# Advice for treating Dry Feet **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 20, 2011, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-treating-dry-feet/596938 "2011-09-20T13:41:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-treating-dry-feet/596938/1 "2011-09-20T13:41:49Z")
OK dopers, it’s up to you to help me with my current medical ailment. My right foot is chronically dry and peely. My left foot is completely fine, and at the risk of boasting, is quite soft. But the skin between my toes and on the bottom of my right foot is constanlty dry and peeling. It’s been like this for a long, long time. I’ve tried putting lotion on it from time to time, but never consistently for any long period of time, and the condition has never gotten better. So, does anyone out there have any home remedies for me to try? A particular lotion or creme that might help? I don’t think it’s a fungus or anything like that, because it doesn’t itch, and it hasn’t spread to my other foot, or to anyone else who uses the same shower that I do. But, maybe it is something like that? Has anyone out there had a dry foot that you were able to successfully treat? Thanks so much! ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-treating-dry-feet/596938/2 "2011-09-20T14:10:58Z")
It’s probably athlete’s foot. I had it for years and it finally went away, but my husband, who used the same shower, never had it. So try some antifungal treatment and see how that goes. IANAD. Or an athlete. ---
**Author:** ![Undershaft](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f19dbf/32.png) [@Undershaft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Undershaft)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-treating-dry-feet/596938/3 "2011-09-20T14:57:11Z")
If it is just dry skin you should try using _Udder Cream_. It’s a moisturizer made for cow udders but works fantastically on humans. I tend to get really dry hands in winter, to the point where flexing my knuckles will cause the skin to crack open, and a few applications of Udder Cream makes it all better. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-treating-dry-feet/596938/4 "2011-09-20T14:57:17Z")
It’s almost certainly athlete’s foot. Not all athlete’s foot is acutely itchy and red and painful. Get some of that Lamisil one-day antifungal treatment. Use it two days in a row (overnight I think is what they recommend). That should pretty much take care of it. It’s not terribly expensive. Or Tinactin spray is pretty good, but it takes longer. You have to keep spraying it even if it looks gone, is the problem. That’s why I usually recommend the one-day stuff, and doing it twice just to make extra-super sure that it’s totally gone. IANAD ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-treating-dry-feet/596938/5 "2011-09-20T14:59:57Z")
Oddly my mother has the same issue (one foot soft, one you could use to grate nutmeg) and she swears by Gold Bond foot lotion twice a day. In the winter when it gets really bad she uses Zim’s Crack Creme at night and wears socks. Yes, the phrase “Crack Creme” makes me giggle every time I read it. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-treating-dry-feet/596938/6 "2011-09-20T15:17:49Z")
Ok thanks guys! I didn’t know athletes foot could cause just the peeling without itching/redness/etc. I will try the lamisil overnight stuff for a couple nights in a row. if that doesn’t cure it, I’ll give the Gold Bond foot lotion, or the Udder Cream a try. I really appreciate it! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-treating-dry-feet/596938/7 "2011-09-20T15:48:41Z")
I would suggest athlete’s foot too, mostly because of the problem between the toes. I have one “nice” foot and one “peeling” foot but not between my toes. Just along the heel and sometimes on the bottom. I had a hard time finding just a lotion that would help. My cousin’s wife started slamming me with an Avon campaign so I figured “what the heck?” and got some of their foot stuff. Now, one night with [Pedi Peel](http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?pf_id=38671) followed by [Cracked Heel Relief](http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?pf_id=10016) covered by a pair of cotton socks, and my feet look fantastic in the morning. I would try any of their FootWorks stuff, after reading the reviews. So if you find the issue is not actually athlete’s foot, maybe give the Avon stuff a try. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-treating-dry-feet/596938/8 "2011-09-21T00:15:31Z")
Here’s what my foot doctor said. He’s also on the wound care committee of the hospital. Don’t go barefoot. Rub Vick’s Vapo-rub or the generic equivalent on your feet every day. That kills fungus. When you get calluses, use pumice stones or sandpaper (200 grade) to reduce them back to ordinary skin. You might think of callus as protection from injury. In fact, the dry hard callus makes you more likely to get sores and blisters underneath the callus. After my feet got healthy, I cut back the chest-rub to just the toes and the ball-of-the-foot area. The rest of the foot gets plain petroleum jelly (petrolatum.) ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-treating-dry-feet/596938/9 "2011-09-22T01:35:46Z")
Consider Dyshidrosis, a form of eczema that affects the feet & hands. I get it on one foot, but sometimes on two, and often in the dampest areas such as between toes. Never had it on my hands yet. For many years I was sure it wax athlete’s foot, but no form of anti fungal ever had any effect and nobody else near me ever got it. > **[Dyshidrosis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyshidrosis)** > > Dyshidrosis is a type of dermatitis that is characterized by itchy blisters on the palms of the hands and bottoms of the feet. Blisters are generally one to two millimeters in size and heal over three weeks. However, they often recur. Redness is not usually present. Repeated attacks may result in fissures and skin thickening. > The cause is unknown. Triggers may include allergens, physical or mental stress, frequent hand washing, or metals. Diagnosis is typically based on what it looks like and ... I use an abrasive sponge on the dry parts (along the outside of the foot usually) to shed as much of the dry scaly skin as possibly, followed with moisturizing to help prevent cracking. I wear toe socks whenever I have to wear closed-toe shoes, to help keep the toes dry. Too much sweating seems to encourage outbreaks. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-for-treating-dry-feet/596938/10 "2011-09-22T01:46:03Z")
My little bro used to get seriously dry/cracking feet when he was younger. The doc told him liberally use Eucerin before bed, then after lotioning up, wear a sock over it. IANAD, etc.