The skin on the soles of the feet peels off: the causes of peeling between the toes, why the skin peels off

Causes

Children's skin is the most sensitive to various irritants. Peeling of the skin on the legs of children (desquamation) can appear as a result of exposure to both external and internal factors on the body. The skin on the feet of a child (as well as an adult) peels due to:

1. skin infectious diseases;
2. lack of moisture and nutrients;
3. inappropriately sized, low-quality shoes or clothing;
4. diseases of internal organs (pancreatic dysfunction);
5. irradiation;
6. stress;
7. individual intolerance to certain foods and medications;
8. influence of unfavorable environmental conditions (cold, heat).

In order to prescribe the correct treatment and get rid of the disease, you need to reliably establish the cause that provoked its appearance.

Insufficient skin hydration

It is necessary to ensure that optimal air humidity is maintained in the room where the baby is located. Lack of moisture leads to a large loss of water from epidermal cells and their destruction.

Fungal disease

Pathology occurs due to the penetration of fungal spores into the body through microcracks in the skin. Infection occurs if:

• other people's bath accessories are used;
• the child walks barefoot in public places (baths, baths, showers) and comes into contact with a carrier of the infection.

The development of pathology is facilitated by increased sweating of the feet, heat, and the presence of cracks, scratches, and wounds on the skin.

Characteristic signs of infection include itching, flaking, and an unpleasant odor from the extremities.

Avitaminosis

A common reason why the skin on the toes peels is a lack of vitamins A, D, E. These components affect the skin’s ability to recover and protect the skin from dryness, cracking and peeling.

Vitamin deficiencies occur in the cold season (autumn and winter), also due to poor diet.

Dysbacteriosis

If the digestion process is disrupted, then the beneficial microelements necessary to nourish the skin are removed from the body faster. Against this background, vitamin deficiency occurs, the epithelium is destroyed, peeling of the skin appears between the toes, and it begins to peel off.

Allergy

The anomaly is characterized by pathological skin rashes, redness, and itching. The skin may crack and peel.

Crack between fingers

• The nail hurts
• Calluses
• Nail deformities
• Corns
• Ingrown nail
• Crack on the foot
• Nail fungus
• Diabetic foot
• The nail has turned yellow
• SMART pedicure

• On the foot
• Between the fingers

A crack between the fingers is an extremely unpleasant phenomenon that causes many problems and is accompanied by pain. The pain can occur both at rest and when water, dirt, etc. gets into the wound. When the skin on the legs is damaged, it becomes difficult to walk. If the shoes are made of synthetic materials, then sweating is increased, which leads to a worsening of the situation.

Causes

Cracks between the toes can be caused by the following reasons:

• overdrying of the skin as a result of frequent interaction with abrasive materials (including natural ones - sand, for example), chlorinated water, hot air;
• uncomfortable (narrow, inappropriate size, artificial) shoes, which interfere with blood supply and cause increased sweat production, resulting in constantly wet feet;
• violation of personal hygiene rules;
• foot fungus;
• diseases of the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus, obesity, malfunction of the thyroid gland);
• dermatitis and allergic reactions;
• lack of vitamins A and E;
• hyperhidrosis.

Some women, while pregnant, experience cracks in the skin, which can also be caused by unstable hormonal levels, deficiency of vitamins and nutrients, and other reasons.

Clinical picture

In addition to the actual cracks between the fingers, the clinical picture can be supplemented by symptoms such as:

• dryness and flaking of the skin;
• deformation and yellowing of nails;
• discharge of pus from injured tissues (the first sign of inflammation);
• itching

Depending on what caused the skin to crack, rashes, redness, and swelling are also possible.

Treatment

Treatment is prescribed by our podologist after preliminary diagnosis. Through a visual examination and based on the results of laboratory tests, the doctor draws up a plan of therapeutic manipulations that will lead to eliminating the problem and improving the condition.

1. If cracks between the toes are caused by a fungal infection, antifungal drugs are prescribed to prevent the proliferation of pathogens and restore normal microflora on the surface of the skin.
2. When it comes to hyperhidrosis, injections of botulinum toxins (Botox, Dysport and others) will help relieve excessive sweating. They provide a temporary effect, the duration of which varies from several months to a year, after which a repeat procedure is necessary to maintain the achieved result.
3. In some cases, the main cause is dysfunction of internal organs, then treatment is carried out in close cooperation with specialized specialists.

Treatment of diabetic feet, due to which cracks have appeared between the toes, is carried out in our clinic using the PODOLOG NOVA 2 device.

Treatment

Only a specialist makes a diagnosis and determines a treatment regimen, which will depend on the identified root cause that provoked the onset of the disease.

Medicines

You can relieve dry skin on the soles using local remedies (baby cream, Bepanten, D-Panthenol, Radevit, Diaderm, liquid vitamin A). If the disease is associated with a deficiency of micronutrients, vitamin complexes are prescribed (for children over three years of age).

If there is an allergic reaction, it is necessary to exclude the child from coming into contact with the allergen. Suprastin is prescribed to relieve symptoms.

If the skin on the legs peels off and the pathology is caused by a fungus, the use of drugs such as Exoderil and Terbizil is indicated.

You should not treat yourself. Only a specialist should prescribe medications and determine their dosage.

Traditional methods

To cope with peeling on the toes, it is recommended to use:

1. Castor oil. It is heated, mixed with two yolks, smeared on the feet, and wrapped in a warm cloth. Wash off the composition after 40 minutes.
2. Chamomile decoction. Two spoons of cream are added to it, mixed, applied to the feet, and left overnight.
3. Linseed oil. The substance is rubbed into sore spots.

Why does skin peel off between my child’s fingers?

There are quite a few reasons that can cause this unpleasant symptom.

Below are the main ones:

• Fungal infection of the skin, as well as various skin infections, for example, herpes zoster;
• Allergic reactions;
• Diabetes mellitus and other endocrine diseases;
• Too dry air can also provoke a similar condition - this situation is usually observed in the winter season, when heating devices are constantly turned on in apartments;
• Low-quality shoes made from artificial materials;
• Using too aggressive or age-inappropriate cosmetics;
• Poor nutrition, vitamin deficiency;
• Shoes that are too warm, causing your feet to sweat when worn;
• Nervous stress and mental stress;
• Prolonged exposure to chlorinated water - this situation is quite often observed in children who swim and regularly visit the pool.

Peeling of the skin between the toes is most often observed on the feet. If this unpleasant symptom is provoked by reasons such as allergies, fungus or other dermatological diseases, it can be detected, including on the hands.

Complications

Peeling skin on the toes can be a sign of many medical diseases. Ignoring a symptom or treating it incorrectly can only worsen the patient’s condition.

The affected skin is often very itchy. Scratching leads to damage to the epidermis and deep layers of the skin, allowing pathogenic bacteria to penetrate inside.

Prevention

To prevent skin peeling in children, it is recommended:

1. Carry out all hygiene procedures regularly.
2. Avoid dryness and cracking of the epithelium: care for children's feet using baby cream, and periodically prepare herbal baths.
3. Prepare healthy meals, give your child more fresh vegetables and fruits.
4. In the autumn-winter period, take vitamin complexes, after consulting with your doctor.
5. Buy high-quality natural shoes for children and avoid synthetic clothing.
6. Heal wounds and scratches.
7. Timely identify hidden pathologies and treat them fully and correctly.
8. Engage in hardening of the body and physical education.

The skin on a child's toes peels off for various reasons. If such a problem arises, you should immediately consult a doctor and get it treated. The specialist will make recommendations for the woman that will help prevent the development of many serious illnesses in her baby in the future, prevent complications from occurring, and improve long-term health.

What should you do if the skin between your child’s fingers peels and peels?

The first thing you should do if you notice a similar symptom in a child is to consult a dermatologist. A qualified doctor will conduct an in-person examination and the necessary examination, after which he will be able to confirm or deny the presence of any skin disease.

1. If the baby is diagnosed with a fungal infection of the skin, the doctor will prescribe the necessary treatment, which includes oral administration and local use of various antifungal drugs, for example, Terbizil, Exoderil or Exifin Mycoterbin. In addition, it is necessary to take multivitamins appropriate for the child’s age.
2. If other dermatological diseases are detected, the doctor will also prescribe medications to get rid of the underlying disease, as a result of which the unpleasant symptoms will disappear. If your baby does not have any dermatological diseases, you should check your blood sugar. This is especially true in cases where the child has peeling skin between the fingers of not only the toes, but also the hands. If your blood sugar level is elevated, your baby will have to undergo a full examination to confirm or exclude the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.
3. Treatment for this disease must be comprehensive. In addition, maintenance therapy will be necessary throughout the rest of life, since diabetes mellitus, like any other endocrine disease, is not completely cured.
4. If the cause of peeling and peeling skin is an allergy, it is necessary to detect the allergen as quickly as possible and, if possible, exclude all contacts of the child with it. To alleviate the baby’s condition and get rid of itching and other unpleasant sensations, he should take antihistamines, such as Fenistil or Zyrtec.
5. In all other cases, you can cope with the disease on your own. To do this, you should provide your baby with a nutritious and balanced diet, spend as much time as possible in the fresh air and purchase comfortable shoes made from natural materials. In addition, the child needs to take a course of multivitamin preparations containing a large amount of useful minerals.

Also, your son or daughter’s feet will require appropriate care, namely:

• Before going to bed, the baby's feet should be kept in a salt bath for 15-20 minutes. It is also useful to add a few drops of essential oils to it. Lavender is best suited in this situation, since it can not only alleviate the child’s condition, but also calm him down;
• The skin between the toes, and in some cases the entire foot as a whole, must be carefully treated daily with fine and gentle pumice;
• After carrying out the above procedures, the baby’s feet should be generously smeared with baby cream, then put on cotton socks and go to bed. During the day, on the contrary, it is best to walk barefoot, if the air temperature in the apartment allows it;
• During the entire treatment period and as long as the skin on the arms and legs is still peeling, the use of any shower gels and similar cosmetic products is prohibited. The child should be washed only with laundry or tar soap.