toe blech
That is a picture of the space between my husband’s little toe and the next toe (is there a name for that space?). The right foot, in that spot, is the only place this happens. It comes and goes. It itches, occasionally hurts, and smells faintly off. In spite of how it looks in the picture, in real life it looks more moist, almost like a blister that has popped and started to rub off (which might be what it is). He does not have a particularly active job. He spends most of his time behind a desk. His feet don’t sweat any more than normal, and in normal situations. His socks are clean, his shoes are relatively new. The only skin issue he has ever had in the past was a nasty case of guttate psoriasis which would have gone away fairly quickly if it had been properly diagnosed. His feet were never involved.
So, we can’t call a dermatologist or podiatrist until Monday and this is in no way an urgent care issue. It might be a Ready Med issue though, if I can convince him to go.
Basically what I’m wondering at 1045pm is this:
- What do you think is going on here?
- What can I do to help alleviate his discomfort until I can get him to see someone about it.
- Why is this only happening between those two toes, on that one foot?
- I unthinkingly rubbed my eye right after touching his nasty ass feet. How likely am I to regret this in any way other than mentally?
DISCLAIMER: I know you are not my husband’s doctor and you are most likely, in fact, not a doctor at all. I’m just curious and do intend to have a real live doctor look at this.
Looks like Athlete’s Foot to me. Lamisil cream works wonders. Lotrimin also works, but not as rapidly. Lamisil costs more, as I recall.
ETA, Don’t worry about your eye. If it gets worse, he may need to change shoes (that is, have two pair of shoes, and wear them on alternating days).
Huh. I always thought Athlete’s Foot was more a cracked, dry, overall red thing.
Looks like a fungal infection (aka Athlete’s foot). Fungus likes to grow where it is warm and wet and dark. So keep the area cool and dry and open to light will help. As well as using the Lamisil or Lotrimin. Agree with wearing different shoes each day. Leather shoes do not have time to dry overnight (Remember warm, wet and dark), so the fungus starts to grow in the leather. Make sure you gently dry between the toes after bathing (probably started this way since it is not involving all the toes spaces)
If he is a diabetic (Fungus also likes sugar to grow), you need to be especially careful and this needs to be treated. Diabetics end up with leg amputations from something as innocent as this (poor circulation and damaged skin lead to an infection that won’t heal and the doctors have to find a place higher up on the leg with good enough blood flow so that a wound will heal. Not a diabetic, not as big of a problem and see the first paragraph.
Athlete’s foot is a real bitch, so I sympathize. I’ve had it quite a few times, and I’ve found the powder spray works the best. (ALWAYS wear flip-flops when you’re at the gym or at the pool in the locker room!)
Looks like classic athlete’s foot.
Look at Image #4
Speaking as a physician who sees a lot of gross feet, that one looks pretty benign, and almost normal.
Looks more like macerated (moist) epidermis, frankly. May have some fungus, may not. the best thing to do is keep the area dry, either with some drying agent in the socks and shoes, or by going barefoot, or perhaps some cotton between the toes to absorb or wick the moisture out.
Try some OTC antifunal like clotrimazole or nystatin if you like, but if you do, use it very sparingly, as it can keep the area moist and perpetuate the maceration.
And don’t exaggerate like that, or I’ll post links to some real grody feet and toes. 
