What should you know about extremely itchy soles of feet?

Athlete's foot can cause scaling, peeling, cracking, or itching between the toes and across the sole. Dyshidrotic eczema may produce very itchy small blisters on the soles or sides of the feet. Contact dermatitis can follow exposure to footwear materials, adhesives, detergents, or topical products. Heat, sweat, and occlusive shoes can aggravate each pattern, so the appearance and distribution are useful clues.

Wash gently, dry carefully between the toes, and change damp socks. Use breathable footwear and rotate shoes so they can dry. Avoid scratching or opening blisters, and do not share towels, socks, or shoes. If scaling and peeling suggest a fungal problem, ask a pharmacist or clinician whether topical antifungal treatment is suitable; stop and seek advice if the skin becomes painful or increasingly inflamed.

Arrange prompt care for spreading redness, warmth, swelling, pus, fever, deep cracks, or difficulty walking. A clinician should assess persistent or recurrent itching, extensive blisters, one-sided changes that do not settle, or symptoms that fail to improve with appropriate care. Seek urgent help for sudden swelling with breathing difficulty or facial swelling.

Does the pattern look fungal, eczematous, or like a contact reaction? Should I use topical antifungal treatment, and for how long? Could my footwear or laundry products be involved, and how should I protect cracked skin?