Now that the temps around South Georgian Bay are hovering in the single digits and those first few flurries of snow are falling, you may not see your feet as often if you did when you enjoyed those warm summer days at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park. We’d like you to change that. By taking time at least once a month to really look at your feet, you could head off serious problems from a condition like foot cancer. Following are some tips for checking your feet:
- Set a routine time, say after your shower on the 1st of every month
- Sit down and lift one foot onto the other knee to be able to see the bottom, or use a mirror
- Look carefully over every surface of your foot—heel, sole, tops, between the toes
- Don’t forget to check your toenails for any discoloration or changes
- If any of this is a problem for you, get a loved one to help you
Foot cancer has certain warning signs. What are you looking for?
- Check any skin growth that is getting bigger, or that has a different skin tone. Is it pearly? Darker than the surrounding skin? Multicolored? These are all causes for concern.
- Check any birthmark or spot that looks different than it did before. (You won’t know if it looks different unless you check it routinely.) Watch for changes in color, texture, size, or borders, and note any new spot that wasn’t there before.
- Check a spot that continually crusts over or bleeds, or one that doesn’t heal within a couple of weeks. These are troublesome signs that should be checked out.
What if you find something? Don’t delay. Call Abbott Foot & Ankle Clinic in Collingwood, Ontario, at (705) 444-9929 and set up an appointment to have it checked. Basal cell skin cancer may grow slowly and be treated rather easily, but squamous cell carcinoma is more serious, and malignant melanoma can be deadly if not caught in the early stages. We can help you determine if that suspicious spot is indeed cancerous, or put your mind at ease if it is not. Call us today.
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