February 2022

Ingrown toenail infections occur when the corner tip or edge of your toenail pokes into the skin surrounding it, instead of freely growing outwards. The toe that’s most likely to suffer from this issue is your big toe, since it’s usually the one that’s most in contact with your footwear.

This condition is potentially very painful and can affect pretty much anyone, of all ages. Left untreated, an ingrown toenail infection can lead to other infections that may even spread into the underlying bone structure of your feet.

If you have a condition that reduces the blood flow to your feet, like diabetes and peripheral arterial disease, you’re more likely to suffer from an ingrown toenail. In fact, if you suffer from any of these conditions, your ingrown toenail can turn sour very quickly and lead to severe complications. This is why it’s important to know the symptoms early on and treat it accordingly.

Ingrown toenails are treatable at home, but at-home treatments can lead to complications if not carried out properly and hygienically. These complications will require immediate attention from a podiatrist or medical practitioner.

Symptoms to Look Out For

 Here are some of the main symptoms to look out for, in order to identify an ingrown toenail infection so you can go about ingowing toenail management correctly.

• Swelling in the affected area
• Pain when you touch the area
• Pain in toenail
• Pain in toenail due to shoes
• Pain in toenail in bed
• You feel pressure under your affected toenail
• Throbbing sensations in the area
• Foul smell coming from the affected area
• Warmth in and around the infected area (this is your body’s way of telling you that you have an infection, while also fighting off said infection)
• Hardened skin around affected nail, accompanies with redness
• You may experience a build-up / ooze of fluid in the affected area
• Your nail is thick, yellowing, or cracked. This is a key symptom of a fungal infection and must never be ignored
• You may even develop an abscess that fills with pus, in the area where your nail has punctured your skin
• The edges of your nail have an overgrowth of new and inflamed tissue

Ingrowing Toenail Management

 Ingrown toenail infections are easy to cure at home if you identify them soon. Never yank or pull on the ingrown nail; you shouldn’t force it and you must always make sure your hands are clean and dry before attempting to fix it at home.

Some home remedies include:

1. Soaking your foot in warm water and Epsom salt / coarse salt to soften the skin around your nail. This will also help drain the pus out and reduce pain.
2. Applying antibiotic or antifungal lotion onto the nail and skin under and around the nail.
3. Taking over-the-counter pain medication to help with the discomfort, pain, and swelling.
4. Wearing comfortable and breathable shoes.

If these don’t home remedies don’t work, and you find it hard to manage, your doctor may do some of the things listed below:

1. Pack an antibiotic soaked gauze under your nail to eliminate infection and encourage the nail to grow out normally
2. Trim or cut off the ingrown part of your nail
3. Surgery, only if the case is serious and / or recurring

If your ingrown nail persists and the infection isn’t getting better, it’s time to see a doctor near you.

Ingrown Toenail Remedies Amersham

 There are also a few other ways you can go about caring for your ingrown toenail infection. If you’re looking for ingrown toenail remedies in Amersham, you may try the following (but it’s better to visit a podiatrist):

• Snakeroot Extract: Sometimes the best solutions are found in nature. The extract of this antifungal plant can be used to treat fungal nail infections, and has proved to be as effective as ciclopirox, a drug-store anti-fungal treatment.
• Ozone Oils: Oils like sunflower oil and olive oil are oils that contain the same gasses that exist in the ozone layer. Many studies have been conducted that have concluded that these “ozonized” oils are effective when it comes to treating nail fungus and may just be the best home remedy on how to get rid of a nail infection. In fact, a study took place in which sunflower oil had higher clinical effects than a common antifungal medication called ketoconazole.
• Oregano Oil: Another proof of the effectiveness of nature is oregano oil. It contains “thymol”, a naturally occurring phenol that is said to have antifungal properties. In treatments, this oil is also combined with tea tree oil, but this increases the risk of negative side effects, irritation, and allergic reaction.
• VapoRub: Though commonly used to treat colds and coughs, vicks vaporub has proved itself beneficial in treating fungal nail infections, in a study done in 2011.

If your infection has more serious symptoms, or persists after taking the above measures, visit a podiatrist immediately.

The best way to permanently deal with and cure your ingrown toenail infection is by visiting a podiatrist near you. For the best podiatric treatment near you, visit Bucks Foot Clinic. We’ll be able to help you resolve your issue with ease.

Please call us on  0800 107 3290 / 077 99 122 099 Or contact us now

Verruca Infections are very common, and we see them in our patients almost on a daily basis. They’re a pretty simple issue to deal with, but they can often become painful and hard to manage if not properly cared for.

There are lots of questions surrounding verrucas on feet, one of the most common being “Do I have a verruca or a corn?”. We’re here to give you the answers you need. So, if you want to know more about verruca infections, read on!

Verrucas are a type of wart that develop on your feet. This type of wart is specific to the feet and is surprisingly common. Verruca infections are usually harmless, and so many people aren’t even aware of their existence. You can either have a single verruca that develops on your foot, or you can also have a cluster of verrucae that covers a greater area on your foot.

Verruca infections are a result of a viral infection called the Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV for short. There are so many types of HPV, but in particular HPV 1, 2, and 4 are the subtypes that are most likely to lead to verrucae development.

How Can You Tell If You Have A Verruca Infection?

Chances are you’ve had a Verruca before and just confused it for a corn or a wart. But there are some key identifying factors when it comes to Verrucas which can help you single them out from all these other ailments. Verrucas are actually an infection caused by HPV and can be painful in comparison to normal warts or corns. They tend to form on the soles of your feet and may have tiny black dots in the centre, where blood has clotted in tiny vessels on the surface of your skin. They can be painful when you put weight on them, kind of like stepping on a needle. They also tend to look flat because of the constant pressure put on them. They even develop in clusters in some cases and can fuse together, forming “mosaic warts”. Which, again, sound super fancy, but definitely aren’t a piece you’d put up in an art exhibit. They’re actually kind of grotesque, but are totally normal.

To sum it up, you know it’s Verrucas on your feet when:

• There’s a black dot in the centre (in most cases)
• The “wart” is oddly cauliflower-shaped
• You feel a stinging “stepping-on-a-needle” type of pain when you apply pressure
• The lump is small and rough
• You may have multiple on your hands and around your mouth as well (in the case of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, or HFM for short, which is common in most children)

How Do Verrucas on Feet Form?

As mentioned earlier, verruca infections are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). There are lots of old wive’s tales surrounding the causes of verrucae, and the most common one is “swimming pools cause verrucae”. Though this is true, it needs a little more context. Swimming pools themselves do not cause the verruca infection, but since verrucae are highly contagious, it’s very easy to develop verrucae from being in the same swimming pool with someone who is affected.

Cross-infection is very common, and if you have a verruca and you’re walking around barefoot, you’ll probably infect the next barefoot person to walk on the same floor. You can also catch it by direct contact with another person’s verruca. In fact, you can even be contagious to yourself. If you have a verruca, and you touch it and then touch other parts of your body, you’re likely to spread the verruca infection.

Do I Have A Verruca or A Corn?

Most people tend to confuse Verrucas for Corns. It’s a very common problem seen by Podiatrists everywhere. A lot of times, patients come in after “mistreatment” caused by the confusion. When you can’t tell if it’s a verruca or a corn, it’s probably best to see a medical professional (why not book an appointment with Bucks Foot Clinic?) before you treat it at home. The wrong treatment for the wrong lesion can sometimes even lead to more serious problems. So it’s best to know how to SPOT the difference between these spots.
Since you already know how you can tell if it’s a verruca on your feet, we won’t get into too much detail. In fact, we have an article specifically for this question alone. So, if you want to know if you’re dealing with a verruca or a corn, read this article of ours. It’ll give you better insight into properly identifying the differences between the two so you can tell if you’re dealing with a verruca or a corn with ease.

Now that you know everything you need to know about verruca infections, it’ll be easier for you to identify them and get the proper treatment required. In case you’re dealing with verrucas on your feet, or any other issue related to your feet, visit a podiatrist immediately.

Bucks Foot Clinic is here to help you! Book an appointment with us for quick and painless relief.

Please call us on  0800 107 3290 / 077 99 122 099 Or contact us now

There are lots of issues you can face with your feet, but among the most annoying and unattractive ones is Verrucae. Luckily for you, there is now a permanent solution to this problem that prevents it from recurring ever again. SWIFT Machine Treatment is the best way to permanently treat your Verrucae, so you never have to worry about them coming back again.

This article will tell you everything you need to know about SWIFT Treatment in Beaconsfield and Little Chalfont.

Before we tell you everything you need to know about SWIFT Machine Treatment, we’ll explain what Verrucae are.

Verruca infections are a virus. It is caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and is highly contagious. Verrucas on feet are commonly spotted on the soles of the areas around one’s toes. These viruses thrive in moist environments and tend to cyclically be an outbreak in children at the park (like hand, foot, mouth disease). Verrucas tend to look kind of like cauliflowers, but then they flatten up because of pressure when they are on the soles of your feet.

Sometimes verrucas can be painless, but more often than not they are very uncomfortable and even painful to deal with. They can disappear overnight, or can be persistent for years on end. They are highly contagious and so they spread from person to person in a seemingly never ending cycle. They are spread through both direct and indirect skin contact, so they really are a virus to look out for!

What Is SWIFT Treatment in Little Chalfont?

 SWIFT is a relatively new technology that’s been developed in the UK, and has been licensed for treating verrucas by podiatrists all over. SWIFT uses microwave energy, delivered through a probe which is put on the skin to treat the affected area. With SWIFT Machine Treatment, you can get rid of multiple verrucas and warts in just one sitting, and it’s quick and efficient in doing so. The cherry on top is that you don’t require anaesthetics of dressings afterwards!

Is SWIFT Machine Treatment Painful?

 Treatment for most skin issues can be slightly uncomfortable. It’s the same for verrucas as well. You may feel a slight amount of discomfort during the treatment, but pain is a very subjective thing. Some people may find it more painful than others but the general consensus is that SWIFT Machine Treatment is not too painful. A common comparison made by people who’ve undergone SWIFT treatment is that it feels like a sudden heat that lasts for 2-3 seconds and then subsides. You don’t require anaesthetics for the treatment, but if you feel like you have a very low pain tolerance, you can choose to apply them 45 minutes prior to the session. Depending on the size of your verruca, your podiatrist may even choose to reduce the lesion with a blade.

How It Works

As mentioned earlier, SWIFT uses microwave energy to help heal the infected area of your skin. With SWIFT, you don’t puncture or damage the skin, and the treatment is quick and effective. It uses the same technology that’s been used to effectively treat cancer for the last 30 odd years. SWIFT Machine Treatment is completely non-invasive and is a super effective procedure. As it is with most skin conditions and viruses, the best way to treat verrucas is by triggering the body’s immune system to allow it to naturally heal and clear the infected area. This is precisely what SWIFT treatment does. It uses microwave technology to make electromagnetic waves penetrate deep into the infected area to alert the immune system of the verruca to instigate the self-healing process, while also destroying the verruca as well.

Can I Get Swift Machine Treatment in Beaconsfield?

If you’re wondering whether you can get SWIFT Machine Treatment, here’s your answer. Pretty much anyone with skin lesions can undergo SWIFT treatment, but there are a few exceptions (listed below). SWIFT Machine Treatment is suitable for children who are older, and also low-risk diabetics with good circulation in their bodies. Before undergoing treatment, your podiatrist will assess you and advise you accordingly.

SWIFT Treatment may not be suited to you if:

• You have heart problems or wear a pacemaker
• You have nerve damage in your feet
• You have poor circulation or diabetes (high-risk)
• You have metal pins/plates/replacement joints in your feet/ankles
• Your body doesn’t heal too well
• You’re on immunosuppressive drugs from cancer treatment/rheumatoid arthritis (since they lower your immunity)
• You are under 10 years old
• You’re very sensitive to pain (fear not, however, because in this case, you can use analgesics and go ahead with the procedure)

You’re pregnant/breastfeeding since your immune system is very turbulent during this period. So, the SWIFT Treatment results may not be as successful.

Now that you know about SWIFT Machine Treatment and how it can help you permanently fix your problem, you may be wondering where you can undergo this process.

Bucks Foot Clinic offers the best SWIFT Treatment in Little Chalfont and Beaconsfield. Contact us and book an appointment today!

Please call us on  0800 107 3290 / 077 99 122 099 Or contact us now

If you’ve been googling “foot specialist near me”, that’s a big teller that you are in need of foot care. Perhaps you’re dealing with a nasty nail infection that you’re not quite sure how to get rid of.

Whatever the case may be, a podiatrist can help you with your foot care issues with ease. Podiatrists are also called foot specialists, and they specialize in your feet, so they know everything there is to know when dealing with nail infections and other foot care-related issues.

If you want to know more about how a foot specialist can help you, you’re in luck! This article will tell you more about what foot specialists do and will teach you how to deal with nail infections as well.

Read on to learn more.

“Foot Specialist” is an easy term for Podiatrists / Chiropodists. In simple words, they handle all things foot-care-related.

A Podiatrist is a medical specialist that helps with problems related to your feet and lower legs. We can deal with complications from health issues like diabetes and even treat minor and major injuries. People also call us Podiatric Physicians or Doctors of Podiatric Medicine, as well as Chiropodists.

Though a Podiatrist IS a doctor, they don’t go to traditional medical schools. There are separate schools and professional associations for Podiatrists. Doctors usually have an “MD” after their name, which stands for “Medical Doctor”. We have “DPM” at the end of our names. This stands for “Doctor of Podiatric Medicine”.

We can perform surgeries, reset broken bones, order lab tests or x-rays, and even rest broken bones. We’re completely licensed to do so, and we often work alongside other specialists that treat issues of the feet and lower legs.

How A Foot Specialist Near Me Can Help

There are many ways in which a foot specialist can help you. They can give you advice and treatment to deal with discolored toenails, nail infections, painful feet, cracks or cuts in your skin, growths like verrucas and warts, and more foot care-related issues.

Foot specialists / Podiatrists can give you orthotics as well and can prescribe any medications you may need.

You don’t necessarily have to have a big issue to see a Podiatrist, as it’s recommended to visit one at least for a single session of consultation. Especially in the case of hard skin on your feet, or ingrown toenails.

Apart from this, Podiatrists can give you much-needed knowledge on foot care, like what kind of footwear to wear, and how to maintain foot hygiene.

They can also help with bigger issues and are very needed especially for diabetic patients. They can treat issues and prevent them from recurring or becoming worse, and can also treat sports and exercise-related injuries.

Podiatrist vs. Chiropodist: What’s The Difference?

You may hear people use the term “Chiropodist” instead of “Podiatrist”. In truth, there is no difference between the two. They are interchangeable terms and both refer to foot specialists. The only real difference is that the term “Podiatrist” is relatively new compared to “Chiropodist”.

Dealing With A Nail Infection

If the source of your foot care troubles is a nail infection, a foot specialist / Podiatrist can help you easily. There are a few home remedies for infected nails, but we advise you to see a podiatrist. These home remedies give instant relief, but aren’t a permanent solution.
A few common home remedies are as follows:

• Snakeroot Extract: Sometimes the best solutions are found in nature. The extract of this antifungal plant can be used to treat fungal nail infections and has proved to be as effective as ciclopirox, a drug-store anti-fungal treatment.
• Ozone Oils: Oils like sunflower oil and olive oil are oils that contain the same gasses that exist in the ozone layer. Many studies have been conducted that have concluded that these “ozonized” oils are effective when it comes to treating nail fungus and may just be the best home remedy on how to get rid of a nail infection. In fact, a study took place in which sunflower oil had higher clinical effects than a common antifungal medication called ketoconazole.
• Oregano Oil: Another proof of the effectiveness of nature is oregano oil. It contains “thymol”, a naturally occurring phenol that is said to have antifungal properties. In treatments, this oil is also combined with tea tree oil, but this increases the risk of negative side effects, irritation, and allergic reaction.
• VapoRub: Though commonly used to treat colds and coughs, vicks vaporub has proved itself beneficial in treating fungal nail infections, in a study done in 2011.

Now that you know more about foot specialists and how they can help with foot care, you probably want to know where you can find the right person for the job. You can stop googling “foot specialist near me” because you’re in the right place already.

Bucks Foot Clinic has professionals who have lots of experience and knowledge in the field. If you have any foot care-related issues or nail infections, we can handle them with ease. So, contact us and book an appointment!

Please call us on  0800 107 3290 / 077 99 122 099 Or contact us now

Verrucas on feet are very common. Though they are so common, there are lots of questions surrounding verrucas. Some people even ask, “is a verruca a sore?”. As professional podiatrists, we want to educate you as much as we can.

So, if you’d like to learn more about verrucas on feet, if a verruca is a sore, and how we go about verruca treatment, read on!

Verruca or verruca infections are a virus. It is caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and is highly contagious. Verrucas on feet are commonly spotted on the soles of the areas around one’s toes. These viruses thrive in moist environments and tend to cyclically be an outbreak in children at the park (like hand, foot, mouth disease). Verrucas tend to look kind of like cauliflowers, but then they flatten up because of pressure when they are on the soles of your feet.

Sometimes verrucas can be painless, but more often than not they are very uncomfortable and even painful to deal with. They can disappear overnight, or can be persistent for years on end.

What Causes Verrucas on Feet?

Now that you know more about the Verruca infection, it’d do you good to understand where it comes from so you can prevent it from happening to you. Especially if you have children or young adults at home since they’re the most prone and the virus is extremely contagious.

Verrucas are caused by HPV. Verruca infections can spread from person to person via direct skin contact or even just contact with surfaces contaminated with the virus. You’re also more likely to get infected if your skin is damaged or wet, so swimming pools and communal showers tend to be a breeding ground for verruca infections. Apart from infecting (or being infected by) others, you can even further infect yourself by touching unaffected areas of your body. The viral particles tend to spread when you scratch a verruca. As with most viruses, your chances of developing verruca infections runs high if you have a weak immune system.

Is A Verruca A Sore?

A very common question people ask is “Is a verruca a sore?”. In fact, verrucas often get confused for many things, like corns and other types of warts.

Verrucae aren’t really sores, but they can cause a feeling of soreness on your feet due to their uncomfortable positioning. In reality, verrucae are a type of wart that are formed by the HPV virus and they tend to be very contagious.

Verrucas also are’t corns. To learn more about how you can differentiate between the two, read this article!

Verruca Treatment

Now that you know a lot more about verrucas on feet and what causes them, you’d probably want to know how to go about verruca treatment.

There are many ways you can go about treating verrucas on your feet. Though they normally go away with time, if you find yourself plagued with verrucas on your feet and they’re either painful or just an eyesore, here’s a few treatments:

1. Home Remedies:

• A great home remedy is taking a piece of banana skin and cutting it to be the same size as the verruca on your feet. Then, go ahead and place the piece of banana skin on the verruca and secure it with a plaster. Do this for about two weeks, every night before bed.
• Garlic is an all-round cure-all and is generally just really good for your health. You can use garlic to treat your verruca as well. Take a piece of garlic and put it over your verruca infection and secure it with a plaster. If you do this daily for a month, your verruca should go away.
• A study was done in which it was proven that duct tape surprisingly helps get rid of verrucas. Take a piece of duct tape and cover your verruca with it, and it should go away in a few weeks.

2. Medication:

• There are many creams, medicated plasters, and gels that you can use to aid the treatment of your verruca. Most of these are readily available as over the counter products, so you can get them at your local pharmacy.
• Salicylic acid is the key ingredient in all of these products and this is what actually treats your verruca. It helps soften the verruca significantly.
• Never use salicylic acid products on your face because that can lead to some really bad scarring. Also, if you have pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, consult your doctor before using these products.

3. Cryotherapy:

   Cryotherapy is a very effective way to remove your verruca. It is the process in which your verruca is frozen with liquid nitrogen, which makes it fall off. If you’re interested in cryotherapy, please visit a podiatrist and never try to do this on your own. It can lead to scarring and is typically also mildly painful, so it’s not a great option for children and people who are sensitive to pain.

4. Check-In With Your Podiatrist:

   The best way to treat anything related to your feet is by visiting a podiatrist. They are experts at all things foot-related and will be able to treat your verruca with ease and painlessly. When you visit a podiatrist, they will most likely use SWIFT Machine Treatment to get rid of your verruca. SWIFT is a very quick and efficient way to treat verrucas, it’s in the name itself! SWIFT uses microwave energy for verruca removal. To learn more about what you can expect from SWIFT treatment, read our article on this topic!

If you think you’re dealing with verrucas on your feet, don’t hesitate to seek help. Instead of suffering the soreness and the possibility of recurrence, visit a Podiatrist to help you deal with it permanently.

At Bucks Foot Clinic, we offer the best podiatric services. Contact us to book an appointment!

Please call us on  0800 107 3290 / 077 99 122 099 Or contact us now