With excessive growth of the upper stratum corneum of the epidermis of the lower extremities, a condition called foot hyperkeratosis occurs. Such a pathology is considered a cosmetic defect, but do not take it too lightly, since skin problems reflect the state of the body as a whole.
Deep cracks in the legs accompany hyperkeratosis of the feet. That this disease causes great discomfort and quite severe pain during walking is known to everyone who has been faced with such a disease. Complications of such a pathology can be spot hemorrhages, the appearance of soft and hard calluses, ulceration of the skin of the feet, which requires special procedures. Hyperkeratosis of the feet is not harmful to health in general, but it is a cosmetic defect and causes inconvenience while walking.
Signs of the disease
The first symptoms of incipient hyperkeratosis are coarsened skin in places that are constantly exposed to stress. With the further development of the disease due to loss of fluid, a decrease in the elasticity of some areas of the skin and increased stress when walking, dry cracks in the feet occur.
Dry cracks are the main symptom of a disease such as foot hyperkeratosis. A photo that reflects the picture of the disease is shown below.
With a constant increased load on the feet, the cracks can become deeper and bleed.
A prolonged stay in damp areas, increased sweating associated with wearing shoes that do not allow air to pass through, leads to wet cracks. Most often they appear between the fingers.
Reasons for the development of pathology
The causes of hyperkeratosis can be both external and internal.
External ones include an increased and prolonged load on some parts of the foot, as a result of which there is a rapid multiplication of skin cells. Normally, a gradual exfoliation of the upper cells of the epidermis should occur. With excessively active division, the upper layer of the skin does not have time to peel off, and foot hyperkeratosis occurs.
Another common external factor that provokes hyperkeratosis is the wrong selection of shoes. Narrow and tight, worn, not suitable in size shoes become the cause of excessive pressure on the foot, which leads to the development of pathology.
Structural features of the human body (for example, overweight and high growth) can also cause increased pressure on the foot. In addition, hyperkeratosis develops due to congenital or acquired deformities of the foot.
The cause of hyperkeratosis may be incorrectly performed by the pedicure master. Pink delicate skin, which remains after too deep a procedure, looks very beautiful and seems soft. But this impression is misleading, with such a deep pedicure, the protective function of the skin is violated, which remains unprotected, loses elasticity and moisture. As a result of this, deep cracks appear.
Internal causes of hyperkeratosis include endocrine diseases, as well as skin diseases. In a person with diabetes, carbohydrate metabolism is impaired, this becomes the reason that sensitivity in the lower extremities decreases, circulatory and tissue trophic disorders occur, the skin dries up and ulcerates, and foot hyperkeratosis develops. The causes of this condition may be the presence of psoriasis, ichthyosis, congenital disorders of keratin synthesis.
With a deficiency of vitamins A and E, follicular hyperkeratosis occurs. Even with a slight lack of vitamin E in the body, dehydration of skin cells and a decrease in its elasticity occur. This leads to the fact that the lost elasticity and dry skin becomes unable to withstand the application of a load on it, as a result of which cracks form.
Vitamin A is essential for skin renewal. Its deficiency leads to premature keratinization of the epidermis, keratinization of the skin occurs, which becomes dry and rough, hyperkeratosis occurs.
Hyperkeratosis of the feet may be due to fungal infections. The presence of fungus on the surface of the foot leads to increased keratinization. Thickened skin that has lost elasticity is injured when walking. Fungal infection leads to a violation of the integrity of the surface layer of the skin, which contributes to the penetration of moisture and the attachment of a secondary infection, this exacerbates the condition even more.
With a combination of external and internal factors, the risk of hyperkeratosis increases.
Treatment of foot hyperkeratosis
A specialist podologist will help get rid of such a pathology as foot hyperkeratosis. Treatment takes place in several stages. First of all, it is necessary to soften the coarse skin of the foot with water, to which salts, flavors or chemical softeners are added. Then the softened stratum corneum is removed using a disposable scalpel and removable blades of various sizes. The procedure is performed very carefully so as not to disrupt the integrity of the soft tissues.
The final stage of treatment is skin resurfacing. They produce it with traditional nail files or using a hardware technique that is much faster, more hygienic and more efficient.
Home care
With hyperkeratosis of the feet, both salon procedures and thorough home foot care are needed. Various hygienic procedures and the use of emollient drugs will help alleviate the condition. To prevent the disease will help the use of pumice or a double-sided nail file for pedicure, with which rough skin is removed. First you need to steam the feet in water, to which soda is added (a teaspoon per liter of water). Instead of soda, you can use essential oils. For example, tea tree oil perfectly moisturizes the skin, increases its elasticity. Peach oil heals shallow wounds. Jojoba oil helps soften the skin of the feet, promotes long-term hydration. Almond oil eliminates roughness, eliminates dry skin.
Then the steamed feet should be lightly rubbed with a pumice, and then lubricated with a nourishing cream. After it is absorbed, the feet are again lowered into the bath. In severe cases, a repeated procedure is recommended. After the bath, the feet are polished with special scrubs, rubbing them with light movements. At the same time, dead scales are exfoliated and the skin is renewed. After this procedure, a moisturizer is applied to the legs.
Of course, a single procedure will not be enough, it must be carried out regularly to cure foot hyperkeratosis.
Treatment with folk remedies also gives a good effect. Various foot baths, herbal ointments, compresses are used that help soften the skin, restore its elasticity and heal cracks.
Scarlet treatment
From a plant that is more than 5 years old, you need to cut off the thickest sheets, pour over boiling water, wrap in clean gauze and leave in the freezer for at least three days. After this, the thawed sheet is cut into thin long plates and applied to problem areas, wrapping with a bandage and polyethylene, left overnight. In the morning after removing the compress, wipe the feet with a weak solution of salicylic alcohol and leave it in the air for half an hour.
Propolis treatment
Hyperkeratosis of the foot is treated with propolis, which is applied in a thin layer to the problem areas, fixed with a bandage, leaving for several days. The procedure must be repeated at least three times.
Potato treatment
The potatoes are rubbed on a fine grater, the mass is laid out on gauze and bandaged to a sore spot. The bandage is removed after an hour and a half, the composition is washed off, the feet are treated with pumice and smeared with cream. The course of treatment is ten days.
Onion compress
The gruel of the two onions is wrapped in gauze and applied to the feet, wrapped in polyethylene. The feet must first be steamed in water with the addition of soda. The compress is left overnight. In the morning, it is necessary to wash off the gruel from the onion, treat the legs with pumice and apply a fat cream. The procedure is repeated three times.
Oil compress
Cotton socks are saturated with warmed olive, castor, almond, corn or sunflower oil. The feet are pre-steamed, then put on socks, wrap the legs on top with cling film.
To increase the effectiveness of the mask, glycerin can be added to the oil (2 parts oil, 1 part glycerin), or a few drops of fir or eucalyptus essential oil.
Hyperkeratosis of the feet is successfully treated with daily foot baths.
Herbal bath
To prepare a medicinal bath, a decoction of sage, St. John's wort, elecampane, a string, chamomile, calendula or oak bark is prepared. One tablespoon of dry grass is poured with a liter of water, brought to a boil. Then the fire is reduced and kept on the stove for half an hour. The resulting broth should be diluted with water to the optimum temperature and immerse his legs for 30-40 minutes. After the procedure, the feet are wiped dry and smeared with cream.
Sea salt bath
Baths with sea salt help restore affected areas of the skin, have a softening and exfoliating effect. It is necessary to add 100 g of salt and 1 tbsp to warm water. l soda. The feet are kept in such a bath for 15 minutes, after which they are wiped, greased with any oil and put on socks.
Medical ointment
You can prepare an ointment for feet from plantain or calendula with petroleum jelly, which has bactericidal and wound healing properties. You need to grind a dry plant, add a couple of drops of oil (vegetable, olive, almond). Then the grass is combined with petroleum jelly. If plantain is used, then 1 part of the grass needs 9 parts of petroleum jelly. For calendula ointment, the proportion is 1: 4.
The ointment is applied to the feet at night, wrapped in polyethylene and put on socks.
In the morning it is necessary to wash it off, treat the feet with pumice and grease with cream.
Serious stages of the disease require outpatient or sanatorium treatment. The use of alkaline baths is very effective, followed by treatment with a foot cream with ten percent sodium chloride. Also helps treatment with hydrogen sulfide or radon baths, electrophoresis with zinc.
Hyperkeratosis of the feet signals some abnormalities - orthopedic or internal. It must be remembered that the longer it takes to postpone a solution to a problem, the more difficult it will be to deal with it.