- 1. Dry skin
- 2. Peripheral neuropathy
- 3. Psoriasis
- 4. Athlete's foot
- 5. Bugworm
- 6. Hand-foot-mouth syndrome
- 7. Allergy
- 8. Poor circulation
- 9. Dyshidrosis
- 10. Migrans larva
In most cases, itchy feet are caused by dry skin, especially during winter. However, another very common cause is the overgrowth of fungi, also known as ringworm, which can be treated with antifungal ointments advised by a family doctor or dermatologist.
Itchy feet can also be caused by less common problems such as allergy, psoriasis or poor circulation, for example, and other symptoms may appear that help to identify the problem and define the most appropriate treatment, which will depend on what is at the source of the itch.
1. Dry skin
The skin of the foot can dry easily because in this region there are no sebaceous glands and in addition people often neglect hydration in this place. This dryness can cause severe and persistent itching if left untreated.
What to do: The treatment of dry skin is simple and consists of applying moisturizing creams on the feet daily after bathing. The ideal is to opt for creams very nutritious and with urea or salicylic acid in their constitution that help remove dead skin.
2. Peripheral neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy consists of a set of changes that occur in the nerves of the body, causing symptoms such as pain, tingling, lack of strength, sensitivity in specific regions of the body and itching. This disease is usually caused by diabetes mellitus, leprosy, severe malnutrition or autoimmune diseases.
What to do: treatment is done according to the needs of each person. Analgesics for pain control, such as dipyrone and paracetamol, and drugs to help with sexual dysfunction, such as sildenafil or tadalafil, may be prescribed. In addition, physical therapy can also be used to rehabilitate the affected areas.
3. Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes symptoms such as red spots, dry scales, dry skin, itching and pain. See more about this disease.
What to do: Psoriasis has no cure, but it can be treated with creams and ointments for the skin and with immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory drugs, and treatments with ultraviolet light may also be recommended.
4. Athlete's foot
Athlete's foot, also known as pedis or chilblains, is a type of ringworm of the skin caused by the fungi Trichophyton, Mycrosporon or Epidermophyton, which mainly affects regions on the sole and between the toes, causing severe itching and flaking.
What to do: The treatment consists of applying antifungal creams or ointments, such as clotrimazole or miconazole. If it is not enough, it may be necessary to take itraconazole or fluconazole tablets for about 3 months. It is also necessary to take care of the hygiene of the feet and avoid moisture, as it can worsen the condition and prolong the treatment.
5. Bugworm
The foot bug is a small parasite called Tunga penetrans, which enters the skin, mainly on the feet, where it develops quickly causing symptoms such as pain, itching and redness. See how to identify the standing bug.
What to do: to treat this infection, the skin parasite has to be removed at a health center. In addition, camphor-based creams or salicylated petroleum jelly can be used to facilitate treatment, or if there are many injuries, the use of antiparasitic agents, such as thiabendazole or ivermectin, is recommended.
6. Hand-foot-mouth syndrome
The hand-foot-mouth syndrome is a very contagious disease, caused by the virus, causing symptoms such as high fever, sore throat, lack of appetite, appearance of thrush in the mouth and small blisters or spots on the hands and feet, which can cause severe itching. Learn how to identify this syndrome.
What to do: The treatment consists of administering remedies for fever and anti-inflammatories for pain, remedies for itching and ointments for thrush in order to relieve symptoms.
7. Allergy
Skin allergy is characterized by an inflammatory reaction that can manifest itself in different regions of the skin, which can be caused by food, cosmetics, medicines, sun or insect bites, for example, and cause symptoms such as itching, redness, peeling, irritation and the presence of red or white spots or dots.
What to do: treatment is usually done with antihistamines such as loratadine or cetirizine, or with corticosteroids such as betamethasone, which are used to treat the symptoms of the allergy, and to stop the use of the cause of the allergy.
8. Poor circulation
Poor circulation consists of the difficulty for blood to pass through the veins, causing symptoms such as cold hands, swelling in the feet, tingling and itching in the feet and legs and pain in the legs with the appearance of varicose veins.
This problem is more common in women, it can become more intense in pregnancy and cause severe swelling in the feet. Learn how to reduce swelling of the feet during pregnancy.
What to do: to improve blood circulation, you should exercise regularly, wear elastic compression stockings, avoid sitting or standing for a long time, reduce salt consumption and maintain an ideal weight.
9. Dyshidrosis
Dyshidrosis causes the appearance of small bubbles filled with clear liquid on the palms or soles, especially on the sides of the fingers, which cause severe itching, which can last up to 3 weeks. It is more common in the summer, with rising temperatures, or episodes of emotional stress, and although it is not known for certain what is at its origin, it is thought to be associated with atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis.
What to do: to treat dyshidrosis, the dermatologist may advise the application of corticosteroid creams such as clobetasol or methylprednisolone for example, or the use of corticoid tablets when the creams and ointments do not show results or in very extensive cases.
10. Migrans larva
Cutaneous larva migrans, also known as a geographic bug, is caused by a parasite that can be found in soil contaminated by dog or cat feces and penetrates the skin through small wounds, causing a lot of itching and a red and serpiginous lesion at the site. entrance, mainly feet, legs and hands.
What to do: The treatment for cutaneous larva migrans is done with the use of antiparasitic remedies, such as Tiabendazole cream for small lesions, or Albendazole or oral Mebendazole, in the case of many lesions. Check out how to identify and treat the geographic bug.
