your shoes and eliminate friction and discomfort. Specialized creams and foot soaks can also help speed up the process. But for an unfortunate minority, calluses can become thicker and thicker, eventually causing pain and discomfort and making it necessary to seek foot callus treatment from a chiropodist.
Source: iStock
At-Home Treatment for Foot Calluses
You don't need to rush to the doctor every time you see a callus. In fact, many people will have a mild callus on their foot at any given time, and they aren't typically a medical priority without signs of severity. As far as foot conditions go, they are one of the most common. But it's still a good idea to keep on top of them by practicing foot care from home so you can ensure they don't get worse!
Gehwol's Med Callus Cream loosens hard callus layers and may even completely remove a mild callus in up to 28 days. For additional foot health benefits, try Gehwol's Extra Universal Foot Cream, which targets calluses using a combination of natural oils and medicinal ingredients. It also has deodorizing properties and strengthens and invigorates tired feet. Moreover, you can include foot soaks in your at-home callus care routine. Try Gehwol's Refreshing Foot Bath, which keeps the skin resistant to callus formation while smoothening existing calluses.
Source: Gehwol Canada
Source: Gehwol Canada
Seeking Professional Help For Calluses
Sometimes taking care of your foot health means visiting your local foot clinic for foot callus treatment from a chiropodist. Here are some signs to look out for:
Your callus is causing discomfort
Your callus looks inflamed
Your callus is very thick
Your calluses keep coming back
It hurts to put pressure on a callus when walking
You see signs of an infection, like pus and drainage. This is especially dangerous if you have diabetes.
You just want smooth feet, and to ensure your calluses are treated in a safe, sterile setting.
Chiropodists treat calluses using sterilized tools to shave down the area. Following this, they will apply ointment or moisturizing cream to help the skin heal. Your chiropodist can also tend to calluses during a medical pedicure. In addition, foot health specialists can recommend using products to help protect pressure points from friction, like foot protection pads and custom orthotics, to ward off painful, recurring calluses.
Source: iStock
April 6, 2023
Corns and calluses on the surface of your feet can be a warning to pay better attention to your foot health. Specialists discuss corns and calluses simultaneously because both conditions are caused by your body protecting your feet from friction or pressure. Likewise, the same treatment and prevention methods help both pesky skin problems.
Today's blog will discuss the preventative measures you can take to ward off calluses and corns and the treatments a chiropodist can perform.
Corns vs. Calluses
The causes of calluses and corns are similar, but it's important to note a few key points.
The term "corn" derives from their appearance as round, hardened skin resembling a piece of corn. Calluses encompass a large, rough and thick area of the foot.
Corns usually appear on the top or side of the toe. Calluses can spring up anywhere on the foot that bears weight, like the heel, big toe, ball of the foot and side of the foot.
Both conditions are not usually painful but may feel tender if you continuously walk on them. Corns may feel slightly more painful since they're a more concentrated area.
To read more about calluses and how they form, click here.
To read more about corns and how they form, click here.
How to Prevent Corns and Calluses
Prevention of calluses and corns starts with the footwear you choose. Shoes with too much or too little overall room can be a risk factor: When shoes fit loosely, the foot slides forward excessively, creating friction and leading to corn and callus development. When shoes are too tight, consistent pressure will lead to the same result as loose-fitting shoes. That's why it's essential to look for shoes that properly fit your feet and leave enough room in the toe box (especially important for corns).
Sometimes, biomechanical issues can make a person especially vulnerable to corns and calluses. In these cases, custom orthotics may be helpful as they correct any biomechanical abnormalities that can be causing excess friction and pressure on parts of the foot. Further, they add an extra layer of defence between your foot and friction via the arch support they provide. Orthotics also help manage hammertoes, a pre-existing risk factor for corns.
Treatment Options for Corns and Calluses
In general, non-painful calluses and corns can go away independently with footwear modifications. But there are occasions when chiropody and podiatry services must enter the picture. For instance, if you notice inflammation, redness and intense pain in the affected area, you should seek treatment. It is extremely important to never attempt to remove a callus or corn from home!
Furthermore, those with diabetes should ensure a chiropodist regularly tends to their corns and calluses because diabetes prevents them from healing properly. In addition, diabetic neuropathy can prevent the patient from noticing if corns and calluses are getting worse and entering ulcer territory.
Chiropodists can remove thick calluses during a medical pedicure. This is also a preventative treatment as the entire treatment process strengthens the skin's protective barrier. Chiropodists can also shave down corns and calluses with sterilized tools before applying the right creams or ointments to ensure skin repair. In addition, they can recommend medical-grade products like corn foot pads and foot devices to reduce friction.
March 23, 2023
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects people from all over the world. Type 1 or type 2 diabetes can lead to several complications, like heart disease, kidney problems, vision issues, oral health deterioration, and more. But one of the most common problems diabetes patients face is diabetic foot pain and other foot problems that can transform into serious complications when left unchecked.
Today's blog will discuss the following:
The causes of diabetic foot pain
Diabetes-related foot complications
Diabetic foot pain treatment at a foot clinic
Self-care tips and at-home diabetic foot care
Photo by Artem Podrez from Pexels
What Causes Diabetic Foot Pain?
The main culprit behind type 1 and type 2 diabetes-related foot pain is diabetic neuropathy. Diabetes patients struggle with four types of neuropathy, all of which cause nerve damage:
Peripheral Neuropathy: This is the most relevant categorization of neuropathy when discussing foot pain causes. It affects the lower extremities (feet and legs), arms and hands. It occurs when high blood sugar and triglyceride levels damage the nerves and tiny blood vessels in the circulatory system, causing poor blood flow. Symptoms include shooting foot pain, "pins and needles," numbness, weakness and burning sensations.
Autonomic Neuropathy: This is similar to peripheral, except the nerve damage affects the body's organs rather than the limbs.
Proximal Neuropathy: A rare type of nerve damage that causes severe hip, buttock, or thigh pain.
Focal Neuropathies: Rare singular/local (hence "focal") nerve damage, typically in the hand, head, torso, or leg.
Diabetes-Related Foot Complications
Whether it's numbness or pain, it is extremely important to pay attention to the warning signs your feet give when you have diabetes.
Moreover, your feet often fail to signal problems to your brain due to neuropathy. This means you also need to consistently inspect your feet and visit a foot specialist for an extra set of eyes and expertise (more on that later!)
If you don't, debilitating complications with varying degrees of pain and discomfort may creep up. These include:
Skin changes like dry skin and cracked heels. This occurs due to nerve damage preventing your body's natural oil and moisture production.
If you cannot feel cold, heat and other sensations on your feet, you may be unaware of a foot injury. This can lead to a worsening injury or infection if the skin is broken and you haven't noticed.
Calluses are common in people with diabetes, and the more they thicken, the more likely they are to become an ulcer (open sores or lesions that will not heal).
Peripheral artery disease (plaque buildup in the arteries) can arise in diabetic patients. Like neuropathy, it reduces blood flow, so you don't notice ulcers, infections and injuries. Aggressive infections and ulcers without treatment can lead to gangrene or amputations.
Edema (swelling): This is caused by nerve damage and the subsequent fluid buildup in the body's lower extremities. Swelling can cause pain and mobility problems.
Diabetic Foot Pain Treatment at a Foot Clinic
Since diabetes impacts our feet, patients should find a chiropodist and schedule regular appointments. The general recommendation is no less than once yearly but more frequently if nerve damage is present.
Not only can foot specialists help with pain management, but consistent foot inspections are critical for spotting the beginning stages of a complication.
Some of the main ways chiropodists help with diabetic foot pain include:
Skin health assessments and maintenance
Foot assessments
Custom orthotics
Footwear recommendations
Skin Health Assessments and Maintenance
This is one of the most important jobs a chiropodist will do. They can notice signs of ulcer development, infections and other skin abnormalities. Chiropodists also perform regular diabetic foot care on diabetes patients, so they don't develop ingrown toenails or fungal infections.
Foot Assessments
Your chiropodist will check your vascular (circulation) health via regular inspections. They will also check your foot temperature, look for swelling, and check the colour of your feet. They can also ask what type of foot sensations you're feeling, like tingling, shooting pain or burning and proceed from there. This is included with Feet First Clinic's diabetic foot care services.
Custom Orthotics
Orthotics make walking much easier, as they distribute body weight evenly across the foot while reducing pressure and friction and relieving the foot's pressure points. They also help regulate your motion and correct any abnormal gait patterns you develop while struggling with foot pain. Chiropodists can provide orthotics via a thorough a biomechanical assessment.
Footwear Recommendations
Footwear modifications can help reduce diabetic foot pain, and the special shapes and designs of orthpaedic footwear can accommodate neuropathy symptoms more successfully than standard footwear. Diabetic patients often need deep shoes to support orthotics and to manage the discomfort and pain they experience when dealing with swelling. Diabetes patients also need footwear with little to no seams in order to reduce pressure points and friction against the foot. Companies such as APEX and Anodyne make shoes especially for diabetes patients.
Self-Care Tips and At-Home Diabetic Foot Care
Orthopedic slippers can help manage foot pain and allow you to move around your home more freely.
Soak your feet in a warm foot bath to ease stress and soothe aches and pains.
Try your best to regulate blood sugar levels to help fight nerve damage.
Inspect your feet and keep them clean. Note: do not try to get rid of calluses and other skin abnormalities on your own. Schedule an appointment with your chiropodist if you notice callus buildup or skin problems.
Keep on top of diabetes routines not directly related to your feet. This includes proper medication management and regularly checking your blood pressure at the local pharmacy and doctor's office.
Light exercises and stretches can be beneficial for diabetic foot pain. For example, rolling your feet on a ball (or water bottle) or scrunching your toes to pick up a towel can strengthen your feet. And those are just two examples! Most foot stretches are easy to perform and relieve pain in different ways. Low-impact activities like swimming and walking can also be beneficial.
December 29, 2022
Dry, cracked heels are a burden that several people suffer with. And as winter progresses and summer feels like a faraway dream, many people are on the look out for the perfect cracked heels remedy.
But first, it's important to learn why cracked heels occur in the first place. Understanding this skin condition is the first step towards successful treatment and pain-free winter adventures!
Today's blog will answer:
What are cracked heels?
What causes cracked heels?
What are some cracked heels remedies?
What Are Cracked Heels?
Cracked heels, sometimes called heel fissures, develop when the bottom of your heels become hard and dry, splitting open the skin. Cracked heels may also stem from having excessive, thick calluses.
As other symptoms progress, like flaking and crusting of the skin, dry cracked heels can become much more than a cosmetic issue. And while they don't often enter serious foot condition territory, deep cracked heels may start bleeding and cause severe pain, making it extremely difficult to move freely.
What Causes Cracked Heels?
You may assume that because you rarely go barefoot, that your heels shouldn't crack. But a variety of outside elements and risk factors can make your heels more vulnerable.
Common Causes of Cracked Heels
Cold weather: The cold temperatures and dry air you experience in winter are a recipe for cracked heel development. Removing your socks from the skin on your heels can feel like velcro, and you may find "foot dandruff" residue on your black socks as well.
Wearing Ill-fitting footwear: The fat pad, or cushioning, under your heel will take on sufficient damage if you stand on your feet for long periods while wearing shoes with very minimal heel support.
Wear flip-flops in the summer: Similarly, this can set you up for a worsening condition when winter rolls around.
Using harsh soaps: This can strip away the skin's natural oil barriers, which can lead to dryness and eventually, cracked heels. The winter months can exacerbate this issue since people want to take long, hot baths more often.
Cracked Heels: Risk Factors
Age: Skin loses natural elasticity with age.
Obesity: Holding extra weight can lead to excessive pressure on the heels.
Having diabetes or a thyroid disorder: When diabetes damages the nerves in the feet, it can cause your feet to produce insufficient sweat, causing dryness. Hypothyroidism can cause a hormonal imbalance, leading to cracked heels.
Cracked Heels Remedies
Now that you know how this pesky condition started, it's time to find the cracked heel remedy that works best for you! Your best bet will be utilizing a combination of the following treatments:
Moisturize
Without moisturizing your feet, you won't be able to fully solved your cracked heels issue.
Use products (oil-based balms and foot creams) with skin softening agents (urea is one of the most common), as these can boost the skin's natural moisture production and rid your feet of dead skin. For the best results, moisturize your feet twice a day, after showering or bathing.
Check out this blog for more details on the best products for moisturizing your heels!
Lifestyle Changes
Sometimes a little goes a long way, and the perfect cracked heels remedy includes making changes.
Try a complete footwear overhaul, which includes ditching shoes with little to no heel support and investing in supportive footwear. You can also try over-the-counter insoles that provide extra heel support.
You should also exfoliate your feet and buff them with a foot file. However, make sure you do this as part of a routine and not just to rid yourself of current cracked heels.
And lastly, switch from harsh, scented soaps to gentle, relatively scent-free products and assess what products you may be allergic.
See Your Chiropodist
Your trusted foot specialist can not only remove calluses on the feet, but they have extensive knowledge on foot care products and which ones would be best for you. Your chiropodist can also work to offload pressure on your heels, allowing the cracked to heal and close.
December 19, 2022
Christmas and the holidays are naturally stressful as we hunt for the perfect gifts. But it's important to take a moment to reflect on what gifts are the most meaningful rather than the most expensive or luxurious. One example of a loved one we may struggle to shop for is our grandma. But finding the perfect stocking stuffers for grandma may not be as challenging as you think!
Shopping for health and wellness gifts is a great angle to take. Seniors are more prone to suffering from foot conditions than we are, and many products that help alleviate these problems are affordable and perfect for stockings.
Let's take a look at some of our top picks!
Stocking Stuffers For Grandma
Gehwol's Fusskraft Leg Vitality
Foot File
Medilogics Massage Ball
Sigvaris Compression Stockings
Dermal Therapy Heel Care
Misc Gehwol Products
Photo by Nicole Michalou from Pexels!
Gehwol's Fusskraft Leg Vitality
Price: $27
The perfect gift for grandma can be something that helps her with mobility. Joint problems and muscle weakness are quite common in elderly people and can lead to instability, difficulty standing up after sitting, and even falls. So why not enhance her Christmas stocking this year with a multi-beneficial leg product?
Now, this trusty balm won't eliminate mobility problems --- it takes a lot of attentive care, exercises, and visits with healthcare professionals to improve mobility. However, gently massaging Gehwol's Leg Vitality does produce a soothing effect for tired, achy muscles.
The ingredients are scientifically proven to positively affect the circulation and vascular system. Gehwol's Leg Vitality also prevents skin irritation, tightens the skin, and prevents dry, scaly dead skin. These benefits can be extremely valuable for people who have difficulty moving since discomfort can lead to skin care neglect.
Foot File
Price: $8 (2 for $14)
One of the best gift ideas for grandma is a foot file. This pedicure tool scrapes the dead skin off the bottom of the feet. As a result, happy foot filers enjoy fewer calluses and cracked heels and a lower chance of developing a fungal infection.
But a lesser-known benefit of using a foot file is the boost in blood circulation, which can help relax your feet and prep them for a day of walking.
Now, you may be wondering why this is a good Christmas gift for grandma versus someone else. To answer that, studies show that seniors are more at risk of developing plantar keratosis, also known as a "painful, discrete, and focused callus" resulting from dead skin buildup. Aging also leads to the reduction of natural collagen production, which can result in even more dead skin and calluses. A good foot file can help with all of that!
At Feet First Clinic, we have quality double-sided foot files available. Use the coarse side to exfoliate, and the other side to smooth and soften the skin. They also come with a free GEHWOL foot scrub to use with the foot file.
Medilogics Massage Ball
Price: $11
This year, grandma can stimulate blood circulation and soothe her sore muscles with a therapeutic massage ball. This gift is meaningful since countless older adults suffer from bottom of the foot pain.
More specifically, elderly people are more at risk of succumbing to stress fractures, poor circulation, gout (typically in the big toe but it can target the heel), and plantar fasciitis, so comforting and strengthening all of the foot muscles is important.
The textured surface of this massage ball helps it stand apart from other therapeutic balls or the standard tennis balls some use for foot pain exercises.
Sigvaris Compression Stockings
Price Range: $60-190
Fashionable, discrete, and snug compression stockings from Sigvaris can help make daily life easier for seniors. They help preserve health in older adults by preventing fluid buildup and blood clots and improving circulation. Medium-pressure (20 to 30 mmHg) stockings are generally sufficient for seniors experiencing mild swelling and aching legs and feet.
The only issue with choosing compression stockings for Christmas gifts is that you need to arrange a fitting for your grandma, so the surprise element isn't there. However, gifts aren't all about the surprise. When a present is meaningful and used daily, it can be much more valuable than other gifts.
Dermal Therapy Heel Care
Price: $15
This heel care cream is all your grandma needs to get through the bitterly cold winters.
Cracked heels can be more common in older adults as the skin around the rim of the heel dries out and thickens. As the fat pad under the heel bears a lot of pressure throughout one's lifetime, it only makes sense for cracked heels to develop if seniors don't take proper precautions. Furthermore, seniors are more prone to dry skin due to water loss in the stratum corneum (outermost layer of the skin), causing cracking, itching, and bleeding.
But Dermal Therapy Heel Care can be a lifesaver of a Christmas gift. The ingredients (such as urea and silk amino acids) actively hydrate the skin by imitating the body's natural moisturizing system. It also works as an exfoliant, replacing the dead, old skin with new skin. Lastly, it can restore skin tone in the feet and provide a silky, smooth feel.
Miscellaneous Products From Gehwol
Price Range: Roughly $18-30
When pondering stocking stuffers, it's important to shine a light on all products from Gehwol. They continue to master the art of combining natural ingredients and medicinal properties to create multipurpose foot care products.
The following products are perfect as stocking stuffers and are all available at Feet First Clinic:
Gehwol's Foot Bath
Gehwol's Lipidro Cream
Gehwol's Med Express Foam
Gehwol's Fusskraft Soft Feet Cream
Gehwol's Fusskraft Herbal Foot Bath
Gehwol's Foot and Shoe Deodorant
Gehwol's Med Lipidro Cream
Gehwol's Med Salve for Cracked Skin
Gehwol's Extra Universal Foot Cream
GEHWOL foot care products for dry feet for Christmas stocking stuffers
December 1, 2022
Winter has graced our presence again, and while we're all bearing it (or enjoying it!), many forget precautions that keep our feet comfortable, clean, warm and dry. But worry not; with a reliable winter foot care routine, you can get through the chilly season without risking the most common foot conditions.
Here are some steps to create the perfect winter foot care routine. Be sure to follow it as often as possible for the best results!
Find the best winter shoes
Create a workout routine
Keep your feet clean
Master your skincare routine
Winter Foot Care Routine Part 1: Find The Best Winter Shoes
The first step in your winter feet treatment journey is securing the best winter walking shoes that accommodate your needs.
In the wintertime, the best walking shoes will generally be boots since you will want to keep your feet toasty warm. That said, brands like Saucony and ASICS make solid winter running shoes for snowy trails, roads and paved sidewalks.
If you spend a lot of time walking and need extra support, you can opt for winter boots with a removable footbed for your insoles or orthotics. Supportive winter boots should also have sufficient arch support and shock-absorbing heels.
Suppose snowy conditions are your concern. If so, select boots made with waterproof material, like GORE-TEX. You should also ensure your winter boots have a good amount of traction to prevent slipping. And lastly, try snug boots with faux fur shearling cuffs and insulating features to keep warm. Failing to shield your feet from the cold can put you at risk of chilblains (painful inflammation of the tiny blood vessels in the feet).
Winter Foot Care Routine Part 2: Create A Workout Routine
Did you know cold temperatures can affect blood circulation, causing foot pain?
Foot care isn't just about buying high-quality shoes and calling it a day. Sometimes it's about putting in some strenuous effort that, in the long run, can protect you from discomfort and pain. After all, your feet hold you up daily, so they should be as strong as possible.
That's where foot stretches and exercises enter the picture!
Incorporating your foot exercises into your general morning routine is a great habit. First, a lot of people get their day started by working out. Second, certain foot conditions like plantar fasciitis can feel worse in the morning, so attentive care can prep your foot muscles for starting your day.
Try curating your workout by mixing and matching these great stretches and exercises:
Toe Flex and Raise
Calf Stretch on a Stair
Forward Leg Swings
Ankle Circles
Banded Leg Exercise
Wall Squats
Leg Raises
Cat / Cow Stretch
Toe Curls
Golf Ball Stretch
Bonus: The exciting news is that some of these stretches are multi-purposeful! Many can also help alleviate back pain, help with hip mobility, stretch your calf muscles, and more!
Winter Foot Care Routine Part 3: Keep Your Feet Clean
Many assume shielding our feet in winter boots is enough to protect them from harm. But it would be unwise to think this way. When your feet sweat in warm boots for long hours, they're begging for a hygiene routine, so vigilance is key.
Keeping your feet clean will prevent skin irritation, calluses, cracks, fungal infections, athlete's foot, and more! And don't forget, you have to keep them dry as well.
If you follow this simple routine, you should be in the clear:
Wash your feet daily in warm water and mild, skin-friendly soap.
Be sure to dry thoroughly and even dust with foot powder. Gehwol's Foot Powder, in particular, protects your feet from excessive perspiration and can prevent foot odour.
Thoroughly dry in between the toes.
Change your socks frequently.
Try moisture-wicking socks for added protection.
Winter Foot Care Routine Part 4: Master Your Skincare Routine
Is there ever a time of year when skin care is more critical? With heat blasting in communal spaces and unpredictable precipitation catching us off guard, your feet need extra TLC when it's cold outside.
Try Gehwol's Med Salve for Cracked Skin or Dermal Therapy Heel Care to tackle any pre-existing skin conditions, like cracked heels and dry skin, right off the bat.
But preventing skin conditions by moisturizing is equally important. Try moisturizers with ingredients like glycerin, propylene glycol, urea and lanolin, all of which work by locking in pre-existing moisture. Many Gehwol foot creams include these ingredients, so you can select the one that appeals most to you.
As for when you should moisturize, the best time is after showering or bathing when your feet are already clean and dry. Apply your moisturizer evenly across the entire foot, avoiding build-up between the toes. You can moisturize before bed if you like, but slip on some socks to avoid getting it on your sheets.
Other skincare tips include:
Avoid long, hot showers and baths, as they can dry out your skin. Try a lukewarm temperature instead, or reduce the amount of time you spend in there.
Get a humidifier for your space.
Drink more water.
Exfoliate your feet with homemade scrubs or medicinal foot scrubs from Gehwol. Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells and removes debris that lies deep within your pores.
