When you take a glimpse at your feet and you notice that they are red, it can be quite alarming. Red isn’t usually the ideal color for your feet to be, after all. Your first thoughts probably are why are my feet red? Well, there are many different reasons your feet can be red. The only way to find out the true cause is by visiting a podiatrist. But, to help ease your mind and give you an inkling of some of the possibilities, read on for some of the most common reasons:

1.       Your clothes have excess dyes that turned your feet red – that’s right! Clothes that are colored and contain dyes sometimes can run and stain the feet. This is true with socks, tights, pants, and anything else that falls on or around your feet. So, before you completely panic, try to wash your feet first.

2.       You injured your foot – Yesterday when you were walking and rolled your foot, it didn’t hurt too badly so you thought nothing of it. Today, however, it is red, swollen and all around angry. When the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the foot are strained, they can become inflamed and cause redness and swelling to alert you that something is wrong.

3.       Cellulitis is running amok on your foot – This is a serious bacterial infection that occurs when bacteria enter into the body from a small cut or scrape. It is commonly found on the foot, ankles, and legs. It causes the skin to get red, swollen and tender. It should be treated by a medical professional immediately.

4.       You have a blood clot – When your blood flow decreases, you are more at risk of getting a blood clot. This is usually due to exercise or injury. The clot forms and causes redness, swelling, and warmth in the location of the clot.

5.       You could have venous insufficiency – This condition makes it so the blood in the veins cannot flow as easily. This is usually because the valves in the veins are damaged and allow the blood to flow backward.  The feet become red with time and can become painful. Usually, compression socks are used to help this condition.

If your feet are red and you do not know why it is important to see a podiatrist right away. Although not all causes of red feet are life-threatening, there are some conditions that can have serious effects. Call Joseph Stuto, DPM of Brooklyn, New York. There Dr. Joseph A. Stuto and Joseph C. Stuto can get to the bottom of your red feet. Call 718-624-7537and make an appointment today.