Peeling skin on the feet is an unpleasant condition that every second person on the planet is familiar with. There are many reasons why it occurs. Often the problem can be fixed easily and in a short time. However, in some cases, such manifestations indicate the presence of serious diseases, which can only be identified after appropriate tests are carried out in the clinic. Peeling usually begins on the soles of the feet. Epidermal cells exfoliate due to their premature death. Then the skin of the toes, calves, ankles, etc. is peeled. It is very important to stop the process in time, preventing it from spreading over the entire surface of the lower extremities.
Why do my feet peel?
Peeling feet are most often due to the skin lacking the necessary hydration and nutrition. As a result of dehydration, scales appear on the surface of the legs, which after some time fall off like dandruff. Other reasons explaining why the skin on the feet peels are:
- non-compliance with the drinking regime - each person should drink 1.5 liters of water per day;
- Temperatures in the room are too high during the heating season - it is difficult for the body to maintain humidity at the required level. This leads to peeling on the soles of the feet, calves and between the toes;
- Uncomfortable or tight shoes, tights, socks, pants made of synthetic materials - all these are causes of skin irritation. The skin of the feet may peel and crack;
- use of incorrectly selected hygiene products - shower gels, soaps, washcloths. Chlorinated water also causes peeling of the feet;
- stress, prolonged exposure to the sun, changes in climatic conditions, improperly performed depilation also lead to the skin on the feet flaking;
- deficiency of vitamins in the body;
- hormonal changes;
- increased sweating of the feet.
A more serious cause is considered to be a fungal infection of the feet. Its main symptoms are itching and peeling of the feet, the appearance of specific spots between the toes. If these symptoms appear, you will need the help of a dermatologist, since advanced fungal infections are not easy to cure. Feet also peel with eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, and erytoderma. In such cases, drug therapy is necessary. Another reason for flaky feet is an allergy to medications, certain foods, cosmetics, and household chemicals.
Irritation on the soles of the feet
The skin can begin to peel on any part of the body, peeling skin on the legs, which is more often exposed to adverse factors. Since we spend a lot of time on the move, peeling of the skin on the legs is a common disease, the causes of which are most often identified at the examination stage during the initial visit to the doctor. After the doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment, which is most often associated with eliminating problems in the body, it will be necessary to strictly follow the doctor’s recommendations. In addition, it is advisable to begin additional treatment of the feet in order to prevent further spread of peeling skin on the toes. In order for the skin on your legs to regain smoothness and elasticity, you should take the following steps:
- contrasting foot baths can not only stimulate the growth of new skin cells on the feet, but also stimulate health.
- It is best to treat pre-steamed feet with pumice in the evenings to remove dead skin particles.
- After hygienic treatment of the feet, it is recommended to moisturize the skin with a special nourishing cream.
Recognition of the disease and principle of treatment
You can identify the reason why the skin of your feet is peeling and cracking only by seeking help from a medical facility.
However, based on some signs, you can get a certain idea about the cause of this phenomenon. For example, severe itching and an unpleasant odor indicate mycosis, and dryness and flaking in a specific area are indicators of eczema. Swelling shins and soles with discoloration of the skin in these places indicate stasis dermatitis. One of the symptoms of diabetes is a decrease in the sensitivity of the feet and toes, which is accompanied by dryness of the feet and their peeling. Common methods of treating dry skin on the feet include moisturizing it with special lotions and creams, as well as using glycolic peeling. However, in some cases further treatment will be required. When diagnosing mycosis, conservative therapy is necessary with the help of antifungal drugs prescribed by the treating dermatologist. Depending on the cause of the disease, treatment with antibacterial creams or topical steroids may be needed. If peeling is caused by diabetes mellitus or stasis dermatitis, complex treatment of these diseases with injectable and oral medications will be required.
Preventing skin irritation on the legs
To ensure that the skin on your legs is always smooth, you don’t need to make any special efforts. You can achieve its ideal condition only if you take daily care of your body. To do this in the evening after a shower, you need to use nourishing creams and skin masks. In order to prevent peeling of the skin on the heels, which is quite difficult to cure, you should be attentive to the manifestations of various types of irritations on the skin. At the first signals from the body, you should immediately provide assistance. If flaking of the skin of the lower leg can still be successfully treated even in advanced forms of the disease, then irritation on the heels and between the toes, turning into microcracks, is much more difficult to cure.
In addition to daily nutrition and moisturizing the surface of the skin on your feet, you need to take care of your own diet. The body must receive sufficient quantities of the minerals, fats and proteins it needs. A lack of vitamins primarily affects the condition of the skin and hair. It is necessary to spend more time in the fresh air, this will put the nervous system in order, preventing the negative impact of stressful situations at work and at home. Paying attention to your own health will help you avoid problems associated with skin irritation.
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How to get rid of peeling feet
Before you start dealing with peeling feet, you need to consult a dermatologist, who will definitely recommend eating a large amount of foods rich in vitamins. Preference should be given to vegetables and fruits, especially in spring. After all, peeling often occurs as a result of vitamin deficiency, which usually appears at the end of winter. It is during this period that a person does not receive the required amount of nutrients necessary for the normal functioning of the body.
It is very important to take daily foot baths, and they should be both relaxing and nourishing. It is in this way that the skin on the legs will rest and, with the help of opened pores, will be able to be fully saturated with nutrients and moisture. If the skin is peeling on a certain area of the leg, you need to lubricate it with a rich cream or oil every evening.
After the product is slightly absorbed into the skin, you need to put on socks made of natural material. It is desirable that all clothing be made from “breathable” materials that do not disturb the moisture balance. A good way to get rid of peeling skin on the legs is an active lifestyle, in which subcutaneous processes are much more efficient.
Why does the skin on my feet begin to peel?
Peeling skin on the legs causes not so much physical discomfort associated with itching of the skin, but psychological problems associated with the unattractive appearance of the skin on the legs. The development of the disease is influenced by the following factors:
- lack of B vitamins necessary for skin elasticity and smoothness, as well as vitamins A, E, D.
- chapping of the skin due to adverse weather conditions.
- Taking a shower with too hard or chlorinated water.
- an allergic reaction to any irritating factor.
- constant wearing of synthetic clothing.
- neurological diseases associated with frequent depressive states.
- age-related skin changes.
There are many reasons that can cause persistent peeling of the skin on the feet. If you start taking measures to eliminate pronounced symptoms in time, you can eliminate peeling at the initial stage of the disease.
Effective folk remedies
Many people, both women and men, faced with a similar problem, do not know what to do and how to get rid of peeling.
There are a large number of fairly effective folk remedies that help soften, moisturize the skin of the feet, and also prevent it from peeling. When choosing a recipe, you need to carefully study its composition. After all, the product must be used regularly, and it is very important that all ingredients are always available. The most affordable way to treat peeling is to use laundry soap. For three days before going to bed, you need to thoroughly soap your feet and, without washing them off, wait until your feet dry. The soap should be washed off only in the morning. Baths using salt are useful. The procedure is performed every other day. To prepare the bath, one tablespoon of table salt must be dissolved in one liter of warm water. Salt is a very good cleanser and disinfectant. To soften the skin of your feet, you can add a small amount of soda to the saline solution.
Herbal baths are considered effective. They can be done daily. For this, chamomile, nettle or calendula are used: a glass of a decoction of one of these herbs is added to warm water. Herbs have a healing and soothing effect. The bath should last at least half an hour.
Skin between toes
The skin on the feet is most often exposed to harsh hot weather, most often this happens in the summer, when dehydrated skin suffering from a lack of moisture begins to become covered with cracks. If peeling of the skin of the feet continues to progress, it is necessary to immediately begin therapy in order to stop the further spread of the disease. What needs to be done to improve the condition of the skin on your toes?
In addition to specially developed medical sprays and ointments, there are also folk remedies that can significantly improve the condition of the skin on the legs. One of the most effective folk recipes is a compress made from bulbs. Before applying a compress of onion pulp, ground on a fine grater, to the cracked skin, you should first steam your feet well in a heated herbal infusion. The compress should be applied to sore legs at night. It is advisable to cover the legs with polyethylene on top to create a greenhouse effect, facilitating better absorption of onion volatiles into the pores of the skin. In the morning, the skin of your toes should be softened with a nourishing cream. The procedure must be repeated at least three times to ensure that the surface of the skin is properly moisturized.
In addition to compresses, a castor mask helps with peeling skin. To prepare it, mix a spoonful of castor oil with alcohol and a few drops of chamomile decoction. It is best to apply the mask before going to bed on reddened skin for half an hour, then rinse with water and lubricate the skin with any moisturizer.
How are wraps made?
Peeling and cracking skin does not look aesthetically pleasing and causes a lot of unpleasant sensations. A good way to prevent or get rid of such phenomena is wrapping. The most effective and popular types of this procedure include the following:
- Heat sunflower oil (100 g) in a water bath, add two yolks to it, and mix thoroughly. Lubricate the skin of your feet with the resulting warm mixture, then wrap this area in plastic wrap and put on warm socks. The duration of the procedure is 1 hour. With its help, the skin will be well and long lastingly moisturized.
- Make a paste from two tablespoons of potato starch and a small amount of water and mix it with a pre-made mixture of nourishing cream (3 tablespoons) and chamomile decoction (50 g). It is good to lubricate the problem areas with the product and, wrapping them with film, leave for half an hour. After this time, the product can be washed off. This procedure nourishes and soothes the skin well.
- Mix beet juices (50 g) and carrots (50 g) with nourishing cream (2 tbsp.). Then the resulting mixture should be applied to the feet and toes, wrapped in plastic wrap and waited for 30 minutes. At the end of the procedure, you should take a shower. This wrap nourishes the skin with vitamins.
If the problem of peeling feet occurs, you should never ignore it. It is very important to find out the cause of its occurrence and try to get rid of it as quickly as possible so that the situation does not worsen. Doctor’s consultations, drug treatment and effective folk remedies will help with this.
How are cracked feet treated?
The goal of the upcoming treatment is to determine the cause of the crack and eliminate it. The situation is easiest in cases where cracks have arisen due to incorrectly selected shoes or improper skin care - it is enough to eliminate the factor that provokes their appearance.
If cracks occur due to a fungal infection or vitamin deficiency, the patient may be prescribed antifungal therapy or a complex of vitamins and microelements. Only a specialist can prescribe both!
The patient may also require antibacterial therapy if an infection has entered the wound and an inflammatory process has begun.
A professional pedicure will help remove the stratum corneum of the skin; a hardware pedicure does an excellent job of this task. With its help, you can remove only dead cells without affecting healthy ones. And to eliminate dry skin, the specialist selects moisturizing ointments and creams for the patient.
Many patients are interested in whether it is possible to use some home remedies for treating cracked feet. Podologists do not deny the beneficial effects of some of these methods - baths with decoctions of medicinal herbs, lotions, etc. However, experts recommend using any of these methods only under the supervision of a podiatrist. Traditional methods of treatment by themselves are ineffective - they can only be an auxiliary part of complex therapy.
