Foot, Skin and Nail Care
It’s not always just cosmetic. Healthy feet deserve more attention than we give them.
We spend time looking after our faces, our hair and our skin, but how often do we really look at our feet?
A toenail changes colour, so we cover it with polish. A corn develops, so we buy a cushion or change our shoes. Our heels become dry and cracked, so we moisturise and hope for the best. And when we notice peeling skin, itching or what looks like a fungal infection, we often assume it’s just an appearance issue.
But not every change to your feet is cosmetic. Skin and nails can tell us a great deal about foot health. Changes in texture, colour, thickness or sensation may be early signs of pressure, infection, inflammation or an underlying medical condition. What begins as a small patch of dry skin, a recurring corn or a damaged toenail can sometimes become more uncomfortable and harder to manage. The important thing is to understand what’s happening before a small problem becomes a bigger one.
WHY DO SKIN AND NAIL PROBLEMS KEEP COMING BACK?
Treating the visible problem isn’t always enough.
I regularly see patients who have spent months, sometimes years, treating the same recurring problem. A fungal infection starts on one foot and later appears on the other. A thickened toenail becomes several. Athlete’s foot clears with cream, then returns weeks later. A corn is removed and grows back in exactly the same place. Cracked heels worsen despite regular moisturising.
Sometimes we’re treating the result of a problem without addressing what’s contributing to it. Fungal infections can spread between skin and nails, and fungi can persist in damp footwear, creating chances for reinfection. Repeated pressure and friction can make corns and calluses return. Dry skin may be influenced by age, environment, footwear, skin disorders or an unsuitable routine.
That’s why we look beyond the immediate symptoms, at your skin, nails, footwear, activity, hygiene habits and relevant medical history. Good treatment isn’t about making your feet look better today. It’s about helping you keep them healthier over time.
AS WE GET OLDER, FOOT CARE ISN’T ALWAYS EASY
Sometimes the simplest things become the hardest.
Cutting your toenails or applying moisturiser can become difficult with age. Reaching your feet may be uncomfortable because of back pain, arthritis, reduced flexibility or balance. Eyesight may change, making it harder to spot small cuts, irritation or changes to skin and nails. Toenails can thicken and become harder to trim safely.
For many people, the concern isn’t that they’ve stopped caring about their feet. It’s that looking after them has become physically difficult. There is no reason to feel embarrassed about needing help. Professional foot care can be an important part of staying comfortable, hygienic, mobile and independent, and regular visits give us the chance to spot changes that might otherwise go unnoticed.
DIABETES, AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS AND FOOT HEALTH
When small problems can have bigger consequences.
For people living with diabetes, certain autoimmune conditions or other chronic illnesses, looking after the feet is especially important. Diabetes can affect circulation, sensation and healing. A small blister, cut or pressure area may go unnoticed when feeling in the feet is reduced, and if left untreated, some wounds can become infected or develop into ulcers with serious complications.
Certain autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, and some of the medications used to manage them, may affect the skin, joints, circulation or immune response. Not everyone will develop foot complications, but recognising individual risks and monitoring changes matters.
WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK OUT FOR?
Changes in skin colour, temperature or sensation
Numbness, tingling or burning
Persistent dryness, cracking or unusual skin changes
Blisters, cuts or wounds that are slow to heal
Redness, swelling or signs of infection
Thickened or damaged toenails
Pressure areas, corns or calluses
New changes in foot shape or walking comfort
If you have diabetes or reduced sensation, even a small wound deserves prompt attention. Regular foot checks, suitable footwear, careful nail and skin care and timely referral can reduce preventable complications. Prevention isn’t about waiting for something to hurt. Sometimes the most important problems are the ones you can’t feel.
COMMON FOOT, SKIN AND NAIL CONDITIONS WE TREAT
Fungal Skin Infections and Athlete’s Foot
Peeling, itching, redness, scaling or cracking between the toes and across the soles may indicate a fungal infection. These can spread or recur, particularly with moisture, sweating or contaminated footwear.
Fungal Toenails
Thickened, discoloured, brittle or damaged nails can be caused by fungal infection, injury or other conditions. We assess the likely cause and discuss treatment options, including ways to reduce reinfection.
Dry Skin, Cracked Heels and Skin Conditions
Persistent dryness, thickened skin and painful heel fissures can develop from pressure, environment, ageing or underlying skin disorders. Treatment focuses on improving skin condition, comfort and protection while addressing contributing factors.
Corns and Calluses
Hard skin develops in response to repeated pressure or friction. We provide professional treatment to ease discomfort, and consider footwear, pressure and why the problem keeps returning.
Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown nails can cause pain, swelling and inflammation, sometimes progressing to infection. Treatment may be conservative or may involve a nail procedure, depending on the condition.
Verrucae and Plantar Warts
Plantar warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and can persist, multiply or become uncomfortable. We assess the problem and discuss suitable treatment or monitoring.
Routine Foot and Nail Care
Professional care for people who find it difficult to maintain their feet themselves, including thickened nails, hard skin and general foot hygiene.
Diabetic and Higher-Risk Foot Care
Foot assessments, preventative education, skin and nail care and early identification of potential complications for people with diabetes or other conditions affecting foot health. Where wounds, infection, circulation problems or other high-risk findings are identified, medical referral or multidisciplinary care may be needed.
OUR APPROACH: MORE THAN TREATING THE SYMPTOMS
Understand the cause. Manage the condition. Prevent recurrence.
Assess the skin, nails and overall foot health
We look at the visible concern as well as the surrounding skin, footwear, pressure areas and relevant medical history.Understand why the problem developed
Repeated friction, fungal infection, excess moisture, reduced mobility or an underlying medical condition: identifying what’s contributing helps guide treatment.Create a personalised treatment plan
This may include professional skin and nail care, suitable topical treatments, pressure reduction, footwear advice, selected clinic-based treatments or referral for further medical care.Reduce the risk of recurrence
We talk through practical steps such as skincare routines, footwear hygiene, moisture management and preventative care.Monitor progress and support long-term foot health
For recurring conditions, or if you have extra medical risks, regular review helps catch changes early and guide ongoing care.
BOOK A FOOT, SKIN AND NAIL APPOINTMENT
Looking after your feet is looking after yourself.
Whether you’ve noticed changes to your skin or nails, are struggling with recurring infections, need help maintaining your feet or have a medical condition that needs extra attention, you’re welcome to arrange an assessment. You don’t need to wait until something becomes painful or difficult to manage.
Call or WhatsApp Georgina: +65 9776 5607
WhatsApp: https://wa.me/6597765607
[Reception: +65 6235 5833]
FIND US
Nova, at The Eye Doctor
#04-11, Mandarin Gallery, 333A Orchard Road, Singapore 238897
(A separate unit from The EyeClinic at #04-24.)
[Opening days and hours]
Every step, considered.
Taking care of you, from head to toe.
A NOTE FROM GEORGINA
Over my 15 years in practice, I’ve cared for patients with all sorts of skin, nail and foot conditions. Some have spent years trying different creams for recurring fungal infections. Others have lived with painful corns, cracked heels or thickened nails because they thought it was something they had to put up with. And I’ve met many older patients who feel embarrassed because they can no longer reach their feet or manage their toenails the way they used to.
Please don’t feel embarrassed about your feet. Foot care is something we all need, and our needs change throughout life.
What concerns me more is a small problem being overlooked for too long, particularly in people with diabetes, reduced sensation or medical conditions that raise their risk of complications. I’ve seen how something that looks minor can become far harder to manage when it isn’t recognised.
That’s why I believe foot care should be proactive. I don’t want to simply remove a corn, reduce a thickened nail or suggest another cream without asking why the problem developed in the first place. I want to understand your circumstances, your medical history and what you’re struggling with, and what we can do to help you keep healthier feet. Sometimes that means treating an infection. Sometimes it means helping an older patient maintain their nails safely. And sometimes it means spotting something that needs further medical attention.
My philosophy is simple: don’t just treat the symptoms. Understand the problem, address what contributes to it and help prevent avoidable complications. Because healthy feet aren’t just about appearance. They’re about comfort, mobility, independence and quality of life.