Dry skin, or anhidrosis, refers to skin that is thin, brittle or flaky. On the foot, some more serious cases may see some parts of the skin on the foot thickening and even cracking, causing heel fissures. Dry skin may also cause the foot to be more vulnerable to corns and calluses, which can be painful.
The terms ‘dry skin’ and ‘callus’ are sometimes used interchangeably. However, they are different conditions, and caused by different factors.