Juvenile plantar dermatosis is a condition usually seen in

children A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger ...

between the ages of 3 and 14, and involves the cracking and peeling of

weight bearing In orthopedics, weight-bearing is the amount of weight a patient puts on an injured body part. Generally, it refers to a leg, ankle or foot that has been fractured or upon which surgery has been performed, but the term can also be used to refer to r ...

areas of the soles of the feet. One of the earliest descriptions was made by British dermatologist

Darrell Wilkinson Peter Edward Darrell Sheldon Wilkinson (7 August 1919 – 17 August 2009) was a leading figure in dermatology who was consultant at Aylesbury and High Wycombe, co-edited the first edition of Rook's 1968 '' Textbook of Dermatology'' and found ...

Signs and symptoms

The anterior portion of the sole and the plantar surfaces of the toes are the areas most commonly impacted. The dorsal surface of the toes, the heels, and the fingertips are other occasionally afflicted locations. The spared web gaps between the toes is a defining trait of juvenile plantar dermatosis. The symptoms of a lesion are bright, red, dry spots. Scaling and fissuring may be visible in chronic situations.

Causes

It is unclear exactly what causes juvenile plantar dermatosis (JPD) and how it develops. JPD is frequently observed in "atopic" children, or those with hay

fever Fever, also referred to as pyrexia, is defined as having a body temperature, temperature above the human body temperature, normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature Human body temperature#Fever, set point. There is not a single ...

asthma Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, cou ...

, or

atopic dermatitis Atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as atopic eczema, is a long-term type of inflammation of the skin (dermatitis). It results in puritis, itchy, red, swollen, and cracked skin. Clear fluid may come from the affected areas, which often thickens o ...

, or

eczema Dermatitis is inflammation of the Human skin, skin, typically characterized by itchiness, erythema, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become lichenification, thick ...

. The warm summertime temperatures can make it worse.

Treatment

JPD does not have a particular treatment. Avoiding too much moisture by wearing breathable shoes and avoiding shoes altogether are examples of management techniques. This lessens the effects of occlusion and friction, which encourage cutaneous peeling and cracking, and may assist to decrease perspiration. While they are often used to reduce acute inflammation,

topical corticosteroids Topical steroids are the topical forms of corticosteroids. Topical steroids are the most commonly prescribed topical medications for the treatment of rash, eczema, and dermatitis. Topical steroids have anti-inflammatory properties and are classifie ...

do not appear to have a direct impact on the etiology. Recurrence is therefore frequent after

corticosteroid Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex of vertebrates, as well as the synthetic analogues of these hormones. Two main classes of corticosteroids, glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, are involv ...

medication is stopped.

Epidemiology

Juvenile plantar dermatosis (JPD) affects children aged 3 to 15, but is more commonly observed in boys aged 4 to 8.

References

External links

DermNet

Rady Children's Hospital
{{Noninfectious inflammatory cutaneous conditions Eczema