Why Are My Feet and Toes Peeling?

Constantly peeling skin on your feet and toes can be irritating, itchy, and embarrassing. Who wants to wear sandals in summer if your feet look like a snake molting its skin? Getting to the bottom of the matter can make your feet look and feel better.

1. Dry skin

Dry skin, or xerosis, can show up on your toes and feet. It starts as flaky skin and cracks, especially on your heels, the balls of your feet, and the outside of your big toe. You might feel a mild tightness or itching before the skin starts peeling away between your toes or on the soles of your feet — often in small, dry flakes. 

Fixing dry skin means washing in cooler water, using a moisturizer religiously, and gently exfoliating your feet a few times a week.

2. Fungal infection

If the peeling is mainly between your toes and is accompanied by a relentless itch and redness, it’s more likely you have a fungal infection like athlete’s foot. Fungal infections tend to emit a foul odor, and your feet may burn or sting.

The best treatment for fungal infections is the consistent application of antifungal creams, sprays, or powders, keeping your feet dry with frequent sock changes, and avoiding walking barefoot in damp common areas.

3. Eczema

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is an inflammatory skin condition that can lead to symptoms on your feet and toes as well as other parts of your body, such as your elbows and knees. You can have a flare-up from allergens, stress, and even heat, causing dry, itchy patches, redness or irritation, and peeling or cracked skin.

Breathable socks and fragrance-free moisturizers can help calm eczema symptoms. Usually a doctor can recommend topical treatments if your eczema continues to cause foot issues.

4. Psoriasis

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that often affects your elbows or knees. It can also target your feet and hands, in which case it’s called palmoplantar psoriasis. Common signs include:

• Skin that comes off in big flakes or peels in sheets 
• Thick, red patches on your feet, toes, or ankles with silvery scales
• Pain, soreness, and cracked skin that may bleed when you walk

Treatment can include prescription creams, phototherapy, or oral medications. Psoriasis requires constant monitoring and management.

5. Sunburn

Last but not least, one of the most common causes of sudden peeling of the skin on your feet and toes during the summer can simply be sunburn. Many people forget the tops of their feet when applying sunscreen, and the result can be red, tender skin that’s warm to the touch, blisters, and peels for several days after the initial burn. Thankfully, this condition is short-lived. Use cool compresses and aloe vera gels to soothe and treat your skin, and stay out of the sun until it heals. Next time, remember your feet are sun-vulnerable, too, and don’t skip the SPF.

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Changes That Happen With Our Fingernails

The body undergoes multiple changes with age, including muscle loss and the development of certain health conditions. Fingernails also start to thicken or become more brittle. For yourself or a loved one, be aware of the following factors when it comes to your nails.

Age can cause your nails to harden, thicken and lose their glossy translucence, which results in a yellow, often dull appearance. As keratin breaks down, nails may also thin and become more fragile, increasing your risks for breakage and fungal infections.

Additionally, fingernail quality can indicate the presence of certain diseases. As such, you’re advised to have your nails examined regularly by a podiatrist. For basic nail care:

• Get your finger and toenails trimmed and shaped regularly. If you’re unable to yourself, have a professional or loved one do it for you.
• If your nails start to thicken, apply moisturizer to help make them easier to cut.
• Pay attention to ridges. Vertical ridges occur with age, but horizontal ridges and pitting can indicate certain health conditions, including a zinc deficiency, certain cardiovascular diseases, a thyroid issue or psoriasis.
• Pay attention to discoloration. Yellow or gray tones emerge with age but dark patches can indicate a fungal infection, bruising or melanoma.
• Also be aware of the shape. Certain curves can indicate an iron deficiency or heart, respiratory or kidney issues.

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What Exactly is a Callus?

There are many myths about calluses and corns, but understanding what they actually are is the first step toward effective treatment. Both corns and calluses are essentially the same condition—a buildup of thickened skin on the foot caused by increased pressure or friction in that particular area. When this thickened skin develops on the bottom or sides of the foot, it's typically called a callus. When the same condition occurs between toes or on top of the toes, it's referred to as a "corn."

Callus vs. Corn: Understanding the Difference

Calluses

• Located on bottom or sides of feet
• Larger, more spread out
• Usually less painful than corns
• Caused by weight-bearing pressure

Corns

• Found between or on top of toes
• Smaller, more concentrated
• Often more painful due to pressure
• Caused by toe friction and deformities

Calluses are caused by several common factors:

• Bunions - Causing pressure on the side of the foot
• Elongated foot bones - Creating pressure points on the bottom of the foot
• Hammertoes - Leading to corn formation on top of or between toes
• High heels or ill-fitting shoes - Common
• Biomechanical issues - Abnormal walking patterns or foot structure
• High activity levels - Hiking and outdoor activities

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What Are the 7 Parts of the Nail?

The nail is composed of seven parts, each with its unique role in maintaining the strength and health of our nails.

Nail plate (body): The hard, keratinized structure that forms the visible part of the nail.

Nail folds (groove): The skin surrounding and supporting the nail on three sides.

Nail bed (sterile matrix): The pinkish tissue underneath the nail plate.

Germinal matrix: The base of the nail bed.

Hyponychium: The skin beneath the free edge of the nail.

Cuticle (eponychium): The thin layer of tissue covering the base of the nail plate.

Lunula: The half-moon-shaped area at the base of the nail, representing the visible part of the nail’s root.

Now that we know the seven parts of the nail, let’s dive deeper into their functions;

• The nail plate gives our nails their characteristic shape and appearance. It also helps protect the underlying tissues.
• The nail folds provide protection and support for the sides of the nail, keeping it in place.
• The nail bed nourishes the nail plate through a network of blood vessels and determines the shape and thickness of our nails.
• The germinal matrix produces new cells that contribute to nail growth and development.
• The hyponychium is a barrier protecting the sensitive nail bed from exposure to external elements.
• The cuticle prevents bacteria and other harmful substances from entering the body through the nail plate.
• The lunula is an important landmark for dermatologists, as changes in its appearance can indicate certain health conditions or nutritional deficiencies.

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Dry, Cracked Hands? Try This Nourishing Hand-Care Routine

While most skincare aficionados know that it’s important to apply skincare products onto the neck and decolletage, along with the face, you may not know that it's important to indulge your hands with a routine as well. The hands are one of the first areas of the body to show signs of aging, and the same fine lines, wrinkles and sun spots that show up on your face can also pop up on your hands. The good news is putting together a hand-care routine is much easier than you might think, even if you have dry, cracked hands. 

Anti-Aging Hand Care Routine

From slathering on hand cream to applying sunscreen regularly, these are the steps to building an anti-aging hand-care routine — just remember to be as consistent as you are with your skincare routine. 

Step 1: Exfoliate One to Two Times a Week

Just like the skin on your face and body, the skin on your hands can benefit from a weekly or twice-weekly exfoliation session. Exfoliation can help slough off dead surface skin cell buildup — which can appear more prominently on your hands — and make it easier for your skin to soak up hydrating hand-care products like serums, oils and hand cream. 

Step 2: Use a Serum

At night, when you’re applying your anti-aging skincare products to your face, try massaging some of those serums into the tops of your hands, too. This can not only salvage some of that excess product you may have accidentally squirted into your palms, but it can also help ensure that the skin on your hands is receiving a boost of nourishing skin benefits. 

Step 3: Apply Retinol

In addition to applying serum to the tops of your hands, you may want to consider using your retinol serums as hand care. An active form of vitamin A, retinol works to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines as well as to even out your skin tone. You can incorporate retinol into both your skincare routine for your face and your hands. If you’ve never used retinol on your skin — including your hands — before, start with a lower concentration and frequency and slowly work your way up to help prevent irritation. Retinol can contribute toward sun sensitivity, so be sure to apply your retinol-infused products in the evening and apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to your hands in the morning. If you’re unsure if retinol is right for you, reach out to a board-certified dermatologist. 

Step 4: Nourish Your Cuticles

Show your cuticles some love with cuticle oil. You can also use an oil such as coconut oil, sweet almond oil or argan oil to give your cuticles a hydrating effect. Simply apply the oil to the tops of your cuticles and nail beds and gently massage it in.

Step 5: Use Hand Cream on the Regular

When it comes to youthful-looking skin, hydration is key. Keep the skin on your hands looking and feeling well-moisturized with a rich hand cream. Unlike body lotions, hand creams are often thicker in texture and target rougher areas of skin, which is great if you’re battling dry hands. Keep one near your sink or in your purse and apply it to your hands after washing them.

Step 6: Deep Condition Your Hands

When moisturizer isn’t enough, we like to take things one step further and treat our hands to some deep conditioning R&R. Once a week, massage a nourishing oil, such as tamanu oil or argan oil, onto freshly exfoliated and cleansed hands as part of your hand care routine. Wrap them in plastic wrap and cover them with a pair of mittens or fuzzy socks to keep everything in place. Leave the wraps on for about an hour (or overnight) before removing for soft, smooth, supple-looking hands.

Step 7: Protect With Sunscreen

You should always — we repeat: always — apply broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher to your hands in the morning and throughout the day as needed (i.e. after you rinse your hands). Broad-spectrum SPF can help protect the skin from sunburns, sun spots, premature signs of skin aging and skin cancer, which can appear on your hands or under your nails. 

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What Causes Yellow Fingernails?

Next to our nighttime skin-care routine, giving ourselves a manicure is one of our favorite ways to indulge in self-care. But have you ever noticed that after a while of painting your nails, especially in dark colors, your natural nails begin to appear stained with a yellow tinge? Although yellow fingernails are a common concern, not that many people talk about it openly. We were curious to find out the truth behind yellow-appearing fingernails, including its causes , what you can do if you get them and what, if anything,  you can do to help prevent them. Here to give us the lowdown is board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jason Miller of Schweiger Dermatology Group. 

What Causes Yellow Fingernails?

According to Dr. Miller, yellow fingernails can have several underlying causes. “One of the most common causes is a fungal infection of the nail,” he says. “Other common causes include smoking, staining from self-tanners or certain nail polishes, especially darker shades.” He explains that when dyes in the nail polish interact with the keratin in the nail, it can lead to a yellow discoloration. Acetone (a common nail polish remover) can also make yellow fingernails worse as “it causes the dissolved polish to adhere directly to the nail,” he adds. Some less common causes of yellow discoloration of the nails are certain medical conditions such as thyroid disease, liver disease and diabetes. “If your nails become yellow and there is no explanation, be sure to visit your doctor to help figure out the cause.” 

Can You Prevent Yellow Fingernails?

“While there are several genetic or medical causes that cannot be prevented, many of the underlying reasons for yellow nails can be avoided,” says Dr. Miller. For instance, avoiding smoking, prolonged use of dark polish and being very careful when self-tanning can help prevent the discoloration from happening. “It also helps to start your manicure with a base of clear polish, minimizing the use of dark polish and using a non-acetone remover,” he says. 

How Can You Get Rid of Yellow Fingernails?

“The first step is to treat the underlying cause,” says Dr. Miller. If there is a fungal infection, topical or oral medications may help. But, ultimately, if you’re ever unsure, make sure to visit your dermatologist for help. Source