Eczema on the feet

The symptoms of eczema on the feet are:

• Drying of the skin on the sole, with the formation of cracks, around the ankles or sometimes on the surface of the foot.
• Appearance of red patches and swelling related to an inflammatory reaction of the skin.
• Emergence of intense itching (pruritus) that can prevent sleep and lead to scratching lesions with the risk of superinfection.
• Eruption of vesicles that form a crust after drying or may open causing weeping.

Symptoms vary depending on the individual and their age.

Your eczema may be caused by an allergic reaction to a product to which your feet were exposed. Your shoes or socks may be the trigger (dyes, leather tanning products, adhesives, foams).

If the triggering agent is unclear, you will need to identify it with the help of a doctor so that you can avoid it in the future. Your doctor will ask a series of detailed questions in addition to carrying out allergy tests to identify the allergy.

Have you always followed the same routine? It is possible to develop a sudden allergy to a product you have used previously without any problems—until now.

Atopic eczema is a hereditary condition with alternating periods of eczema flare-ups and remission. It is linked to skin which is hypersensitive to its environment. Although genetic, the disease can be triggered or aggravated by various environmental factors.

This type of eczema rarely affects the feet (more common on the ankles and the tops of the feet than on the soles). The treatment is the same for all types of atopic eczema: soothe itching with a topical corticosteroid and repair the skin with emollients.

Dyshidrosis is unique in that it is limited to the hands and feet and is often very painful. As with all types of eczema, symptoms include redness and itching, as well as small blisters that dry out and form little scabs.

What causes this type of eczema? Little is known about the causes, but there are various triggering or aggravating factors: stress, sweat, contact allergies (nickel, cobalt) or even a foot mycosis.

Often linked to atopic skin, it tends to flare up more in the spring during allergy and hay fever season. Some people struggle with it more in the summer due to the heat, especially when associated with excessive sweating.

This type of eczema is often chronic (coming back several times over the course of your life). As a topical treatment, cortisone cream can help soothe flare-ups. Another thing to watch out for is a mycosis between the toes, for which the treatment may heal dyshidrosis. A preventive treatment to keep skin hydrated is often recommended. Other treatments are also available if symptoms persist.

It can be difficult!

A fungal infection can resemble foot eczema with the presence of itchy vesicles. However, these are typically arranged in circular or ring-shaped patterns and are accompanied by cracks between the toes, especially the fourth toe.

Psoriasis presents like eczema with red, dry patches and cracks, particularly on the soles. The outline of the lesions is sometimes more clearly defined than in eczema. Especially, there are generally more typical psoriasis plaques elsewhere: elbows and knees, scalp, and nail involvement.

To determine whether it's foot eczema, psoriasis, or a fungal infection, consult an eczema specialist. They are the only ones capable of making an accurate diagnosis.

In all cases, treatment consists of the application of more or less potent topical corticosteroids depending on the severity of the condition, sometimes under wet wraps to enhance their action.

In the case of contact eczema, the first thing to do is to eliminate contact with the responsible allergen that has been identified by patch tests.

Atopic eczema is a chronic disease (it recurs more or less regularly throughout life). Therefore, topical corticosteroids are applied depending on the flare-ups.

In the case of dyshidrosis, it is also necessary to look for a fungal infection between the toes, the treatment of which can cure it.

The application of an emollient to moisturize the skin is often recommended. Bathing should be gentle: showers of less than 5 minutes, not too hot water, use of a mild cleanser, etc. After showering, remember to dry the space between the toes thoroughly.

Other treatments are possible in case of persistence.