From Foot to Hand

I've had my usual Athletes Foot return and taken to using the usual powders for it.

However, a new condition has appeared just after this where the skin over my right hand (ONLY) knuckles have turned to sandpaper (rough & cracked) - also small light colored blotches have appeared on the back of my hand are are starting to appear up my forearm.

Are these 2 conditions related? Can Athletes Foot Fungi appear in other parts of the body (such as the arm I used to clean foot). If not then is this condition recognised as some other skin disease and this whole thing coincidence.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Coincidence it almost surely is.  

You can't spread athlete's foot fungus from foot to had.  Rashes like the one on your hand are far more oikely to be dry skin or eczmea.  To start with, moisturize with vaseline and avoid excessive washing and rubbing.  If that doesn't help in 5-7 days, see a skin doctor for a prescription to control the situation.

Both fungus and eczema are quite common, so getting them together or in sequence is not that uncommon or surprising.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff