If you’ve spent most of the last two years working from home, chances are you’ve been walking around barefoot. And as a result, you may be more apt to notice when your feet are looking and feeling rather gnarly. And even if you’re not showing them to people on the regular, we don’t blame you if you care about not only making sure your feet feel better, but that they’re also looking presentable, as sandal season will be here before you know it.
There are various factors that can contribute to beat-up feet. A common condition is peeling feet, which tend to look and feel as unpleasant as it sounds. It can come with various accompanying symptoms, like dryness, itching, and patchy dead skin build-up.
The most common causes of peeling feet are either dryness, inflammation, or an infection, namely from a fungus, says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital. The seasons and climate where you live can also be a big factor, as hot and humid summers most definitely can lead to peeling and blistering, especially if you’re active. Similarly, brutal winters can give way to dry, cracked, and peeling skin. You may be tempted to pick at scaly, peeling skin, but trust us; that’s only likely to make matters worse.
Fortunately, most causes are easily treatable, though some symptoms may be a sign of something more serious. Here, Dr. Zeichner breaks down some of the most common causes of peeling feet and what you can do to remedy them.
Dry skin
It’s probably not surprising to hear that dryness can be a direct cause of peeling feet, especially if you’ve experienced this symptom on other parts of your body. Dry skin develops when the skin can’t maintain adequate hydration levels, Dr. Zeichner says.
“This is common on the feet, especially because of chronic friction from daily walking and rubbing of the shoes against the feet,” he explains.
Whether you experience dry skin on its own or have eczema, Dr. Zeichner recommends using a foot cream with petrolatum, such as Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, which will protect your skin by forming a seal to improve hydration and prevent water loss from the skin’s outer layers.
“This cream combines soothing panthenol, glycerin, and niacinamide to calm and hydrate the skin, even extremely rough areas like the feet,” he says.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis, along with eczema, is one of two of the main causes of inflammation of the feet, Dr. Zeichner says.
“Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition, which means that your immune system gets angry at the skin and attacks it,” he explains. “This causes red, scalypatches on the skin, including the feet.”
Psoriasis scales tend to be thick and white and may affect the soles of the feet, Dr. Zeichner says. You may also experience nail changes, with thickening, yellow discoloration or pits in the nails.
“If you have thick scales on your feet, a cream such as Amlactin lotion with lactic acid or salicylic acid can help,” Dr. Zeichner says. “These exfoliating acids help remove thick flakes to improve scaling on the skin.”
While some over-the-counter solutions like petroleum jelly may help to provide relief from psoriasis symptoms, it’s best to make sure you see a dermatologist for an accurate diagnosis, in case you may benefit from prescription creams and medications, or other in-office treatments.
Eczema
Eczema is a condition where the skin barrier is genetically weak, leading to loss of hydration and skin inflammation, Dr. Zeichner says.
“The skin develops red, itchy patches that can develop anywhere on the body, including the feet,” he explains.
Like with dry skin, Dr. Zeichner specifically recommends moisturizing with a cream such as Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Repair Lotion, as it contains triple-purified petrolatum, it’s easy to spread, not greasy, and also carries the seal of the National Eczema Association.
Athlete’s Foot
The most common infectious cause of scaly feet is athlete’s foot, in which fungus invades the outer skin layers leading to scaly, red, itchy plaques, Dr. Zeichner says. Unlike eczema or psoriasis, athlete’s foot can affect the skin between the toes, and sometimes the infection can affect the entire foot itself, in the distribution of a sandal.
“For athlete’s foot, the scaly skin will only go away if the underlying fungus is treated,” Dr. Zeichner says. “I recommend an over-the-counter athlete’s foot cream that contains an antifungal ingredient like clotrimazole.”
If over-the-counter solutions aren’t helping after two weeks, Dr. Zeichner recommends visiting a dermatologist for professional help.
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