Cracked heels or dry feet are a sign of lack of attention to foot care, including overexposure to sun rays and lack of moisturising. Medically, cracked and dry heels are also known as heel fissures. As the skin surrounding the sides of the feet get dry, they crack and cause cracked heels.
Most common symptoms of dry, cracked feet and heels are formation of red and flaky patches on the feet, peeling and cracking of skin, and bleeding from skin.
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The major causes of dry and cracked feet and heels are:
• Naturally dry skin around the heel is more likely to crack due to excessive feet activity.
• Prolonged standing at work or home.
• Back-open sandals or shoes allow the fat under the heel to expand sideways and increases the possibility of cracks on the heels.
• Disease and Disorders-Athlete's foot, Psoriasis, Eczema, Thyroid disease, Diabetes and some other skin conditions may also cause cracked heels.
• Continuous exposure to water- Water, especially running water, can rob the skin of its natural oils and this can leave the skin dry and rough.
• Age - Thick dry scaly skin lose elasticity with age and thus cracks have higher incidence with age.
• Deficiency of vitamins, minerals and zinc
Some of the effective remedies for dry and cracked feet and heels are listed below:-
• "Moisturising Oils" - Apply any shortening or hydrogenated vegetable oil after washing the feet and cracked areas of the feet. Leave this overnight and you can notice the difference in a few days.
• "Foot-Packs" - 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. This is a simple dry cracked heels home remedy and it can be used on a daily basis to prevent and cracked heels.
• "Soak" - Soak the feet in lemon juice for about 10 minutes and then lightly scrub it with a loofah or soft foot brush to gently exfoliate the top layers of dead skin that cause dry cracked heels. Follow this therapy on a weekly basis until one finds a change.
• "Homemade cream" - You can make your own moisturising cracked heel cream by mixing together a spoon of olive oil along with a few drops of lemon oil or lavender oil. Add an equal amount of water and shake the contents thoroughly. Results are very effective.
• "Do's and Dont's"
- Keep feet clean and dirt free
- Exercise the feet regularly
- Alternate hot and cold water for a feet bath to soothe the feet
- Moisturise and exfoliate the feet whenever possible
- Avoid walking bare feet as much as possible
- After a shower, apply a little moisturiser on your heels as this will help to seal in moisture and prevent cracking.