Discolored feet can be disconcerting. While you may not love the way they look, they’re usually not a danger to your health. Read on to learn the common causes for yellowing feet (spoiler alert: they have nothing to do with your bathing habits), how to get your feet back to their normal color, and when to see a doctor for the discoloration.
Why are the bottoms of my feet yellow?
There are many possible causes of yellowing feet. Here are the most common:
1. Calluses and corns
Your yellow feet could be caused by calluses or corns. “Calluses and corns are thickened skin that form in areas of friction or pressure,” says Nelya Lobkova, DPM, a New York City-based podiatrist at Step Up Footcare. Calluses usually form on the soles of the feet while corns tend to pop up on the top or side of a toe.
“The cornified layer of excess skin looks like different shades of yellow, depending on [your] skin color and the thickness of the callus,” Dr. Lobkova says. Along with yellow, thick, hardened skin, corns and calluses may also be flaky and dry. While you may not be thrilled by their appearance, calluses and corns usually develop to keep your feet safe. “They protect the underlying bone from excess pressure,” Dr. Lobkova says.
How to treat it:
“However, corns and calluses could become painful,” Dr. Lobkova says. They may even bleed. If they bother you, she recommends trying an over-the-counter (OTC) urea cream. Here’s how to use it:
- Apply the urea cream over the calluses overnight under occlusion (i.e., with a thin layer of saran wrap covering it).
- In the morning, remove the excess skin using a silk powder-based pumice stone in the shower.
Urea cream is a safer option compared to OTC corn or callus pads. “They can macerate normal skin and cause wounds or infections,” Dr. Lobkova says. While you may be successful in treating certain calluses at home, smaller, deeper circular corns, may require a trip to the doctor, she says. A podiatrist can remove the hardened skin safely.
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2. Plantar warts
“Other skin lesions can also appear yellow on the bottom of the feet,” Dr. Lobkova says. Case in point: plantar warts. Like calluses, warts cause a buildup of skin on the bottom of your feet she says. Because they look alike, “warts are commonly mistaken for being a callus or a corn,” she says. “I see this almost daily in clinical practice.”
But there’s a major distinction: “Warts are caused by the HPV [human papillomavirus] virus,” Dr. Lobkova says. This means, unlike all corns and calluses, they can spread throughout the feet and even to the hands.
Keep an eye out for the following plantar wart symptoms, per the Cleveland Clinic:
- Rough, thick surface that may look like cauliflower
- Discoloration (dark pink, yellow, brown, purple, or gray)
- Dotted with brown or black specks (wart seeds)
- Pain or tenderness
- Discomfort
- Bleeding
How to treat it:
Plantar warts can be stubborn (they’re rooted deep in your skin), so it’s best to see your podiatrist to treat them. “Warts can be treated through traditional skin ablative techniques, such as scraping, removing, and burning the skin lesions, or non-ablative techniques with microwave therapy,” Dr. Lobkova says.
3. Anemia
“Yellowing of the palms and soles of the feet may be a symptom of anemia,” Dr. Lobkova says. Anemia is a condition that happens when you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body. While there are many types, the most common is iron-deficiency anemia, which develops if you don’t get enough iron from food (or if you lose a lot of blood, say, from an injury).
“The lack of certain minerals [like iron] causes the red blood cells to be mis-shaped and their byproduct to increase in the blood,” Dr. Lobkova says. When these byproducts accumulate in the tissue and skin, they can cause discoloration, she says. Other symptoms of anemia to look out for include the following, per the Mayo Clinic:
- Tiredness
- Weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Pale or yellowish skin
- Irregular heartbeat
- Headache
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Chest pain
- Cold hands and feet
How to treat it:
If you have any of the above symptoms, see your doctor. They can do a simple blood test to determine whether you’re dealing with anemia. “Once diagnosed, anemia may be treated with appropriate supplementation,” Dr. Lobkova says. Depending on your situation, your doctor may recommend iron, folic acid, or vitamin B12 supplements.
4. Jaundice
Jaundice is a condition that turns your skin yellow—including the skin on your feet. Jaundice “occurs if the liver is not working properly,” Dr. Lobkova says. When the liver can’t properly process blood cells, it leads to a buildup of bilirubin (a yellow compound made when red blood cells break down), she says.
Higher concentrations of bilirubin “leave the blood and enter tissue and skin, thus giving the skin a yellow-toned hue,” Dr. Lobkova says. “Keep in mind, someone with jaundice will have yellow skin throughout the body, not just in the feet,” she says. In fact, a telltale sign of jaundice is yellowing of the whites of your eyes.
Other possible jaundice symptoms include the following, per Mount Sinai:
- Yellow skin and white part of eyes (which can look brown in severe cases)
- Yellow color inside of mouth
- Dark or brown-colored urine
- Pale or clay-colored stools
- Itching
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Nausea or vomiting
How to treat it:
“To treat jaundice, the underlying cause of the liver dysfunction must be addressed,” Dr. Lobkova says. In many cases, jaundice—and your yellow feet—will clear up once you treat the root cause. “Causes include, but are not limited to, hepatitis infection, cirrhosis, tumor of the liver, and overdose of drugs,” she says. Because some of the causes are potentially life-threatening, you should see your doctor ASAP.
5. Raynaud’s syndrome
Raynaud’s syndrome might be the reason for your yellow feet. Raynaud’s is a condition that causes spasms in the capillaries (i.e., small blood vessels) in the hands and feet. “What happens is these small vessels that provide blood supply to the toes and fingers contract (or close) in response to cold, stress, or anxiety,” Dr. Lobkova says.
This abrupt change in blood flow can cause a white-yellowish or bluish discoloration in the tips of the fingers and/or toes, she says. Along with skin color changes, other possible signs of Raynaud’s syndrome may include the following, per the Mayo Clinic:
- Cold fingers or toes
- A numb, prickly feeling or stinging pain upon warming or stress relief
Raynaud’s could be linked to an underlying medical condition, or it can happen idiopathically, meaning it’s unrelated to any other health issues, Dr. Lobkova says.
How to treat it:
If you think you’re dealing with Raynaud’s syndrome, speak with your doctor. They can perform tests to diagnose the condition. Treatment will depend on whether it’s caused by another underlying health problem. If it is, managing the root cause will be the first step.
6. High doses of turmeric
Turmeric is a spice with a rich yellow color that many people use for its anti-inflammatory benefits, Dr. Lobkova says. But as the saying goes, you can have too much of a good thing. When used in excess, turmeric can, well, turn you yellow. For instance, if you apply turmeric powder (with a gel base) topically to the bottom of your feet, “it can temporarily stain the feet yellow,” Dr. Lobkova says.
Likewise, eating too much turmeric can lead to yellowing skin, too. High doses of turmeric supplements have been “linked to a few cases of liver injury, which can cause jaundice,” per Dr. Lobkova and the National Library of Medicine. As we know, jaundice can make your skin yellow.
How to treat it:
Try to cut down on the amount of turmeric you use. Over time, the yellow hue of your skin should fade. But you might need to be patient. For example, once you quit applying turmeric topically, “the skin may take a few months to reverse the discoloration,” says Dr. Lobkova.
7. Carotenemia
Crunching on carrots every day? Your diet could be to blame for the bottom of your feet turning yellow. Known as carotenemia, this harmless condition happens when you eat a lot of orange-tinted fruits and vegetables that contain carotenoids (i.e., natural pigments), Dr. Lobkova says. “Studies have found that over 30 milligrams of carotenoids a day can cause carotenemia,” she says.
If there are too many carotenoids in the blood, they enter the urine, stool, tissue, and skin, Dr. Lobkova says. All of these things can become yellow or orange-tinted.
How to treat it:
While carotenemia isn’t dangerous, you may not be cool with your new orange hue. Luckily, once you limit your intake of beta-carotene rich foods, your skin should return to normal. Another helpful tip: Focus on getting a greater variety of foods. Try to “eat the whole rainbow” of fruits and vegetables, not just the orange and yellow spectrum.
8. Diabetes
“Diabetes could cause discoloration in the legs and feet,” Dr. Lobkova says. The skin may darken due to deposits of hemosiderin (i.e., a byproduct of red blood cells), she says. “Diabetes also causes excess dryness throughout the body,” Dr. Lobkova says.
While dry skin won’t turn the soles of the feet yellow, “it can increase the amount of calluses and corns on the bottom of the feet,” she says. And, as we know, callused skin has the tendency to yellow. Dryness can also result in scaling and deep cracks (known as fissures) in the bottom of the feet, she says.
Other foot-related symptoms associated with diabetes may include the following, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- Pain in your legs or cramping in your buttocks, thighs, or calves during physical activity
- Tingling, burning, or pain in your feet
- Loss of sense of touch or ability to feel heat or cold very well
- A change in the shape of your feet over time
- Loss of hair on your toes, feet, and lower legs
- A change in the color and temperature of your feet
- Thickened, yellow toenails
- Fungus infections such as athlete’s foot between your toes
- A blister, sore, ulcer, infected corn, or ingrown toenail
How to treat it:
Fissures or open wounds on your feet could lead to an infection, Dr. Lobkova says. This can be especially dangerous for someone with diabetes. In severe cases, serious infections can damage your toe, foot, or leg beyond repair, requiring amputation. If you have diabetes, work with your doctor to manage your condition. Keeping it well-managed is essential for your overall health.
How to treat yellow feet (and other basic foot-care tips)
Because there’s a plethora of possible causes for yellow feet, “proper diagnosis is the first step to treatment,” Dr. Lobkova says. That means, if you notice discoloration, walk your yellow feet over to your podiatrist who can examine you and determine why. “Without an evaluation, you could be mistreating the yellowing of your skin and making it worse,” Dr. Lobkova says.
Along with seeing a foot specialist, you can also take measures at home to keep your feet healthy. Here are a few tips to try, per the CDC:
- Check your feet every day. Scan them for cuts, redness, swelling, sores, blisters, corns, calluses, or other change to the skin or nails.
- Wash your feet every day in warm (not hot) water. Dry your feet completely and apply lotion to the top and bottom.
- Never go barefoot. Always wear shoes and socks or slippers, even inside, to avoid injury.
- Wear shoes that fit well. For the best fit, try on new shoes at the end of the day when your feet tend to be largest.
- Trim your toenails straight across and gently smooth any sharp edges with a nail file.
- Don’t remove corns or calluses yourself or use OTC products to remove them (they could burn your skin)
When to see the doctor about yellow bottoms of your feet
Yellow feet are not always serious. “Our feet change color in response to changes in blood supply, changes in climate, as well as in response to what we are doing and what we are eating,” Dr. Lobkova says. Still, “it’s important to note these changes as they happen,” she says.
In some cases, discoloration and blood supply changes may indicate an urgent problem. Blood provides oxygen to the tissue of the feet, so, if it’s lacking, your feet may become damaged, she says.
If your yellow feet come with new onset pain, numbness, or bleeding or an open wound, see your podiatrist right away. These are signs something more is going on and needs attention, Dr. Lobkova says.
FAQ
Does yellow foot mean diabetes?
There are many possible causes for yellowing feet, and diabetes is one of them. Diabetes can cause discoloration in your feet and thickened, yellow toenails, according to the CDC. People with diabetes can also develop dry, cracked skin on their feet, which can become callused, Dr. Lobkova says. And callused skin tends to have a yellow tint.
Additionally, poorly managed diabetes can lead to nerve damage and poor blood flow in your feet, increasing your risk of a foot ulcer (i.e., a sore), per the CDC. Open wounds can also be dangerous if they get infected. Bottom line: if you have diabetes and notice any changes in your feet, tell your doctor immediately to avoid any serious complications.
What color should the bottom of your feet be?
“The color varies depending on ethnicity, but it is typically lighter, pinkish-hued compared to the rest of the skin,” Dr. Lobkova says. But why the lighter hue? Like the palms of your hands, the soles of your feet have a thicker layer of skin called glabrous skin.
“This layer of skin is richer in nerve endings, sweat glands, and blood vessels,” she says. That’s why it looks different than skin on other parts of your body.
Why are my socks yellow when I take them off?
“It is common for white socks to turn yellow after wear due to sweat stains,” Dr. Lobkova says. Although sweat is mostly water, it’s not 100 percent clear. That’s because it also has a combination of minerals and proteins, including ammonia and urea, and various oils, she says. Your socks turn a yellow shade thanks to these substances.
“Yellow socks could also be from fluid from popped blisters or pus from open wounds,” Dr. Lobkova adds. All the more reason to check your feet daily. A quick scan before your shower will suffice. If you notice any changes—discoloration, dry skin, blisters, or sores—see a podiatrist.
