Cracked Heels - Remedies
The appearance of fissures (cracks in your skin) and general dryness around the heel of your foot. Dry skin is a primary culprit of cracked heels. The body produces no oil in the palms of hands and on the bottom of the feet. Therefore, the area remains dry most of the time. Individuals who do not use proper hygiene on their feet accumulate up to 30 times more skin in that area than on other parts of the body. Heels are also more prone to cracking with age. Cracks or deep wounds may facilitate the development of infections. Calluses are thickened skin that may also form on the toes.
1. The onset of advanced years can unfortunately also bring with it this condition, or a higher chance of you developing it.
2. Shoes that do not fit properly.
3. Athlete’s foot can also be associated with this problem.
4. Other major dermatological conditions such as Psoriasis and eczema.
5. If you have diabetes you may well have a higher risk of having very dry skin.
6. A higher level of household heat that reduces humidity and dries out your skin.
7. This condition can also be linked to the wearing of open backed footwear that causes the outer part of the heel to rub and crack.
8. The over use of excessively hot water.
9. Being overweight.
The Main Symptoms are:
This condition is not serious as such, but when the skin breaks open and bleeds then it becomes a source of infection, which is of course not welcome.
Red and flaky patches of skin can be seen and felt.
Peeling and cracked skin.
Itchy skin.
Some suggested treatment programs
Use a pumice stone or other foot file to help reduce the thickness of the skin.
Follow this treatment with the use of a good foot cream in order to moisturise the area and keep it supple. Use frequently i.e. every day.
1. Use the foot cream at night and wear bed socks to help the foot absorb as much of the cream as possible.
2. Check your shoes and footwear for tight spots that rub against your heel and try and eliminate these.
3. You can wear insoles and corrective devices to realign your feet and get them to work properly so as not to rub on your heels which can make this condition much worse.
4. Applying an oil based moisturizing cream twice daily is really important to get on top of this problem. After looking at the 'tomato' analogy above it should be obvious why it is important to avoid open backed shoes or thin soled shoes.
5. Never try to reduce the hard skin your self with a razor blade or a pair of scissors.
6. There is a risk of an infection developing and taking too much off.
7. Apply any shortening or hydrogenated vegetable oil after washing the feet clean on dry and cracked areas of the feet. After applying a thick coat of shortening on the feet, wear a pair of thick socks. Leaving this application overnight can surely provide positive results in few days.
8. Apply the pulp of a ripe banana on the dry or cracked area of the heel. Leave it on for 10 minutes and rinse it clean.
9. Soak the feet in lemon juice for about 10 minutes. Follow this therapy on a weekly basis until one finds a change.
10. A daily regime of cleaning and moisturizing is a good cure for dry or cracked heels.
11. At the end of the day soak the feet in warm soapy water for about 15 minutes. Rinse feet and pat dry. Make a healing mixture comprising of: one teaspoon Vaseline and the juice of one lemon. Rub this mixture onto the cracked heels and other required areas of the feet till it is thoroughly absorbed. This can be done daily until visible results are obtained.
12. A regular application of a mixture of glycerin and rosewater is known to soothe and cure cracked heels.
13. Another result oriented solution is to melt paraffin wax and mix it well with little mustard oil. Apply on the dry or cracked area of the heels. Rinse it off in the morning. A continuous application for 10 to15 days can achieve desirable results.
