Calluses, cracks, dry skin—your feet can get pretty rough due to everyday use and stress. And, most people prefer to keep their feet feeling soft and looking good. Over-the-counter foot peels have grown to be increasingly popular. However, many people call their podiatrist in Austin, TX with questions about the safety of these products. So, are foot peels actually safe to use? Take a look at a few things to know before slipping your feet into a booty filled with foot-peel ingredients.

Common Foot-Peel Product Ingredients

Foot peel products can contain different ingredients depending on the product. However, most contain some type of acid-based exfoliating agent, such as:

• Glycolic acid
• Alpha-hydroxy acid
• Lactic acid

These chemicals break down the outer layers of skin on your feet. Therefore, a few days after using the product, your feet will start to peel. The end result is typically softer feet and fewer calluses.

Do Foot Peels Actually Help Your Feet?

Foot peels can be effective if you have dry or rough patches or mild calluses. The product should never be used anywhere else on your body but your feet. The feet are covered with thicker skin, which sheds slower than the rest of the body. Therefore, foot peels can indeed be beneficial for some people when they are selected carefully and used according to the instructions.

Who Should Not Use a Foot Peel Product?

While foot peels can be fine on occasion to soften your feet, there are some situations when foot peels should not be used. For example, these products can be dangerous for diabetics who may not shed skin or heal at the same rate as someone else. Likewise, foot peels should not be used if you have abrasions, lesions, or cuts on your feet.

Discuss Foot Peels with an Austin Podiatrist

If you are considering a foot peel, be sure to talk to an Austin, TX podiatrist about your plans first. There can be better options available for some people. Reach out to the office of Dr. Jeffery Lamour DPM, PA to schedule an appointment.

Ill-fitting shoes can lead to a range of foot problems, from discomfort, to blisters and worse. It’s a myth that shoes have to be “broken in.” Yes, leather does become softer and more pliable after use, but no one should be walking around in new shoes that make their feet hurt. If the shoes aren’t comfortable in the store or when you first walk around in them at home, then they aren’t the right fit for you. Here are some of the most common signs of ill-fitting shoes to be aware of.

1. Heel Slips When You Walk

Even if you’re wearing “slippery” socks, your heel should not slip out of the back of the shoe when you bend your foot as you walk. This heel slippage is one of the leading causes of painful heel blisters. It can also cause you to adopt an unnatural gait in an effort to avoid heel slippage. If your heel is slipping, the shoes are too long for your feet.

2. Sides of Shoes Pinch Your Feet

If the shoes are pinching your feet at the ball width, they’re too narrow for your feet. The ball width is the widest part of your foot, between the big toe joint and the baby toe joint. This pinching can cause bunions to form if you continue wearing too-narrow shoes. Bunions in Austin, TX are frequently caused by shoes that are ill-fitting or cheap shoes that are not properly formed for the human foot.

3. Space in the Toe

Overly large shoes will have too much space in front of the big toe. If you can push down the toe of the shoe without feeling your toe, the shoes are too large. Wearing shoes that are too large is just as bad as wearing shoes that are too small, because they can cause excess rubbing on the foot, and cause blisters or even ankle injuries.

Contact your podiatrist in Austin, TX for help with conditions relating to your feet health. We look forward to hearing from you.

Bunions are both frustrating and painful and are a common reason for podiatric treatment in Austin, TX. But what actually causes them? Some people claim bunions are caused by high-heels or pointed-toe boots, while others are adamant that bunions are a genetic problem. Which is the true underlying cause? Here is a closer look.

Bunions Can Have More Than One Underlying Cause

While it is a common assumption that bunions are usually related solely to either genetics or the shoes you typically wear, most people face more than one underlying cause. Shoes, genetics, and even how you walk can be to blame.

Shoes

If you usually wear excessively tight shoes on your toes, this can be a contributing factor to bunion formation. Over time, the pressure on your big toe pushes the big toe inward, which puts a lot of pressure on the joint and can cause a bunion to form. Shoes that either fit poorly or have a pointed toe are the most common types of shoes to blame.

Genetics

Genetics also play a role in whether you ever have problems with bunions or not. Some people inherit certain foot shapes that can make you more likely to have problems with bunions.

Gait Patterns

Dealing with bunions? Take a look at how you walk. If you walk in a way that puts a lot of pressure on your big toe joint, this may be part of the problem. While you may not be able to change how you walk, custom orthotics or wearing certain types of shoes may help take some pressure off the affected joint.

Looking for bunion treatment in Austin, TX?

Bunions may have a lot of underlying causes, but many of these painful formations can be treated. If you are looking for a podiatrist in Austin, TX, to help with bunion pain, reach out to the office of Jeffery Lamour, DPM, PA, to schedule an appointment.

Psoriasis is an itchy skin condition that’s caused by an unusual amount of skin-cell buildup. This happens because skin cells multiply up to 10 times faster than normal in patients who have psoriasis. Most people think of areas such as the scalp, elbows, and knees when they hear the term “psoriasis.” In reality, however, this uncomfortable condition can affect most parts of your body, including your feet. If your feet have become unusually red, dry, or itchy, a visit to your podiatrist in Austin, TX, may bring much-needed relief.

What Does Psoriasis Look Like?

There are different types of psoriasis, but plaque psoriasis is the most common. Symptoms may include:

• Patches of red or silver-colored skin
• Itching
• Cracking
• Bleeding
• Discoloration of the fingernails and toenails
• Scales or crust on the scalp

Other types of psoriasis may cause symptoms such as pustules on the soles of the feet, small, red spots on the limbs and torso, shiny, red lesions in the folds of skin in the armpits or groin or under the breasts, and fiery redness on some areas of the skin.

What Causes Psoriasis?

Doctors still aren’t completely sure what causes psoriasis, but they do know that it’s related to the body’s immune system. They know flare-ups are often triggered by events such as strep infections or emotional stress. And they know that this condition tends to run in families.

Relief for Psoriasis in Austin, TX

If you’ve recently noticed the uncomfortable signs of psoriasis on your feet in the Austin or Pflugerville areas of Texas, call Dr. Jeffery W. Lamour today. Dr. Jeff Lamour is an experienced and professional podiatrist who can help you find relief. Early diagnosis of your condition means a better outcome. Call today to set up a convenient consultation.