SUPER SIMPLE WAYS ON HOW TO CARE FOR DRY CRACKED HEELS

Particularly during the winter, it is simple for the skin on your feet to get dry and cracked.Thankfully, there are remedies you may do at home to heal dry, cracked heels and stop them from recurring. HOW TO CARE FOR DRY, CRACKED HEELS

Follow these recommendations from board-certified dermatologists to treat dry, cracked heels.

Keep showers and baths to 5–10 minutes each. Long baths can dry out the skin and exacerbate dry, cracked heels. Use a cloth to gently blot your skin dry.

Make use of a mild, scent-free cleanser. Your feet’s natural oils will remain after doing this.

After bathing, moisturize five minutes later. When your skin is still damp from a bath or shower or whenever your heels feel dry, use a moisturizing lotion to your heels that contains 10-25% urea, alpha hydroxy acid, or salicylic acid to lock in moisture.

Apply plain petroleum jelly before going to bed. To prevent getting oil on your mattress at night, think about wearing socks.

Guard your heels. Apply a liquid bandage over the cracks in your heels during the day to form a barrier that will protect your skin and assist to ease discomfort, hasten healing, and prevent infection.

Put on the right footwear. Avoid wearing flip flops, slingbacks, or other open-heeled shoes, as well as shoes that are worn out or that don’t fit well, if your heels are dry and cracked.

Some medical conditions, like diabetes, might contribute to cracked heels.

Consult a board-certified dermatologist if your dry, cracked heels are severe or do not get better after using these remedies.

Overview

Heel cracks are a typical foot issue. According to a poll, 20 percent of American people have broken skin on their feet.

Both adults and children can experience this, and it seems to afflict women more frequently than males.

Most people don’t take having cracked heels seriously. If you walk barefoot, it might hurt. Cracks in the heels can sometimes go very deep and hurt.

Discover the finest DIY treatments and preventative measures for cracked heels by reading on.

SUPER SIMPLE WAYS ON HOW TO CARE FOR DRY, CRACKED HEELS

1. Balms for the heels or rich moisturizers

Using a heel balm is the first line of defense for cracked heels. These balms have chemicals that soften, hydrate, and scrub away dead skin. Watch carefully for these ingredients:

Salicylic acid (Kerasal), alpha-hydroxy acids (Amlactin), urea (Flexitol Heel Balm), and saccharide isomerate
These heel balms are available over-the-counter at pharmacies and online.

advice on how to handle cracked heels
Apply heel balm in the morning to moisturize your heel and promote skin elasticity before you start your day.

Wear heel-protective shoes two to three times every day.
Some heel balms could irritate or sting a little bit. That is typical. If the balm still bothers you or creates uncomfortable reactions, see a doctor.

A prescription-strength balm or steroid cream may be necessary for severe cases of cracked heels in order to assist reduce inflammation and relieving irritation.

2. Bathe and scrub your feet

Compared to the rest of your skin, the skin around cracked heels is frequently drier and thicker. When you put pressure on this skin, it frequently splits. This can be helped by soaking and hydrating your feet. Here are a few advices.

To soak your feet:

For up to 20 minutes, keep your feet in lukewarm water with soap.
Any rough, thick skin can be removed using a loofah, foot scrubber, or pumice stone.
Dry your feet off gently.
To the affected area, apply a heavy moisturizer or heel balm.
To keep moisture in, cover your feet in petroleum jelly. To prevent transferring grease, put on socks.
It’s best not to brush your feet when they’re dry. This makes skin injury more likely to occur.

Another option is to use moisturizing heel sleeves. These function similarly to foot soaks. Similar to socks, the sleeves are filled with vitamins and healing oils to help treat your dry skin. They are available here on Amazon.

3. Liquid dressing

Cracks can also be sealed off with liquid bandage to stop further cracking or infection. Since this product is a spray, you may go about your day without being concerned that the bandage will fall off. For the treatment of potentially bleeding severe heel cracks, liquid bandage is an excellent option.

On clean, dry skin, apply a liquid bandage. The covering is pushed to the skin’s surface as the fissure heals. This product is available without a prescription from a pharmacy or online.

Super glue has reportedly been effective for some people in sealing skin cracks. Ten participants were observed in a 1999 case study applying two to three drops of super glue to each crack. For 60 seconds, they held the crack together so that it might close. They stated that the fissures had closed and were no longer painful about a week later. But depending on the brand, commercial superglue can be poisonous. Before using this strategy, see your doctor.

4. Honey

Honey might be an effective home treatment for cracked heels. Honey contains antimicrobial and antibacterial effects, according to a 2012 analysis by Trusted Source. According to research, honey can hydrate the skin in addition to helping to cure and clean up wounds. After soaking your feet, you can scrub them with honey or leave a foot mask on overnight.

Fifth, coconut oil

For psoriasis, eczema, and dry skin, coconut oil is frequently advised. It may aid in moisture retention for your skin. Coconut oil use following a foot soak may also be beneficial. If your cracked heels are prone to bleeding or infections, coconut oil’s anti-inflammatory and antibacterial characteristics may help.

6. Additional organic therapies

There are numerous additional at-home treatments for cracked heels, but none of them have been demonstrated to be effective. The majority of components work to hydrate and soften the skin.

These consist of:

olive or vegetable oil to moisturize shea butter to moisturize mashed bananas to moisturize paraffin wax to seal in moisture vinegar for a foot soak oats combined with oil to exfoliate
How to prepare a vinegar foot soak, in more detail »

Take care.

If a medical condition is the reason for your cracked heels, do not attempt to treat it yourself. There may be a need for specialized care from a podiatrist (foot doctor). Regardless of your medical history, severe cases of cracked heels should also be examined by a podiatrist. The doctor will advise you on the best course of action.

Effectiveness of Listerine foot soaks
Q:\sA:
The responses reflect the views of our medical professionals. Every piece of content is solely informative and shouldn’t be used as medical advice.
What causes heels to crack?
Having callouses, or patches of dry, thicker skin, around the rim of your heel is the first indication that your heels are cracked. The fat pad under your heel grows as you walk. Your calluses begin to crack as a result.

Other elements that can result in cracked heels are as follows:

Standing still for a prolonged period of time wearing open-back sandals or bare feet while moving around and taking long, hot showers with harsh soaps that might deplete your skin’s natural oils
shoes that don’t support your heels or fit adequately
climate-related dry skin due to low humidity or frigid temperatures
Your feet may dry out much more quickly if you don’t frequently hydrate them.

healthcare causes
Diabetes is a typical cause of high blood sugar levels and poor circulation, which lead to dry skin. You might not be aware of how dry, cracking, and painful your feet are if you have nerve damage.

The following conditions can also result in dry skin and cracked heels:

vitamin shortage
parasitic infection
hypothyroidism
Dermatitis atopy
Juvenile palmoplantar keratoderma, also known as juvenile plantar dermatosis, is characterized by abnormal skin thickening on the soles and palms.
obesity
pregnancy\saging
What more signs might accompany fractured heels?
You might also experience: heels that are cracked;

Itchy, flaky skin that may be severely bleeding red and inflamed with an ulceration
If your broken heel is severe or the result of a medical condition, you may experience consequences. Possible complications include:

cellulitis, an infection, and a lack of sensation in your heel
diabetic foot wound
Infection signs include discomfort, warmth, redness, and swelling. If you suspect an infection, make a quick phone call to your doctor.

How to stop heels from cracking

Your footwear is important. Try to pick shoes that fit comfortably and support your heels if you frequently get cracked heels. Wear shoes with a strong, wide heel that supports and cushions your heels whenever feasible.

Avoid wearing flip-flops and sandals, which can raise the danger of your feet drying out, open-back footwear, which typically doesn’t give enough heel support, tall, slender heels, which can cause your heel to stretch sideways, and footwear that is too tight.
Added measures to avoid heels with cracks:

Spend as little time as possible sitting with your legs crossed or standing still in one place.
To trap in moisture, cover your feet with socks after applying a generous amount of foot lotion.
Especially if you have diabetes or another condition that results in dry skin, check your feet every day.
Wear bespoke shoe inserts (orthotics) to cushion your heel and equal your weight distribution.
Put on padded socks of good quality or that have undergone clinical testing.
To keep the heel moist and stop the heel pad from growing, use silicon heel cups.
To stay hydrated, consume lots of liquids.
To assist avoid thickening skin, use a pumice stone a few times per week after taking a shower.

But if you have diabetes or neuropathy, refrain from eliminating calluses by yourself. By accidentally opening a wound, you run the danger of contracting an infection.

Takeaway

Cracked heels are frequently not a cause for alarm. Home cures or over-the-counter medications may be able to ease the issue. If you have severely cracked heels or an underlying medical problem like diabetes, see a doctor. Visit a doctor as soon as possible to avoid any possible dangerous complications.

It could take a few days or weeks for the cracks to heal, even though your skin might start to seem better after the initial treatment. Wear shoes that fit properly during and after this period, and take good care of your feet to help stop new heel cracks.

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