In the summer – our shoe selection is plentiful. With everything from sandals on the beach to high heels for high fashion, our feet get a variety of cover during the warmer seasons. Since the winter chill has rolled in to Maryland, cities like Crofton, Bowie, Annapolis, Odenton, and Gambrills have already reached into the back of their closets for that one trusty pair of boots to forge through the frozen months. While these boots are great for slushing through the winter precipitation they are prone to moisture from the melting snow on the outside, and the perspiring feet bundled within layers of wool socks on the inside.
Repeated exposure to an environment with high moisture like the inside of our boots results in skin breakdown. The same effect happens when you leave your hands in water for too long. When combined with the rubbing forces from walking, your moistened skin becomes vulnerable to flaking, cracking and tearing; the latter providing an easy route for infection. This is exactly how the infamous Tinea Pedis (or Athlete’s Foot) we typically experience during the summer occurs. In regards to treating this dry, damaged skin generic moisturizers or petroleum-based jellies simply won’t cut it most of the time.
The following are a list of clues you may be experiencing winter athlete’s foot:
1. Intense itching and/or burning sensation in the feet.
2. Red, or dry patches of skin. Sometimes it may just look like dry skin.
3. Cracked, blistering, or peeling skin. (Make sure to check in between your toes as well.)
4. Cloudy, yellow, or unusually thick nails.
If you feel like you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, I highly encourage you to make an appointment to come see me for prompt inspection. Dry, peeling, or itching skin could be a case of ‘Winter tinea’, or signs of something more sinister. A brief examination from my trained staff and myself at Crofton Podiatry would allow us to answer any of your questions and get you moving forward with the right treatment. Don’t be a victim to your feet any longer!
By Brad Toll