Noticing flaky and peeling skin on your feet right before putting on sandals or when you’re slipping off your shoes at the end of a long day? Or perhaps you’re heading for a pedicure and feel the need to “clean up” your feet beforehand. After all, you don’t want to subject the nail technician to that!
But before you get self-conscious, don’t worry. Peeling feet are common and fixable.
At Thrifty White Health Essentials, we’re here with practical tips to help you understand what could be causing your feet to peel and how you can smooth things over comfortably and safely.
6 Common Causes of Peeling Feet
A little flaking can just be normal skin turnover. But if the peeling is noticeable or painful, these six common causes can help you pinpoint what’s going on, which you can then use to help you understand what you need to do to fix it (more on that later).
If you have diabetes, poor circulation, open cracks, redness, or swelling, please consult with a physician before beginning any home treatments.
1. Natural Exfoliation
We may not be snakes that shed a whole layer of our skin, but everyone experiences the natural process of exfoliation. Dead skin cells slough off our skin constantly, but sometimes it can feel like excess when it’s on our feet. This is more frequent when you are always wearing socks or closed-toe shoes, and the skin doesn’t slough off as naturally as it should. Not having time for foot scrubs or regular pedicures can also impact how easily the skin comes off.
2. Friction
Constant rubbing can cause skin to peel. This is often down to shoes that don’t fit quite right - both shoes that are too tight and those that are too loose can be culprits - and create hotspots on your feet. If you’re recently committed to getting fit and healthy and started walking or running more often, or if you spend long hours on your feet at work, you might notice blisters and peeling as your skin reacts to added stress and friction.
Wearing shoes without socks can also make things worse, so don’t skip socks, thinking that removing the “barrier” will help you!
3. Lack of Moisture
Just as you see skin on your body start to peel and flake when it’s not moisturized, you can expect the same with your feet. Even people who are good at lotioning their bodies will often neglect to moisturize their dry feet. Additionally, environmental factors, like extreme temperatures, dry air, and low humidity, will exacerbate the situation.
4. Athlete’s Foot
Nobody wants to hear they have athlete’s feet, but this fungal foot infection is common. According to a 2023 review by the National Institutes of Health, athlete’s foot affects 3% of adults at any given time, and while it is more common in older individuals and men, peak incidence is between 16 and 45 years of age.
If you’re experiencing extreme dryness, peeling, or scaling on the soles of your feet, you may be dealing with this fungal infection. These symptoms are often accompanied by itching and odor.
5. Eczema
Perhaps you only thought eczema would be present on the rest of your skin, but no skin is safe from this inflammatory skin condition! It can cause dryness, peeling, and itching all over your body, even on the soles of your feet. You may think you’re an amateur doctor with the help of the internet on your side, but only a doctor can actually diagnose you with eczema.
6. Excess Sweat and Moisture
Sweaty feet aren’t just stinky; they can cause more peeling than you would like to deal with on your feet. Let’s say you go on a long run and your feet are sweating in your socks and shoes; the friction caused could lead to excess peeling. Humid environments and increased perspiration can also lead to foot infections, which, conversely, lead to peeling.
Spending time in communal locker rooms, wearing non-breathable footwear or boots all day, or even just having naturally sweaty feet can all contribute to this.
How to Fix Peeling Skin on Feet
Once you’ve ruled out red-flag symptoms, you have three gentle, effective, and dare we say, therapeutic, steps to fixing the peeling skin on your feet.
1. Soak/Shower and Gently Exfoliate Your Feet
To get your feet in an optimal condition for exfoliating effectiveness, either take a warm shower or soak your feet in lukewarm to warm water for 10-15 minutes.
Then, use an exfoliating foot scrub followed by some gentle scrubbing with a pumice stone or an exfoliating stone file. Next, exfoliate and buff even further with an electronic foot file that is sure to smooth your skin. Don’t overwork your feet, but also don’t be afraid to work hard and really get the dead skin off.
You don’t need to do this every day. Once or twice a week should be enough. Stop if your skin becomes sore or inflamed, and never use blades or sharp scrapers to remove loose or tough skin.
If you have diabetes or poor circulation, be sure to speak to a clinician before at-home filing.
2. Moisturize and Protect Your Feet
After all of that exfoliation, your feet will be in desperate need of some moisturizing skin care. Moisturizing directly after showering and exfoliating your feet is also essential for locking in that moisture.
There are plenty of beauty supplies online that should do the trick, but a healthy foot cream or ointment may actually work better than other lotions at trapping in that moisture. Look for rich foot creams that include urea (a powerful moisturizer) or lactic acid (a gentle exfoliant) if you’re looking to soften your skin, and those with petrolatum if your biggest concern is sealing in moisture.
If your feet are truly dehydrated and struggling to retain moisture, use foot moisturizers at least twice a day and, if you have very dry heels, try applying cream to your feet and then wearing cotton socks overnight.
You can get dry feet cream and other beauty supplies online right here at Thrifty White Health Essentials. Some of our favorites include Burt’s Bees Coconut Foot Creme, O’Keefe’s Foot Cream For Healthy Feet, and the Eucerin Intensive Repair Foot Creme.
3. Apply Antifungal Cream
If soaking and moisturizing don’t improve things, or you notice itching, burning, odor, soggy skin between your toes, or know you have athlete’s foot, you can try an over-the-counter antifungal cream, spray, or powder for 2 - 4 weeks.
Keep your feet dry and change your socks daily, or more frequently if you need to.
Here at Thrifty White Health Essentials, we have plenty of skin care products for athlete’s feet that can ship quickly and affordably right to your door.
Some of our best-selling athlete’s foot products include the Premier Value Miconazole Liquid Spray, Dr. Scholl’s Soothing Foot Powder, and the Foster & Thrive Antifungal Tolnaftate Cream.
How to Prevent Peeling Feet At The Source
While we’ve mentioned these throughout the article, these simple daily habits can stop peeling before it starts by reducing friction, moisture, and dryness.
- Wear breathable, well-fitting shoes. Aim to leave a thumb’s width at the toes.
- Change your socks daily and aim to wear those with moisture-wicking fabrics.
- Rotate shoes and let them dry for 24 hours.
- Use shower shoes in the gym or pool shower or around locker rooms.
- Focus particularly on drying between your toes after showering and bathing, and avoid putting moisturizer between your toes.
Explore Trusted Foot Care Products
Ready to take your feet from flaky to fantastic? Understanding why your feet are peeling is the first step to healthier, smoother skin.
Explore our featured foot care picks featured throughout this guide—or browse our online store to find the best foot creams and moisturizers for your needs. You’ll enjoy free shipping on orders of $69 and above, plus friendly support from our employee-owned team that’s been supporting and caring for communities and customers like you since 1884.
