What should you know about extreme foot itch?

Cracked, dry skin may itch intensely, especially on the soles and heels. Asteatotic eczema can cause dry scaling and fine cracks, while atopic dermatitis often brings itch with recurring inflamed patches. Contact dermatitis may follow a new shoe, sock, detergent, or foot product. Skin yeast infection often affects moist spaces between toes. Psoriasis, lichen planus, hives, or scabies can also involve the feet, with clues elsewhere on the body.

Rinse gently, pat dry, and apply a bland fragrance-free moisturiser to dry skin, avoiding cream between damp toes. Choose breathable footwear, change sweaty socks, and stop any newly introduced product that may be irritating. Keep nails short so scratching causes less damage. Avoid using steroid, antifungal, or insect treatments at random when the diagnosis is uncertain; the wrong product can obscure the rash or aggravate it.

Get prompt medical help for rapidly spreading redness, warmth, swelling, pus, fever, severe pain, open cracks, or a foot that becomes difficult to walk on. Seek urgent advice for sudden itch with facial swelling or breathing difficulty. Book a routine assessment when itch persists, disturbs sleep, affects both feet, or returns despite moisturising and trigger avoidance.

Does the rash look dry, allergic, fungal, inflammatory, or related to infestation? Should I stop a foot product or footwear? Which moisturiser or medicine is suitable, and do close contacts need advice?