The way feet look and feel can reveal information about your genes, lifestyle and underlying conditions
Cold feet
Feeling cold all the time is a classic sign of an underactive thyroid. It could also be the circulatory disease Raynaud’s. Symptoms are worse during winter, but air conditioning and cool evenings can spark symptoms in summer too.
Foot ulcers
It could be diabetes. When someone has diabetes, nerve damage can mean they don’t feel pain and they may walk around with a cut or injury, causing an ulcer.
Red, swollen, hot, painful big toe
This could be gout. More common in women after the menopause, gout can be linked to medications and/or medical problems, such as high cholesterol. Being overweight and a high alcohol consumption are also contributing factors.
Hairless toes
These are a sign of circulatory problems. Your feet are the furthest body part from your heart, which means they’re the last to receive blood and may not get enough nutrients to supply the hair follicles.
Clawed toes
It could be nerve damage, which can weaken the foot muscles, possibly caused by trauma, inflammation and medical conditions including diabetes, alcoholism and Parkinson’s disease.
Bony bump on the base of your big toe
Blame your parents, not your shoes — if a parent has bunions there’s a chance you will too.
Crumbly, discoloured nails
It could be a fungal infection. White or yellow streaks and changes in nail texture such as brittle, thickened, flaking or easily broken nails are also all signs.