Could the Sore on My Foot be a Fungal Infection?
Q.
I am an active and reasonably fit man of 54 years. I have noticed for about 6 months now some small sores on the sole of my left foot. They are less than 1 cm in size but flair up from time to time. These sores have crusty, flaky skin around then and they itch really badly. I suspect it is some sort of fungal infection. What do you think?
A.
Hello there, it sounds like you have verrucas, with the possibility of a small fungal infection aswell.Verrucas are literally warts that appear on the soles of the feet. They are not as prominent as normal warts and appear flatter, probably due to being stood on all the time and carrying our body weight. They often have dry flaky skin on the external circumference and sometimes a small black dot appears in the centre.
They can be very irritating and painful for some and have the potential to spread to other areas of the feet, to the other foot or to the feet of other people. Verrucas are occasionally itchy but not for everyone.They can be treated at home using over-the-counter remedies or may be treated by a foot specialist who can treat them using acids or by freezing them. however, non-problematic verrucas may not need treatment at all and the choice as to whether to treat them depends on how irritating they are and if they are causing you problems. Without treatment they can heal up within 3 months though occasionally it may take over a year to irradicate them entirely.
If however you have a fungal infection too, it may be worth seeing your Practice nurse, GP or a local chiropodist as they will be able to assess if there is an underlying fungal infection and suggest a treatment option that may be used on both the fungus and the verrucas.
Going to a professional chiropodist every once in a while is often a good idea to keep our feet in tip-top condition and as part of reducing stress as a professional foot massage can be extremely enjoyable. As we age our feet tend to give us more and more problems and even the little things that didn't used to bother us become annoying, giving another great reason for seeing someone who knows exactly how to make our feet feel better.
Meanwhile, try not to share towels, socks or shoes with others to prevent the spread of any infections to others and make sure you dry your feet properly, especially in-between the toes as this will reduce the chances of getting any spread of any existing fungal infections as the spores like nothing better than a warm, dark and moist environment in which to thrive.
