Cracked skin under little toe

I have primary lymphoedema of the left leg and have recently had a bout of cellulitis brought on, I suspect, by infection getting in by cracked skin under my little toe. Any suggestions please as to prevention? I have full-length hosiery for the leg supplied through the clinic in St George’s hospital, Tooting, London. Following the cellulitis, I have started to use the foot portion they also supplied, which I’d previously (and mistakenly) not bothered with (as it was too much trouble). I use Diprobase as an emollient and have started to use Savlon on the crack, which is an anti-septic but also a skin-softener and (I hope) healing agent.

Any advice, please, fellow sufferers?

[Lyndy]

Poor you! I had something very similar with the nail on my left big toe, which isn’t quite an ingrown nail but almost. I also got cellulitis as a result! My solution is to put a plaster over my toe if I am walking anywhere and also to be very careful about toe room in shoes xx

[Lynora]

You are doing the right things. Avoid applying cream just before you don the garment. If possible, have a foot bath in the evening (you could add a few drops of Tea Tree oil) afterwards making sure the skin is dry - you can use a hand held hair dryer - then apply the Savlon or something like Sudacrem, to the problem area.

[BedfordBoy in reply to Lynora]

Hi Lynora,I have had the cracked skin under my little toe on my worst affected lymphedema leg. I used a foot bath with a cup full of Himalayan salt, dried thoroughly afterwards, and then apply Sudacrem. After a couple of treatments it's almost gone now.

I also try to take my shoes and socks off at any chance I get as my feet are always roasting hot and I don't want them to sweat therefore making it worse.

Also I think my cracked skin has benefited from my recent course of high strength Turmeric that I have been taking. I've been taking them primarily for the arthritis pain in my knees and the side effects for me have been significant improvement in my lymphedema and the pain levels. I think my skin now heals quicker after any abrasion or cracked skin. Before I took the Turmeric

any abrasions took ages to heal and were painful.

So it's worth trying if nothing else works for you.

[veriterc]

Australian cancer people helped develop Flexitol, which surprisingly is approved by NICE, so your GP can prescribe for free. I had similar cracked feet, use this every day and now get compliments from Podiatrists! More info on aftercancers.com

[AnneBury]

After an episode of cellulitis 25 years ago I put surgical spirit onto cotton wool and use on toe nails and between toes every day. When I got cellulitis all those years ago I think it was through athlete's foot - which I never seem to get rid of completely.The occasional person has said I shouldn't use surgical spirit everyday - I think they think it would be harsh for my skin. However, my feet are fine with surgical spirit

[Perido]

Like AnneBury I use surgical spirits, applied with a cotton bud, between my toes. I'm prone to cracked skin between my toes, especially the 4th and 5th toes in the summer, and surgical spirits helps prevent that happening.

OK I'll be honest, I only wash my feet 2 to 3 times a week and clean between my toes with surgical spirit on the days I don't wash them. I get less problems that way than washing every day. A podiatrist told me the surgical spirits has a drying effect which fungus doesn't like.

[Juliawoods]

Could be athletes foot. Get some daktarin gold and put a tiny bit on crack. I was told to jump on athletes foot straight away when I was first diagnosed with primary lymphoedema to avoid getting cellulitis. In 24 years, I can say, touching wood I have had athletes foot a few times but have never had cellulitis. With cracked skin under toes, never put a plaster on it, it needs to dry out and heal. Take care

[Hidden]

Thanks to everyone for their comments. I'm replying (from London UK) to my own post just to update people on what I've learnt.

Lymphoedema sufferers are prone to dry and cracked skin, which is a symptom of 'foot anhidrosis' and not of athete's foot, which is not so say the two can't go together. The Lymphoedema Support Network (UK) does a leaflet on skin care, which is available on application by post (but doesn't seem to be on their website, lymphoedema.org/).

For myself I find frequent use of a mix of emollients, rubbed well in particularly to the affected part, is the way to go. I use Diprobase routinely and in addition vary between the natural products tea tea oil lotion and aloe vera. I've also started to use Aveeno, which is an oat-based product (I think) and recommended in this video by the nurse-expert of the LSN. youtube.com/watch?v=oajPCAS...(Not working as expected?).

Keep cracking on. 😂

[jackiehaze]

My Daughter gets cellulitus and its lack of treatment due to covid! I have lost count the amount of times she gets it. I hate it when she gets it. She is very ill!