UKC

After a long day I always get flaky and peely skin on the ball of my foot, right at the edge on the big toe side. This wouldn't be an issue except that I get an itching and burning feeling in that area that can last anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of days. Once the feet dry that area gets cracked and they can be quite deep. I have calluses on the balls of my feet from a fair amount of wandering around barefoot.

This isn't related to any specific boots, socks, weather conditions, or activity. If I have shoes on and weight on my feet for a day or more, I get this issue.

Any ideas? I've been getting it for a few years.

In reply to Bob_the_Builder:

no idea mate but many nhs surgery's have a resident podiatrist or at least one that's comes in on certain days.
might be an idea to see what they think, I use my local surgery one and although I've got to pay its pretty reasonable .

In reply to Bob_the_Builder:

I use this on my heels. Three days of applications gives a bit of relief.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scholl-Cracked-Heel-Repair-Cream/dp/B0047W9QCU

Usually I have to wait for the fissures to naturally grow out to the side of the foot.

In reply to Bob_the_Builder:

For the cracking, Flexitol is very good - available over the counter from pharmacies but also prescribed by NHS consultant dermatologists (I speak from experience). CCS cream (also available over the counter) is good although not as effective as Flexitol. I can't comment on the flaking / itching except that these are also symptoms of athlete's foot

I used to wander around the house barefoot all the time, and now have calluses which become painful very quickly unless I keep them well hydrated. I am currently using a proprietary callus cream - Clearzal - which claims to remove calluses with regular use, coupled with what I can only describe as my Scholl 'skingrater' (sorry!) to remove dead skin. It does help, but they atart to build up again vrey quickly if I stop. I haven't been using the Cleazal for long enough to know if it lives up to the claim.

Good luck!

Moira

In reply to sbc_10:

I assume heels and balls of feet aren't very different, I wonder why this cream is specific to heels?

Do your heel problems sound similar to mine?

In reply to Emm:


I thought athlete's foot stays itchy until you treat it? Whereas mine goes away with time.


yum. =D

In reply to Bob_the_Builder:

The deep cracks sound very similar to mine. They usually bleed.
I have noticed that the skin does dry out prior to rupturing and there is a sharp piercing pain in that area a few days before the crack appears.
Almost as if the skin is tightening up.
I get them more often in Winter than Summer. I am wondering if the issue might be due to poor blood circulation, ironically, as they do bleed.

In reply to Bob_the_Builder:

I agree, and the location sounds wrong for athlete's foot.

In reply to Bob_the_Builder: I have no medical qualifications, but I do have long experience of skin problems on my feet. I'd suggest two things. 1) treat for fungal infection - I've found Lamasil spray (one-week treatment) quite effective, though it might need a second go. This might well help eliminate the flaky/itchy problem. 2) Use a good hydrating cream. The Scholl is probably ok - haven't tried it - but I swear by stuff called 'Unguentum M', which is kind of industrial grade moisturiser you can buy over the counter at a pharmacy in tubes or,as I do, in 500g tubs. It's not cheap, but probably cheaper in bulk than the proprietary brands. Use it often! I had painful heel cracks for *years* until a doc recommended it. No problems since!

In reply to Bob_the_Builder:

After trying various of the above I asked my GP. It turned out to be eczema. Got some prescription only cream and its sorted out. Wish I hadn't put up with it so long.

In reply to marsbar:

Also try sudocrem.. Find it in the nappy section. Its full of zinc oxide, which heals the skin. Slather it on and stick a clean sock over the top over night, in the morning you will be amazed.

Excema can be exacerbated by moisture (think very mild trench foot!), so if you have a footwear set up (socks and boots) thats old, has non wicking fibres, or hasnt been cleaned in a while (ie waterproof membrane is no longer letting steam out), your feel may be staying wet and salty for too long.

Anti-bacterial treatments (such as unreactive treatments like silver oxide) cant hurt.

Not a gp but decades of excema.. But now mostly symptom free

In reply to Bob_the_Builder:

Just go see a podiatrist.

I used to get what you have, feet hurt like a bastard when walking-in in the Alps particularly. In my case it was an excessive thickness of skin + Pitted Kerotolysis (Holes all over the soles of your feet, caused by sweating).

All sorted now, I go to the podiatrist once a year to get the feet trimmed up, just like going to the dentist. £25.

In reply to blurty:

May be a daft question, but did you go when the condition was present? Because I haven't done any serious walking for a month and my feet are all better at the moment.

In reply to Bob_the_Builder:

No, I just explained the problem & she cut & sanded the hard skin off

I should have also said, she advised me to use the moulded foot beds (mine are made by Conformable)out of my ski boots as well.

Lots of places do moulded footbeds, I use the ones I had made for ski boots in all my big boots and even cycling shoes now, just swap them round.

No problems anymore

Good luck