Crofton Office

1657 Crofton Blvd, Suite 201

Crofton, MD 21114

(410) 721-4505

(410) 721-2394

Woodbridge Office

14010 Smoketown Rd., Suite 103

Woodbridge, VA 22192

(703) 583-5959

(703) 890-4970

Chantilly Office

3914 Centreville Road, Suite 200

Chantilly, VA 20151

(703) 490-5599

(703) 583-5995

Sterling Office

46440 Benedict Dr., Suite 111

Sterling, VA 20164

(703) 444-9555

Psoriasis on the Feet

Psoriasis may be a common autoimmune disease, but not many seem to know about it. For those who do know the undesirable qualities that come with it, they know it all too well: embarrassing red rash, grayish-white or silvery-white scaly skin, painful blisters, and even painful arthritis.

While psoriasis can be found most commonly on the elbows and knees, there are some who suffer on the palms of their hands and on the soles of their feet as well. The mild form of psoriasis in the hands and feet make them dry and scaly, but the rarer, more severe form (palmoplantar pustulosis or pustular psoriasis) can cause pustules or blisters and affect the toenails.

Cause: The exact cause is unknown, but the disease is an autoimmune disease that is hereditary. Those with weakened immune systems tend to have worse symptoms, and stress and injuries can also make it worse.

What can you do for psoriasis on your feet?

Proper foot hygiene: Wash your feet each night, with soap and warm water. Allow feet to dry and then moisturize as needed. Cracked skin can make symptoms worse and take longer for rashes or scaly skin to heal.

Moisturize: with lotion, cream, and/or oatmeal baths (if they help to soothe the skin). Avoid alcohol and dry air, which can dehydrate skin and trigger psoriasis.

Stress management: Many who have psoriasis have experienced a correlation between increased stress and worsening symptoms of psoriasis.

Phototherapy/Light therapy (under doctor supervision): careful exposure to UV-B has been shown to be helpful for some patients.

Cushioning/Orthotics: Use blister pads or other cushioning to reduce pressure on painful pustules or blisters that may form. Those who are affected by psoriatic arthritis may benefit from orthotics that cushion and protect the feet and joints.

Medication (with doctor consultation): anti-inflammatory medications, topical steroid creams, oral steroids, and other prescribed drugs that depress the immune system or biologic drugs that are effective against psoriasis.

There are several different treatments available for psoriasis, and if systemic (whole body) oral treatment is necessary, your doctor can determine which may be best for you. Treatment of psoriasis usually requires health care by a team of physicians, which should include our podiatrist if psoriasis affects your feet.

Psoriasis can sometimes be confused with a fungal infection (i.e. Athlete’s foot) and/or fungal toenails (onychomycosis). For proper diagnosis, consult with our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll at Crofton Podiatry. Make an appointment by calling (410) 721-4505. Our team is ready to assist you at our Crofton, MD office, which also serves the surrounding areas of Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD.

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Office Hours

(We have new hours as below!)

Crofton Podiatry

Monday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-3:30 pm

Friday:

By Appointment Only

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed