How is pitted keratolysis treated?
Treatment for pitted keratolysis focuses on removing the bacterial infection from your body. Your healthcare provider will prescribe topical antibiotics that you rub on your skin like a lotion. Antibiotics could include:
- Clindamycin.
- Erythromycin.
- Fusidic acid.
- Mupirocin.
Antiseptics like benzoyl peroxide gel or cream can help clear the infection from your feet.
If you have a condition that causes excessive sweating, like hyperhidrosis, your healthcare provider will offer additional treatment for your sweating to prevent pitted keratolysis from returning in the future.
The condition rarely goes away on its own without treatment from your healthcare provider.
Are there side effects of the treatment?
There are possible side effects of taking antibiotics, which could include:
- Allergic reaction.
- Diarrhea.
- Your body isn’t able to stop future infections (antibiotic resistance).
- Interference with other drugs you take, which prevents the medication from working effectively.
Before starting any treatment, talk to your healthcare provider about side effects and discuss the current medications you take to avoid drug interactions.
Can I use at-home remedies to treat pitted keratolysis?
It’s dangerous to apply at-home remedies to your skin without approval from your healthcare provider. If you regularly use essential oils, like tea tree oil, ask your healthcare provider before using it on your affected skin. Don’t apply bleach or apple cider vinegar to your skin to make the odor from pitted keratolysis go away.
You can soak your feet in a diluted mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water to clean your feet. The peroxide solution should be no more than one part hydrogen peroxide to three parts warm water. Use this soak for a few minutes. After the soak, you can use a pumice stone to remove dry skin from your feet.
How soon after treatment will I feel better?
After you start taking an antibiotic, it will begin working within your body to rid it of bacteria. It could take between two to three days before you start to feel better. If you take an antibiotic and don’t see an improvement in your symptoms after a week, talk to your healthcare provider.
