Author: Foot Doc
Date: 2/15/2007 1:24 pm PDT
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THE FOLLOWING IS OFFERED GRATIS AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, AND, AS SUCH, MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONER AND/OR HIS/HER PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY NOT BASED ON ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINATION OF THE QUESTIONER OR HIS/HER MEDICAL HISTORY, AND IT CAN NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS DEFINITIVE MEDICAL OPINION OR ADVICE. ONLY THROUGH HANDS- ON PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUAL PATIENT CAN ACCURATE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS BE ESTABLISHED AND SPECIFIC ADVICE BE GIVEN. NO DOCTOR/PATIENT RELATIONSHIP IS CREATED OR ESTABLISHED OR MAY BE INFERRED. THE QUESTIONER AND/OR READER IS INSTRUCTED TO CONSULT HIS OR HER OWN DOCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND TO ACT ONLY UPON HIS/HER OWN DOCTOR’S ORDERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. BY THE READING OF MY POSTING WHICH FOLLOWS, THE READER STIPULATES AND CONFIRMS THAT HE/SHE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS DISCLAIMER AND HOLDS HARMLESS THIS WRITER. IF THIS IS NOT FULLY AGREEABLE TO YOU, THE READER, AND/OR YOU HAVE NOT ATTAINED THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, YOU HEREBY ARE ADMONISHED TO READ NO FURTHER.
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The first things that has to be ruled out are hereditary and acquired dermatological conditions which cause skin to become excessively dry and scaly. In my view, these should be seen, diagnosed and treated by a dermatologist. Secondly, there are system condition, thyroid problems and diabetes, and certain medications, being but a few examples, which may have or produce, as part of their syndromes and/or side effects, excessive dryness of the skin. So, in addition to primary dermatological problems, general medical problems should be considered, especially as this is a recent occurrence.
That being said, excessive dryness perhaps resulting in painful fissures of the skin of the feet are common. They are often associated with excessive bathing of the skin or other contct with water and/or hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). From the use of the term, "mum," I assume that you live in the U.K., where the damp weather there may be more conducive to drying of the skin. Excessive dryness of the skin is not generally caused by lack of oils, but lack of intracellular water. But there is little if anything one can do to increase the intracellular water content of the skin, so oils, lotions, and emollients, in general, are used in their stead to temporarily cause the skin to be seem less dry.
Cream-based formulas generally should be avoided, as they too exert drying properties. Ointment-based and water in oil emulsion formulas are generally preferred.
For dryness associated with hyperhidrosis, it is necessary to control the excessive sweating first before or concomitant with actual treatment of the skin. This can be done with topical, and less often systemic, medications. Urea-containing topical preparations are often effectively employed as a "moisturizer" and exfolient (keratolytic agent).
For control of excessive sweating of the feet, I personally like a topical product available in the U.S. called Drysol. It requires a prescription here. Once the hyperhidrosis, if present, is brought under control, I will generally try having the patient use a Vaseline-based product such as Vitamin A&D ointment, applied to the skin as often as needed, and especially at bedtime, using a sock to cover the feet while sleeping. But I am not prepared to say that this would be appropriate treatment for your mother. It is howeve generally recommended that the feet not be routinely soaked unless there is some over-riding medical reason for doing so, and to allow water to contact the feet only for short periods as in normal bathing. In addition, fissures, if and when they occur are often open wounds and should be treated as such.
So, my recommendations are that she see her consider seeing a podiatrist, and/or an interist and/or a dermatologist, depending on the etiology of her complaint, and that no radical self-treatment be attempted before a diagnosis is determined. |
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