Your first step is usually to put medicine directly on your palms and the soles of your feet. Your doctor may point you to:
- Tar products
- Salicylic acid
- Corticosteroid creams or ointments You’ll probably have more success if you use more than one of these at a time. Your doctor may also suggest something called calcipotriene. It’s a form of vitamin D. Wear cotton gloves or socks after you put it on so it can soak in without getting on other areas. If you have deep cracks in your skin, talk to your doctor about using superglue to seal them. Though this sounds odd, some dermatologists recommend it to keep cracks from getting worse. If those options don’t work, you may be prescribed medicines like methotrexate, which suppresses your immune system. He may also point you toward light therapy (also known as PUVA or UVB phototherapy), but you should only do that with your doctor’s help.