What's Behind Peeling, Cracked Skin on Feet

What Causes Peeling Skin on Feet?

It's not uncommon to deal with dry, cracked heels or peeling skin on the feet. But while it's generally harmless, it can be unsightly and uncomfortable. Peeling feet happen for many reasons - from lifestyle factors to underlying skin conditions.

By understanding what causes this flaky, peeling skin, you can take steps to keep feet soft and smooth. Let's explore some of the most common culprits behind peeling feet and how to prevent it.

Not Moisturizing Enough

Dry, thick, peeling skin often results from lack of moisture. Human skin naturally sheds dead cells, but dry skin sheds faster than the body can replace it. This is especially true on the feet, which easily lose hydration.

Moisturize morning and night with a rich foot cream. Look for formulas with urea, glycerin, petrolatum or dimethicone to soften and hydrate. Exfoliate gently with a pumice stone or foot file to slough off dead skin every few days in the shower.

Spending Too Much Time in Water

Frequent swimming, long baths, and hot showers strip natural oils that keep feet hydrated. After wetting feet, moisture evaporates faster compared to other areas of skin. Plus waterlogged skin expands and becomes irritated.

Limit baths and showers to 5-10 minutes in warm, not hot water. Be sure to moisturize feet well after they've been submerged. Waterproof shoes or booties can also help protect pool-soaked skin from drying out.

Harsh Soaps and Detergents

The wrong soaps and skin care products can worsen peeling feet. Many commercial cleansers and detergents contain harsh ingredients like fragrances, preservatives and chemicals that deplete natural oils.

Avoid strongly scented and antimicrobial soaps which can irritate skin. When doing laundry, reduce detergent use and always fully rinse out fabrics that contact feet. Double rinse socks and towels. Choose gentle, moisturizing foot wash.

Foot Conditions that Cause Peeling

For some people, persistently peeling, flaky feet result from an underlying medical condition. Certain foot issues can lead to rapid shedding of dead skin cells faster than the body can replace them.

Athlete's Foot

A fungal infection, athlete’s foot leads to scaling, peeling skin often accompanied by redness, itching and burning. The infection thrives in warm, moist places like pools, showers and inside shoes.

Practice good foot hygiene by wearing clean socks, washing feet daily and drying carefully between toes. Use over-the-counter antifungal spray or powder. Keep feet exposed to air when possible. Disinfect shoes and socks to prevent reinfection.

Psoriasis

An autoimmune condition that accelerates skin cell turnover, psoriasis causes raised, scaly patches that can crack and peel. Feet are often affected, potentially bleeding if skin grows thick and splits open.

While not curable, prescriptions like steroid creams help temporarily calm inflammation and promote healing. Gentle exfoliation keeps plaques from building up. Custom orthotics can ease discomfort from friction and pressure.

Eczema

Eczema is an inflammatory reaction that leaves skin irritated, red and incredibly itchy, especially on hands and feet. Flare-ups cause skin to peel, flake and form painful cracks that are prone to infection.

Avoid known triggers like harsh soaps, wool and high stress. Bleach baths kill bacteria to prevent infection while reducing scaling. Corticosteroid ointments provide relief. Oral medications help moderate severe cases.

Diabetes

High blood sugar from uncontrolled diabetes can trigger excessively dry, peeling feet prone to complications. Nerve damage in the extremities causes decreased circulation while leaving skin more vulnerable to trauma.

Proper glucose control is key to preventing related foot issues. Inspect feet daily and treat cuts right away. Wear seamless diabetic socks to minimize friction. See a podiatrist regularly for specialized foot care.

Lifestyle Factors that Worsen Peeling

Beyond skin conditions, daily habits can directly impact the health and moisture retention ability of feet. Simple tweaks to things like footwear, pedicure regimen and managing calluses/corns can reduce peeling.

Wearing the Wrong Shoes

Shoes that don’t properly fit or offer enough support put unnecessary pressure on feet. This can lead to callus build up, blisters, cracking and peeling in areas of friction.

Look for well-made shoes with adequate toe box room and arch support. Have feet properly measured when buying new pairs, trying them on at end of day when feet are most swollen. Give feet a break by rotating shoe styles.

Picking at Calluses

It’s tempting to pick at those dry, dead bits of skin on heels and sides of feet. But this can lead to peeling extending beyond just callused areas by ripping at otherwise healthy nearby skin.

Allow calluses to naturally soften over several days by soaking feet, then gently buff away roughness with a pumice stone or foot file. Repeat regularly to keep calluses from becoming too thick before they start cracking and peeling.

Infrequent Exfoliation

Just as you regularly exfoliate your face, feet also need gentle sloughing to remove dead cells. But skipping this step can cause skin to build up too much, eventually cracking and peeling.

About every 3-5 days in the shower, massage feet with an exfoliating scrub or buff lightly with a pumice stone. Rinse then apply a rich, nourishing foot cream. Softening thicker skin little by little keeps it from drying out and peeling.

When to See a Doctor

Occasional dry skin and peeling heels can usually be remedied with diligent at-home care. But if you don’t find relief or cracking is severe, seeking medical help may be warranted.

See a dermatologist or podiatrist if peeling skin:

• Doesn’t improve with moisturizing
• Occurs along with bleeding, oozing, pus or foul odor
• Spreads to other areas like between the toes or up the leg
• Causes pain or makes walking difficult

A doctor can assess if an underlying issue may be causing symptoms. Prescription topical medications or antifungal treatment is sometimes necessary. For chronic, thick calluses debridement, nail care or orthotics may be recommended.

Protecting Feet from Further Damage

Once feet start peeling it’s important to avoid picking or tearing at loose skin which can worsen irritation. Keep feet clean to prevent infection but don’t soak more than 10 minutes - tips of toes and heels should not appear white/pruney after washing.

Allow skin to air dry fully after bathing or swimming then seal in moisture with a gentle foot balm. Cover with clean, dry socks to protect freshly moisturized skin.

Using Medicated Treatments

Over-the-counter remedies help combat common foot woes turning skin flaky and peel-prone. Look for exfoliants with salicylic, glycolic or lactic acid to loosen dead cells. Urea and alpha hydroxy creams deeply hydrate while repairing skin.

For fungal or yeast issues, antifungal sprays and powders clear up infection while reducing related redness and peeling. Medicated blister bandages protect hot spots on heels and balls of feet as they heal.

Apply all medicated products sparingly according to package directions. Discontinue use if irritation occurs and seek medical guidance if symptoms worsen or fail to improve.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.