Often times when people visit the beach their primary health concern (assuming they have any cares besides enjoying themselves) is applying sunblock over the major surfaces of their body-while it certainly seems logical to cover the larger surfaces first, many forget their feet altogether. In fact, we’d go as far to estimate that one would be hard-pressed to find a person who has never had a bad sunburn on the top of their feet given they’ve spent time in the sun at some point.
What’s worse is the mortality rate seen with melanomas of the foot. According to a Medical News Today article, “half of the people who learn they have melanoma of the foot die within five years because the cancer had already spread throughout their body by the time it was diagnosed”. The same reason that people seem to forget to apply sunblock to their feet, may also be the reason why people neglect to perform routine self-examinations on their feet. What podiatrists recommend is that every time you clip your toenails, examine your entire foot, including the web spaces for anything that appears irregular or new. Visit this resource for the criteria on which characteristics prove to be synonymous with cancer.
*Above is an example of a melanoma type on the plantar foot
**The information in this blog is made possible by Dr. Michael Garvin of Port Saint Lucie, Florida. Dr. Garvin has been practicing board certified podiatry for over 20 years, and accepts new patients to his state of the art private practice. For directions and contact information click here.
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