CORNS AND CALLUSES
BUNIONS
A bunion is a deformity of the big toe, almost always caused
by the use of shoes that force the toe to turn toward the other toes. In mild
cases, the pain can be relieved by heat, and the condition will correct itself
after properly fitting shoes have been worn for some time. In more severe
cases, a physician should be consulted, since surgery may be required for
correction.
INGROWN TOENAILS ATHLETE'S FOOT
These can be prevented by the use of good shoes and by
keeping the nails short, with the sides a little longer than the middle. Badly
ingrown nails should always be treated by a physician or podiatrist, since a
serious infection may otherwise develop. If you have a slightly ingrown nail,
insert a tiny bit of cotton that has been soaked in castor oil under the
ingrown edge of the nail; protect the nail from pressure by a pad of clean gauze
held in place by adhesive tape. Athlete's foot, or dermatophytosis, often
requires medical attention.
It is caused by a fungus, a form of plant life, which grows
on the dead cells that make up the calluses and "old skin" of the
feet and thrives on warmth and dampness. It causes itching or burning spots,
and often blisters, usually between the toes. In addition to discomfort, it
provides sites for more serious infections. If you insist on treating athlete's
foot yourself, the following method is safe: Dry the feet thoroughly and always
keep them as dryas possible. Wear socks that will absorb moisture without being
so rough as to irritate the skin, and shoes that fit well without being
"airtight." After drying your feet, apply a mild alcoholic
solution-rubbing alcohol or toilet water.
Dry again. Put some plain unscented talcum powder on the
feet and in your shoes. Keep your toenails short. Gently remove all scaly,
soggy, or horny material from between the toes and from the soles of the feet.
Put pledgets of lamb's wool or absorbent cotton between the toes if they are
too close together. And use Desenex ointment over the infected, itching areas
morning and night. You may also try the following method when the lesions are
moist and oozing: Soak the feet in 1 :15,000 solution of potassium permanganate
\ These can cause a considerable amount of trouble, and the best way to avoid
them is by wearing shoes that fit. Corns are of two varieties: hard, usually
found on the outside of the little toe; and soft, between the toes.
