Hyperkeratosis

[HollyWollyDooDah]

For well over a year now I've been suffering with rough horrendously dry and painful feet.
One of the splits got infected and the gp gave me antibiotics which cleared it up.
Went back a couple of weeks ago and saw a doctor because they are so itchy I'm literally clawing at them - it's awful.
She gave me a second lot of steroid cream and told me to moisturise as it was dry skin.

Fastforward to today when I saw the PN as I have a bad tracking infection in both feet 😫
She immediately said that's hyperkeratosis and yes you need a course of antibiotics.
She told me to soak my feet every night for 30mins in oilatum and apply Eurax cream afterwards.

My question is, does anyone else have this? Especially on feet? I'm bridesmaid at two summer weddings and obviously my feet cause me embarrassment as they just look awful and discoloured.
I've got to go back to PN in a month for a check.
But does anyone have any tips or advice?
Will filing my feet just cause more problems?

Thanks

Do you have any food intolerances, or auto-immune disorders such as arthritis? The reason I ask is that an aunt of mine suffered for years from thick, flaking, cracking skin on her feet. Steroid creams helped one foot, but nothing would shift it on the other foot, other than summer holidays by the Med.

She went on to develop arthritis (don't know for sure which sort, osteo, I think) and looked into different strategies to help herself. She found that when she was on a diet that reduced her arthritis symptoms, her feet grew smooth and supple, and stopped flaking or cracking.

IIRC tomatoes were a big culprit, but I don't remember what else.

Maybe an avenue to explore?

I am a podiatrist, do you have it on your palms as well? It could be hereditary palmar plantar hyperkeratosis. If not hyperkeratosis only means hard skin build up. Why not go for a one off podiatry appointment and get a proper diagnosis they will tell you how to treat the problem. The GPs at my NHS practice will refer you for a short course of treatment if it's a real problem.

Can't beat Mermaid's answer!

Your description is of an exact condition I am suffering from.
I think in my case it is something found in most of supermarket bread and biscuits. As soon as I get some of them my feet and sometimes fingers present those symptoms overnight. It takes several days to clear broken skin.
My feet are smoothest when I am on a low carb diet 😊
Can you try to avoid shop bought food for a few days to see if that helps?

Last week went to Spain and there after 5 days my feet were do sore I had to stop eating white bread they are serving with each meal. I also suspected olives and cheap vermouth I was drinking at one bar.
I think if you eliminate what is causing it you see your feet healing v.fast.

Also as this is a recent thing - has anything changed in your diet prior to noticing it?

Thanks everyone
I don't know about the auto immune disorders but am currently under investigation for pcos so have had bloods done which include inflammation markers so perhaps these may show up something?

It is only on my feet - nowhere else
I never had any problems with my skin. This all started shortly after I moved in with my partner, he lives in a different county to where I grew up so maybe there's something in that? Don't laugh but would the water be a possible cause?

I eat a reasonably balanced diet, very rarely eat bread, once a week if that? I cook everything from scratch and don't really eat processed food - occasional takeaway but never ready meals, supermarket ham etc

Interestingly I do use a lot of tomatoes in my cooking but that's not something new.
Have soaked in oilatum tonight and applied the eurax and they haven't itched.
It's odd because I've been using epiderm on them for a few weeks and although that has helped it hadn't stopped the itching.

Mermaid can you ever get rid of it?
The PN told me I'd always have it and it would always be present to some extent, but unless I used the stuff she gave me to help soften it I'd continue to get infections

I need to research it a bit more, any useful resources?

Thanks everyone :)

It could be anything in your food. It could be combination.
What about tea or coffee?
Is it the same brand in different country?

Water treatment may be different too.

I don't drink hot drinks
It's only different county not country but I assume the water is treated differently x