What Causes Heels to Crack & Remedies to Fix Dry Cracked Heels?

Having a cracked heel is one of the most common types of foot problems which almost everyone faces. In various surveys conducted, it has been found that around 20% of adults experience problems related to cracked skin under the feet. It can occur even in children, but most commonly experienced in adults; and women compared to men. Having a cracked heel may not be a serious issue at any point, but if you know how to handle it then you will be able to fix this problem and become more competent to improve the condition of dry and cracked heels. There are certain remedies to fix dry and cracked heels and one should know about the possible remedies.

Skin is the largest exposed organ of your body. It helps in maintaining your body temperature and gives it a necessary barrier to foreign particles. Causes of cracked heels may not be obvious all the time since it can be a generic problem that can develop in anyone. The key thing is to get the cracked heels treated well on time so that it doesn’t further cause bleeding or pain issues.

Not taking care of your skin of the feet by way of proper cleansing and applying moisturizers is the most common cause of cracked heels. This leads to formation of callouses or thick skin around the outer edges of the heel. With activities like walking, running or exercising, these callouses start to crack.

Some of the other factors that can cause heels to crack are changes in the weather, cold climate and cause dry skin, wearing inappropriate footwear, walking barefoot on rough surfaces etc.

Some of the medical causes of cracked heels include fungal infection and skin diseases like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, palmoplantar keratoderma, juvenile plantar dermatosis etc. Medical conditions that cause poor circulation of blood can also lead to formation of cracked heels. Apart from the above mentioned medical conditions, aging and obesity is also an important factor in the cause of cracked heels.

Dry or cracked skin on the heels can appear as a gradual or progressive process. Remedies for cracked heels are available mostly at home. Cracked heels can first start to appear rough. The signs of dryness may not often cause discomfort, but it is important to not ignore dry and cracked heels, since dryness can easily escalate or develop into major problem. Dry skin on the heels can eventually become more tight, scaly, red and itchy. If you are experiencing such problems then it is important to start taking care of your dry and cracked heels immediately.

Fixing your dry and cracked heels can be done by following certain natural treatments. Let us look at the various health remedies available or its treatment and some of them are mentioned below. It is important to apply the remedies as per the required procedure.

Using a heel balm is one of the first possible treatments for dry and cracked heels. The heel balms contain ingredients that help in softening your heel skin or moisturizing it. You can look for ingredients such as salicylic acid, saccharide isomerate and urea. These ingredients can provide a healing coat on your cracked skin area under the feet. Application of these ingredients can be performed during the night so that it absorbs all the required ingredients which make your cracked heels look a lot healthy. Such heel balms can be easily found in a local drug store and are also available online. Certain heel balms can cause irritation, itching or stinging in some cases. If any heel balm causes discomfort to you then it is advisable to consult a professional doctor who can prescribe the heel balm or suggest the required techniques that can be useful in treatment of cracked heels.

Reason for a cracked heel is also due to excess drying and thickening of the rest of the skin on the heels. The skin eventually starts getting split and dry. In order to treat your cracked heels, you need to use foot soak. This can be done by keeping your feet in lukewarm water or soapy water for around 20 minutes. You can also use a foot scrubber to remove dead skin or thick areas in your heels. Ensure that you gently dry your feet and then apply a balm around the affected area. Using a petroleum jelly on your heels can also help in locking the moisture. You can also use socks to trap in the moisture or to prevent greasing the ground. However, you must avoid using scrubbing while your foot is dry so as to avoid worsening the cracked heels.

You can make use of liquid bandage in order to seal the wounded and cracked heels or to prevent it from further cracking or from risk of infection. The liquid bandage comes with a spray so you can use it without worrying about the bandage. It is a reliable option when you are planning to treat deep heel cracks or bleeding. Liquid bandage can be applied to dead and dried heels. One can buy various number of prescribed bandages using local general store or online. Many people have reported use of super glue for cracked heels also.

One of the most effective natural remedies to fix cracked heels is Honey. According to different researches carried out, it has been found that honey contains antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. It can be used to moisturize your skin or cleaning it. Honey can be applied using a foot scrub after soaking it or applying it as a foot mask overnight to heal dry and cracked heels.

Another most common type of natural remedy used for cracked heels is coconut oil. It is always considered to be one of the most recommended treatments of dry skin of the heels. Coconut oil helps in retaining your skin moisture levels. Applying coconut oil after foot soaking is one of the good options available. It contains both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that can be used for treatment of cracked heels, especially when they are prone to bleeding or infection. Oiling with the help of coconut oil can help improve blood flow to the heels.

There are various other natural remedies available for cracked heels and some of the most useful natural remedies include using a vinegar foot soak, olive oil, shea-butter, mashed bananas, paraffin wax, oatmeal with oil etc.

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Also Read:

• What Causes Knee Cracking & How Do You Stop it?
• Creaky Knees : What Can Cause Your Knee To Creak?