What is this tough dry brown skin on my feet? Is it serious?

For a bit over a year now I have had this tough dark skin on the sides of both of my feet. It is not painful, itchy, or cause any sort of physical disability. The skin peels after a while, especially after a shower when the skin isn't as rough as usual. I thought it would go away by itself in time but it still hasn't and I'm starting to get worried about what this may be.

At first I thought it was just dry skin but now I'm not so sure. Is this something serious that requires immediate medical attention?

Please help.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Such symptoms can be due to contact dermatitis and contact with harsh detergents, soaps and lotions. Sometimes cold, dry air can cause  peeling and dermatitis or fungal infections can also cause peeling.

Wash the areas with fresh water. Do not use any cosmetic products at the sites. You can apply some calamine lotion at the rash as it will help in soothing the skin. For mild-moderate symptoms a weak steroid may be used, whilst more severe cases require a higher-potency steroid.

Symptoms can be exacerbated by dryness of the skin. Use good quality moisturizers to prevent moisture loss from the skin. During the day, hydrate and protect feet with a protective and moisturizing cream. At night, repair them with creams formulated from glycolic acid—a must for improving skin texture and tone. If still the symptoms do not improve then please get a clinical examination done by a dermatologist. Fungal infections and eczema have to be ruled out then. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[amiller24]

Thank you very much. I will try and keep you posted.