Pitted keratolysis is a bacterial infection of the skin.
This infection causes small depressions, or pits, in the top layer of the skin. It can also lead to a bad smell.
Pitted keratolysis usually affects people who wear enclosed warm footwear for long periods, including soldiers, sailors, and athletes. It also tends to be commonTrusted Source in tropical areas where people usually go barefloot.
Causes:
These bacteria thrive in moist environments. 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.
Other risk factors for pitted keratolysis include:
📌 not drying the feet thoroughly after bathing
📌 not wearing absorbent socks
📌 sharing towels with others
📌 athletes
📌 farmers
📌 sailors and fishing workers
📌 industrial workers
📌 people who work in the military
Other risk factors that can make someone more likely to develop pitted keratolysis include:
📌 hot, humid weather
📌 sweating a lot on the hands or feet
📌 having thickened skin on the palms or soles
📌 having diabetes
📌 being older
📌 having a compromised immune system
The main symptom of the infection is clusters of small pits in the top layer of the skin on the soles of the feet. Each pit is usually 1–3 millimeters in size.
The pits usually cluster around the balls of the feet, the heels, or both. They tend to appear more pronounced when the feet are wet. 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.
Treatment
erythromycin
mupirocin
benzoyl peroxide
Rarely, the doctor may also recommend oral antibiotics, such as erythromycin or clindamycin. Effective treatment will usually clear the lesions and the smell in 3-4 weeks trusted source.
The doctor may also treat excessive sweating if it is contributing to the disorder. Aluminum chloride 20% solution or the off-label use of botulinum toxin injections are options that can decrease sweating.