What is the best treatment for pitted keratolysis?

To treat your pitted keratolysis, your doctor may prescribe anti-bacterial creams and gels such as erythromycin, clindamycin, or mupirocin. If necessary, they may also prescribe drying agents such as Drysol. Botulinum toxin or iontophoresis may also be prescribed to treat sweating.

What cream can I use for pitted keratolysis?

Topical benzoyl peroxide gel 2.5% and 5% can both treat pitted keratolysis according to study results presented at the American Academy of Dermatology virtual meeting.

How do you treat pitted keratolysis over the counter?

Topical benzoyl peroxide is an over-the-counter drug and is known as off-label medication for pitted keratolysis. It has both aerobic and anaerobic antibacterial properties due to inhibition of various cell functions and the response against bacteria is dose related.

What happens if you dont treat pitted keratolysis?

Without treatment, the pits can join together to form a large crater-like lesion. Pitted keratolysis can also cause an unpleasant smell, but people do not usually experience any redness or swelling because this condition is not an inflammatory skin condition. Less commonly, the infection can affect the hands.

How do you get pitted keratolysis?

Factors that lead to the development of pitted keratolysis include:

1. Hot, humid weather.
2. Occlusive footwear, such as rubber boots or vinyl shoes.
3. Excessive sweating of hands and feet (hyperhidrosis)
4. Thickened skin of palms and soles (keratoderma)
5. Diabetes mellitus.
6. Advanced age.
7. Immunodeficiency.

How do you treat pitted keratolysis naturally?

Home remedies

1. wearing boots for as short a time as possible.
2. wearing absorbent cotton or wool socks.
3. washing the feet with soap or antiseptic cleanser twice a day.
4. applying antiperspirant to the feet.
5. avoiding wearing the same shoes 2 days in a row.
6. avoiding sharing footwear or towels with other people.

How does pitted keratolysis spread?

According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, pitted keratolysis has an association with excessive sweating, but this is not its only cause. Perspiration, along with tight fitting socks or shoes, creates the perfect conditions for the bacteria to multiply.

How common is pitted keratolysis?

Pitted keratolysis has a worldwide distribution but occurs most frequently in tropical and temperate regions with high humidity levels [1]. The disorder is not uncommon; in a mass examination of 4325 Korean industrial workers in 1981, 1.5 percent had pitted keratolysis [2].

How do you prevent pitted keratolysis?

Can pitted keratolysis be prevented?

1. Wear shoes for as little time as possible.
2. Wear socks made of moisture-wicking materials, such as wool and nylon.
3. Wear open-toed sandals as frequently as possible.
4. Wash feet frequently with antiseptic cleanser.
5. Avoid sharing footwear with others.

Which is the best treatment for Pitted keratolysis?

“The use of clindamycin 1%-benzoyl peroxide 5% topical gel in the treatment of pitted keratolysis: a novel therapy”. Adv Skin Wound Care. vol. 22. 2009. pp. 564-6. (Four males with pitted keratolysis were treated with a combination of clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide gel once a day.

How often should I use clindamycin for Pitted keratolysis?

(Four males with pitted keratolysis were treated with a combination of clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide gel once a day. They also used aluminum chloride three times a week to decrease associated hyperhidrosis. After 2 months the pitted keratolysis was cleared in all four.) Walling, HW.

Why are men more likely to have pitted keratolysis?

The pitting is due to destruction of the stratum corneum by protease enzymes produced by the bacteria, and the malodour is due to sulphur compounds released by the bacteria Pitted keratolysis appears to be more common in males, perhaps due to the fact that more men need to wear occlusive, hard-wearing / protective boots when at work

Can you get keratolysis on your hands and feet?

Pitted keratolysis can affect both the feet and hands. Pitted keratolysis is a bacterial infection of the skin. It can affect the palms of the hands and, more commonly, the soles of the feet, particularly the weight-bearing areas. This infection causes small depressions, or pits, in the top layer of the skin. It can also lead to a bad smell.