Maybe you’ve been standing for long hours, or your weight is exerting so much pressure on your feet. Maybe it is as simple as wearing open backed sandals. Whatever the case, you now have to start the treatment of cracked heels. We spend so much time taking care of our face and skin that we often forget that our feet deserve care too.
Cracked heels can are not only uncomfortable and painful, but can also do some damage to our esteem. Who wants to walk around in sandals during summer for all to see her cracked heels? Nobody! Read on to learn means of treatment of cracked heels.
Cracked heels causes
If a person overweight, excessive pressure is applied to the fat pad under the heel and the skin starts to expand sideways and oftentimes crack.
Another reason for cracked heels is a lack of moisture in skin. When your skin is dry, it becomes stiff and not elastic enough, and can crack easily.
Standing for a long time, especially on hard floor may cause heels cracking, as well as poorly fitting shoes.
If you leave in dry or cold weather conditions most of the time, it also makes your heels prone to cracking.
Drink plenty of water
When most people get cracked feet, they immediately rush to other treatment options and overlook the most obvious one- hydrating. Before considering treatment of cracked heels, it is important to note that they may have been caused by dry skin. Human skin can lose up to one liter every day and if one doesn’t drink water, they may experience cracked and dry skin. Before resulting to other options, first up your water intake!
Moisturize
Dry feet will mostly result in cracked heels which is why you need to buy a good moisturizer. Whether you are preventing or started the treatment of cracked heels, moisturizer is important. It has benefits such as:
•Helps retain skin moisture.
•Attracts fluids to the affected area
•Minimizes loss of moisture
•Keeps the skin soft.
When using moisturizer for treatment of cracked heels, the secret is consistency. You should apply at least twice a day, in the morning and at night. This will go a long way in enhancing healthy feet. One could also use foot balms as a treatment option.
Foot soak and exfoliation
One of the first things that you should do when you get cracked heels is invest in a pumice stone! This will come a long way in exfoliating your feet and getting rid of calluses. You should never try to peel dry skin off your feet as that may only worsen the condition. For treatment of cracked heels through exfoliation, you should:
•Soak your feet for about half an hour in soapy water, preferably lukewarm.
•Get rid of any thick skin using a pumice stone.
•Gently dry your feet and moisturize.
We advise to make this procedure at least once every two weeks to prevent hard skin from accumulating. Always ensure you clean your pumice stone after use or it may act as a breeding ground for bacteria.
Cotton socks and petroleum jelly
Petroleum jelly can be used for treatment of cracked heels as it helps retain moisture in the skin. Before going to bed, you should gently apply petroleum jelly to your feet, emphasizing on the affected areas. It is advisable to wear pure cotton socks afterwards because:
•They will allow the feet to breathe freely.
•Such socks assist in retaining moisture.
•Prevention of staining of the bed.
•They are comfortable.
Your feet should start softening after a few day of repeating this procedure.
Natural remedies for treatment of cracked heels
Other than using the above mentioned ways for treatment of cracked heels, there are other natural remedies. These include:
Honey foot mask- honey is popular for having antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. This properties help it in cleaning and treating wounds. You could either use honey as a foot scrap or apply it to your feet overnight.
Vinegar– you could use it as a foot soak instead of warm soapy water.
Natural moisturizers– they include coconut oil, mashed bananas, shear butter and paraffin wax to keep in the moisture
Exfoliator– instead of using pumice stone, you could substitute it with oatmeal that has been mixed with oil.
The other way to treat cracked heels is by avoiding open backed shoes and wearing closed backed ones.
Are your cracked heels bothering you?
Treating them is as easy as using the above treatment options! No more embarrassments when you have to take off your shoes. No more pain and discomfort. Keeping your feet healthy will make summer an easy season for you. For healthy feet, always ensure they are moisturized.
It is important to note that if the source of your cracked feet is a medical condition, it is important that you see a podiatrist instead.
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