A Podiatrist is the international name for Chiropodist. It is a specialist who provides medical diagnosis and treatment of foot and ankle problems. However in the UK not all Podiatrists, Chiropodists and Foot Care Specialists have the same training.

Some carry out correspondence courses and fast track courses which can give one week practical training (one day of which is normally marketing).

Siobhan McCutcheon is a member of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists which means she has completed a 3 year degree in Podiatric medicine usually spending some part of every day in a clinic for 3 years.

All members of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists are monitored for high medical and professional standards which includes undertaking continued professional development courses and conferences across the UK and using sterile and single use instruments on every single patient.

Be sure YOUR podiatrist is a member of the Society of Chiropodists & Podiatrists.

Anyone, no matter what age. We treat children with verrucaes, ingrown toenails or any other problems.

Anyone suffering with corns calluses, sports people with injuries, people needing orthotics, patients after knee or hip operations. Generally patients of all age groups and all walks of life requiring foot treatment.

Athlete’s foot is caused by a fungal infection and is contagious, but you can take steps to prevent the spread of the infection.

Communal showers, pools and changing rooms are common places where the infection can be passed on, because these places are usually warm and humid this encourages the bacteria and fungi to multiply.

Avoid walking barefoot in these areas. Other measures include keeping your feet, bath and shower area clean and dry. Always wear clean socks and don’t wear the same shoes two days in a row, they need time to dry out.

We normally allow an hour to an hour and a half to do the surgery as great care is taken with the injection of the local anaesthetic to make it as painless as possible.

Normally the anaesthetic is warmed up to blood temperature and administered slowly so that it is less painful for the patient. Once the injection has had time to work the rest of the procedure is painless.

Not at all. Nail surgery is performed on a day care basis, in our clinic, under local anaesthetic as a result no overnight stays in hospital and minimum disruption to your everyday life.

Afterwards the Podiatrist will advise you on the best possible post operative care so that the full recovery will be as fast as possible.

You may suffer from nail infection (onychomycosis) if you have one or more of the following symptoms:-

• Discoloured nails
• White or yellow streaks under or on the nail surface
• Thickened or distorted nails
• Britle or crumbly nails
• Debris under the nail

Nail infection is caused by contact with dermatophytes.

Common sources of infection include swimming pools, public showers, gyms. Tight fitting shoes and nail trauma, poor health and increasing age are also factors that can lead to the risk of infection.

Current treatments for fungal nails include oral drugs, topical drugs and laser. No single treatment is effective in all patients and there are risks and benefits associated with each one. Discuss your treatment options with your Podiatrist.

Oral drugs can be very effective in eliminating nail infections and restoring clear nails. The drugs must be taken for 6 to 12 months and may cause side effects including headaches, diarrhoea, upset stomach, loss of taste sensation or skin rash. Serious side effects include risk of liver damage and heart failure. Weekly blood tests may be required to monitor liver function. These drugs may not be used for patients who have underlying health problems or are on some other medications.

Topical drugs are less effective and are applied directly to the nails daily for up to 12 months. In some patients the drug is ineffective as it cannot pass through the nail to reach the infection.

Laser treatment is effective in eliminating fungal nails and restoring clear nails. Clinical studies show no adverse side effects related to laser.