Winter Dry Feet a.k.a. Winter Tinea (Athletes Foot)
Is it Dry Feet or Athletes Foot?
Harsh winter conditions can cause a number of foot problems . . . one of which could be Winter Tinea (Athletes Foot)
I have many patients coming to my practice with complaints and concerns about dry, flaky skin on their feet in the winter months. While they may have a mild condition on other parts of their body, hands and face, most of the time (92%) it is just noticed on the feet. They realize that it’s from dry weather, low moisture in the air and things of that nature.
In my first year of practice my course of treatment was to prescribe various skin moisturizers, usually starting with inexpensive or generic brands. To my surprise and to my patients’ dissatisfaction, that course of treatment didn’t work. Not even when I instructed them to use the lotion right after bathing to “hold the moisture in.” Stepping up the quality and cost of the lotions seemed to have no effect either. I also use to prescribe products marketed especially to Podiatrists for dry feet. Those only had an effect on patients’ wallets.
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