Any feet/skin/footskin experts?

[Feetsickles]

Hello.

I have had skanky feet for years (literally as long as I can remember) and I think I have worked out that I have athlete's foot. I don't have the red itchy patches but my feet are scaly and they peel - on the bottom and along the sides. In the summer I often get what I have called 'sweat spots' - where little slightly itchy red bubbles appear under the skin and they eventually leak/dry out (or I pop them) and the top layer of skin comes off really easily after a few days. In winter (usually after a bath) I get skin bubbles which can rub off easily, meaning my feet end up looking like a relief map.

I am really embarrassed about my feet and I've not been to the doctor about them. I think I did once years ago but I can't remember what they said - either way, nothing worked as they are still like it. I yearn for baby soft smooth skin on my feet. No amount of exfoliating/grating/DIY pedicures make any difference. These days I have a six month old baby and so any GP trips aren't likely to happen for a while.

Anyway, my questions are: does this sound like athlete's foot? And if so, can I take anything like Daktarin/Mycil while breastfeeding? I self-diagnosed a while ago and ordered the Mycil one treatment thing (where you smear the goo on and don't wash your feet for 3 days or something). I think it helped but quickly they reverted back to normal (possibly because I didn't wash slippers etc?)

Can anyone help?

It does sound like athletes foot....I don't know about that mixed with BF but ask the chemist...also get powder and treat all your shoes...

Use the powder/spray everyday, and treat all shoes. Can even sprinkle into socks.

Thanks both - didn't think about asking chemist - great idea. I want my feet nice-ish before summer really, I want to attack them! x

go to a chirpodist

really

Look up dishydrotic eczema, although that tends to be very itchy. It is small bubbles under the skin which you get on your hands and feet.

Ooh Bruffin that sounds like them. Will look again when on pc and see if google images shows me what they look like as they sound spot on. I do get them on my hands too, I forgot to mention that. So perhaps I have athletes foot just normally and then when it's hot I get that excema.

Belinda I always thought a chiropodist would run screaming for miles if I turned up with my plates of meat

Dishydrotic exzema is often confused for athletes foot.

i have seen the posters they have up, and i can tell you they are pretty gopping!!

they are degree level trained ( registered ones) and see really serious foot complaints like the ones you get from diabetes.

This is advice YOU would give to someone if they said what you said, isnt it?

Please go - google one and rock up.

Thanks Bel. I will make an appointment for next week. I will give the Lamasil stuff I bought yesterday a week to work and depending on what happens then ill go the following week. How much should I expect to pay for a chiropodist? Am in London. If its exorbitant I won't be able to do it, SMP dwindling.

Grr. I asked the chemist if the Lamisil Once treatment was ok for breastfeeding. She said it was fine. Went to use it this morning and it clearly says 'Not suitable for use when breastfeeding as active ingredient is present in breastmilk' or words to that effect. Doh.

i think mine was about $30 ( pounds)
really friendly

I think you owe it to your hooves! Also you can wear nice summer shoes then! DO make sure its state reg though

State Registration no longer exists Belinda now look for a HCPC registered Podiatrist or Chiropodist. Good advice to see one though.
Feetsickles you could ask the Podiatrist to take a skin scraping to get it tested. This would rule out fungal or bacterial infections.
Personally I think you may have Moccasin Tinea Pedis, that would explain why the Lamasil Once worked but not completely.

It does sound very much like mocasin Tinea Pedis. The little red/brown blisters, peeling scaly skin are classic signs I would reccommend having it aseen by a pro. Scrapings sent to the lab will often come back with a negative result even though the cause is bleeding obvious as they often test for the wrong thing or just dont do the test properly.

Lamisil is good and the cream wont affect your BF avoid the terbinafine tablets at all cost as they can cause liver damage!

You are almost certainly re infecting yourself regularly as the fungal spores will in your socks, shoes and tights and slippers, only washing at very high temp will kiil that off. You can buy all new when you have got rid of the infection from your feet but I have never met a female yet who is willing to throw away every pair of shoes that she owns!! so the sloution is to replace your socke, tights etc and then spray the inside all of your other footwear with ......... neat cider vinegar then seal them in a bin liner overnight. Sound weird and a bit extreme but trust me it works.

A lot of work but trust me it is worth it. Good Luck.

Reading with interest as have mother in ninties currently waiting for results of scraping re suspected fungal infection on ankle .

And sinking heart really ... she also has patch on her arm but just can't see how we'll get her clothes etc clean enough to get rid of spores .

Her hygiene is not that good ,plus her legs are bandaged and she sits with blanket etc over herself .

Any advice ?

Oh I never knew the state reg. this thread so interesting.

Wow so much help! Interesting about the shoes reinfecting, I'd have only thought socks/tights. I think I'll replace my socks (rarely wear tights these days so will prob just chuck them) and do the cider vinegar/bin bag trick for shoes. I'm going to try all this first before I see someone as I can't leave ds with anyone during the day really and he, er, objects to being stationary in his pram (helpfully)

gingeroots it could be ringworm if she has a couple of patches. It's a type of fungal infection, not a worm at all.
Fungal infections are rarely connected to not being clean enough. in fact some people over clean, their skin gets dry, the PH of their skin changes and they are more vulnerable to getting fungal infection. Fungal infections happen in the right environment, they are opportunistic infections which will grow in warm, dark, damp places, like between the toes.
If it is ringworm it will be easily treated with a cream from the GP and there is no need to worry about spores on clothes.

Thank you Accidental - I hope it is ringworm ,though there are no circular patterns IYSWIM and the podiatrist didn't think it was .

Results should be back this week ,so we should know then .

thanks again ,hope OP gets sorted !

Just thinking ,one of my mums finger nails is very yellow and misshapen .

I'd put this down to damage of nail bed by the gout and huge lumps of tophi she has in the ends of her fingers ( more or less stable now due to meds ) .

but perhaps its a fungal infection ,if it is ,could it infect her skin ?

Anyone any idea ?