Put a spring back in your step
Whether your feet are tormented by bunions, verrucas or fungal
What’s the best product for a verruca or foot odour? Common foot problems don’t require a GP’s advice. But if you treat the problem yourself, the difficulty is choosing the most effective product available over the counter.
here, Mike O’Neill, a podiatrist and spokesperson for the College of Podiatry, reviews some of the latest and most popular products on the market.
Note: If you have diabetes or circulatory problems, always consult a health professional before using such products.
SUPERDRUG VERRUCA PLASTERS
£3.49 for four
CLAIMS: ‘Clinically proven to remove verrucas. Each medicated plaster contains 10 per cent salicylic acid to help remove the verruca and relieve pressure on the area.’ You change the plaster every two days and when the fourth medicated plaster has been removed, you cover the area with the protective plaster provided.
EXPERT VERDICT: Veruccas are small, rough lumps or growths on your skin caused by the human papilloma virus. these plasters contain salicylic acid, which rots the verruca by eating into it.
the debris from the rotting verruca will collect in the plaster. Most verrucas take several weeks, if not months, to disappear, so you’re likely to need quite a few boxes.
a treatment such as Bazuka gel, which has the same active ingredient, but at a stronger concentration (12 or 26 per cent) is a better option, and it’ll last longer. 1/5
GEHWOL FOOT DEO SPRAY
£7.85 for 150ml, simplyfeet.co.uk
CLAIMS: Refreshing spray that deodorises and revives feet. It also has antimicrobial properties, helps to prevent inflammation and softens hardened calluses.
EXPERT VERDICT: I recommend this to clients and I use it myself. It smells good and contains urea, which has anti-fungal properties. smelly feet are caused by bacteria in sweat decomposing on your skin. If you stop the sweating, then you’re less likely to suffer odour.
Bear in mind that cheap shoes made from synthetic materials will make your feet sweat more. It’s worth spraying the inside of your shoes with an odour-tackling spray, as that’s where the sweat accumulates during the day and will help your shoes smell less vile.
and ventilate your gym shoes after each session. Don’t put them in the washing machine as this can damage their shock absorption technology. Use a bowl of cool water with a squirt of washing up liquid, rinse them out under the tap and let them dry naturally 5/5
SCHOLL VELVET SMOOTH DIAMONDS EXPRESS PEDI
£39.99, pharmacies
CLAIMS: the unique roller heads with diamond crystals gently remove hard skin — leaving feet feeling smooth. a safety feature locks the roller in place if too much pressure is applied.
EXPERT VERDICT: It’s a very expensive way of removing dry, hard skin. a basic foot file for around £2 is likely to be as effective.
also, I think the best time to remove hard, dry skin is in the bath — which you can’t do with this. Removing it in the bath stops bits of skin flying off everywhere — which is messy, and means others in the house may walk on the skin and could contact any fungal foot infection you have. also, with a gadget like this, it’s likely that more than one person in a household will use it — again enabling the spread of any foot problems.
scrub your feet in the bath once a week to keep dry skin at bay. Give the file a good clean with a nail brush afterwards. 2/5
EXCILOR 3-IN-1 PROTECTOR SPRAY
£9.99, independent pharmacies
CLAIMS: Creates an effective, easy-to-apply barrier like an ‘invisible sock’ that blocks the microbes and fungi responsible for verrucas, athlete’s foot and nail infections from penetrating the foot. Ideal for anyone barefoot in communal areas — such as in changing rooms or on judo mats. Dries instantly, effective for eight hours, suitable for children over two, and is said to be waterproof. EXPERT VERDICT: this contains alcohol, which will dry the foot out and make it harder for the bugs that create fungal infections to infection penetrate the skin. however, I reckon you’d get the same, if not better, protection sticking on a pair of flip flops while walking around the poolside. 3/5
SUPERDRUG GEL BUNION SLEEVE
£6.49
CLAIMS: ‘super- soft gel pad cushion prevents or provides instant relief from painful bunions caused by rubbing shoes. By reducing virtually all pressure and friction to the area, the sleeve helps to keep you pain free all day.’
EXPERT VERDICT: a bunion is a bony joint deformity at the base of the big toe, causing it to push sideways towards the second toe, often resulting in a sore lump.
this is good for pain relief — but it won’t correct the problem long term.. the sleeve goes over the front of the foot and is held in place by looping over the front of the big toe like a fingerless glove.
It protects the inflamed, enlarged bunion joint from rubbing against the inside of your shoe and causing pain, by cushioning it. It’s re-usable — you can take it on and off and wash it. But make sure your shoes are wide enough for your foot to fit with the sleeve on. 5/5
CANESPRO FUNGAL NAIL TREATMENT SET
£29.99, supermarkets and Boots
CLAIMS: softens the infected part of the nail, which can gradually be scraped away with the plastic tool provided. Enables you to get to the main root of the infection — as usually fungal nail infections occur under the nail plate. One set is sufficient for one big toenail or two small nails.
EXPERT VERDICT: Fungal nail infections are common. they’re caused by trauma to the nail (e.g. from stubbing your toe, or your toes knocking into the front of your shoe while walking).
this damage can separate the nail from the nail bed, the skin underneath, allowing water in — and creating a breeding ground for fungal infections, especially if you already have another fungal problem such as athlete’s foot. the infection eats into the nail, which is why it goes yellow and becomes crumbly. It can take nine months for it to grow out.
this set contains a tube of cream with urea, a substance found naturally in the skin which also helps break down keratin, a protein found in our skin and nails.
It softens the infected bit of the nail, leaving the rest intact.
after two to three weeks it’s claimed you can remove the softened, infected nail with a plastic scraper — before you apply an anti-fungal cream. Years ago we used to treat fungal toenails in clinics with urea, so it does work. 4/5
SCHOLL INGROWING TOENAIL CLIP & SPRAY KIT
£14.99 for pack of ten clips, Boots and online retailers
CLAIMS: the toenail straightening clip (applied using nail glue provided) lifts the edges of the nail, allowing it to grow straight to prevent future discomfort. Can be worn with shoes and socks.
the cooling aerosol spray included helps to ‘soothe the area’. the idea behind this product is that the clips underneath each side of the toenail encourage the sides to grow out straight, rather than into the skin.
EXPERT VERDICT: an ingrown toenail is caused by the sides of the toenail growing into the surrounding skin. there are various causes — some people grow wide and rounded nails, others cut them badly (so they are sharp and spiky at the sides) and tight shoes can press on the side of the toenail.
the nail curls and pierces the skin, making it red, swollen and tender — it can be very painful.
My concern is these clips are complex to use and may cause more damage — it’s not good to push things under your nail. also, an ingrown toenail should be treated by a medical professional, as it can become infected — signs of this are bleeding or pus.
to be fair, the packet does state it is only suitable to use when there is pressure between the skin and nail causing pain, but not if the nail has pierced the skin (i.e. it has become more serious).
My advice is to bathe the affected foot in a bowl of warm salt water every day — this will help prevent or fight infection that is already there — and seek expert help. 0/ 5
SUPERDRUG SOFT GEL CORN WRAPS
£2.99 for three
CLAIMS: these contain mineral oil that softens and removes corns as well as helping to prevent the pressure which causes them to form. they are gel-lined to provide protection, reduce friction on the corn and relieve pain.
EXPERT VERDICT: Corns are small circles of thick skin that develop when the skin is exposed to excessive pressure or friction, and they can make walking painful.
these will stop your toes pushing against your shoe. they’re best used after you’ve had a corn treated. how this is done depends on the severity (some are treatable with over-the- counter products, others will require a podiatrist).
Regarding the mineral oil, I advise my patients to pour a bit of olive oil into an egg cup and dab it on the corn every night to soften it — it will have the same effect.
Use pads like this especially when wearing tight shoes. the problem is these particular wraps are only one size, so may not be big enough for a large corn. 3/5