Cracked feet or heels are one of the most common skin problems and are faced by many individuals. Such feet do not look good. Usually dryness and cracking in the feet occur during the summer season but the hazard has been found to occur throughout the year in some people. Usually they can be treated by the moisturizing lotions but in severe cases they can be a medical complexity. In such more severe situations the heel fissures bleed and also cause unbearable pain. Therefore to regard cracked feet as a simple beauty defect can be a mistake.
There can be several causes which can result in causing the dry and cracked feet. Lengthy standing periods during work can cause feet cracking. There is an extra amount of pressure on the foot pad in the obese people, which causes cracking in feet. An open back shoe can also give you cracks and fissures in your feet. There are some medical diseases which also cause dryness and cracking in feet. These conditions include eczema, diabetes, thyroid disease and athelete’s foot.
Some body factors which can contribute towards the condition are pocession of active sweat glands, occurrence of heel spurs, feet shape and poor alignment of the metatarsal bones. Surgeries which are done to the lower extremities of the body and even walking style can cause cracking and dryness of feet. Age, poor diet, hygiene and climate also contribute towards causing dry and cracked feet to some extent. You can follow the below given simple steps and remove the cracks and fissures from your feet before the situation worsens.
Difficulty level: Easy
Time required: 15 minutes
Resources required:
- 1 cup milk
- Salt or sugar
- Sweet almond oil, baby oil or coconut oil.
- Pumice stone
- Salicyclic acid cream or thick moisturizer.
- Stridex,, can be easily found in the acme section of a drugstore.
- Socks
Instructions:
Step 1. Prepare the warm foot bath
Make a warm foot bath using 1 cup of milk and 5 cups of warm water and soak your feet in it for 5 to 10 minutes..
Step 2. Prepare the foot scrub
Prepare a homemade foot scrub by pouring 4 to 5 tablespoons of sugar or salt in 1/2 cup of oil. You can use the baby oil, coconut oil, sweet almond oil or even the vegetable oil for fulfilling this purpose.
Step 3. Message the feet with the scrub
You can now massage the bottom of your feet by applying the prepared foot scrub on the feet and rubbing it gently in circular motion.
Step 4. Rub the feet with pumice stone
With the pumice stone gently rub the bottom of your feet. Rinse and dry the feet once you are through.
Step 5. Apply Stridex
You can also use a tip given by beauty expert Paula Begoun in this regard. The tip advises to rub Stridex pad over the dry and cracked areas of the feet. Stridex contains 2 percent of salicyclic acid and therefore can as a great exfoliant for the feet.
Step 6. Add moisturizer over Stridex
Do not wash off the Stridex. Over it, apply thick layer pf moisturizer. You can use super rich moisturizers like Eucerin, cocoa butter or even vaseline for this purpose.
Step 7. Use Keralyt gel for more prefect results
You can get more perfect results by using Keralyt gel. This gel is an over the counter pharmaceutical product which contain salicylcic acid. Apply the gel on the foot along with a dollop of vaseline.
Step 8. Wear socks over the feet
Once the process is over, wear socks on the feet and let them on for the whole night or for at least 4 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is dry and cracked feet ?
A. The problem of cracked feet is found in both men and women. They are mostly found to occur in the heel region of the feet. The common cause behind them is dry skin or Xerosis. Calluses or thick patches of skin can also form which give the feet dark brown or yellow coloration.
Q. How can an individual detect the symptoms and signs of dry and cracked feet?
A. The signs and symptoms of dry and cracked feet include cracked or peeling skin,flaky or red patches and sometime bleeding also occurs in such feet. Itching in the skin of the feet can also be a symptom though not being entirely decisive.
Q. What causes dry and cracked feet ?
A. There can be several reasons for occurrence of dry and cracked feet. Some more common of them include long standing periods, type of shoes, obesity, surgery bodily factors, walking style and soaking the feet in excessively hot water. Other factors like poor diet, diabetes, age climate and hygiene are also there.
Quick tips:
- Keep things neat and tidy.
Things to watch out for:
- Do not use very hot water.
- Wash the hands properly after applying the creams and lotions.
9 Home remedies for cracked heels
A pair of stilettos is one of the most prized possessions of any womanâs style wardrobe. Be it an LBD or even a pair of body hugging denims, stilettos or even strapped footwear completes the look. Well, but it for sure reveals the true state of your feet, for your heels is on ample display. So if you are suffering from the problem of cracked heels, it can get hugely embarrassing. Not only that, cracked feet can also get painful and in severe cases might bleed as well. So instead of hiding your heels in public, itâ’s best to treat them with some simple home remedies. Here is some help!
1. Oil the heels
Firstly, apply sesame oil on your heels every day. Massage the oil for about five minutes and the best time to do this is prior to bed time. It is one of the most effective remedies for cracked heels. However, make sure you donât smother your feet with the oil, else it will for sure ruin your bed covers. For prevention, you could shield it with a pair of socks. Scrub your feet in the morning and wash them with water followed by a layer of moisturizer. Another oil that is useful for cracked heels is coconut oil.
2. Glycerin and rosewater
Prepare a mix of rosewater and glycerine in 2:1 ratio. Store this mix in a bottle and apply it to the heels as and when required. This mix will soothe the cracked heels and ensure quick heeling. It can also be used on cracked elbows and lips.
3. Lemon
Lemon has a natural healing quality. To treat cracked heels, squeeze a lemon in a bucket half full of warm water. Dip your feet in this water for about 15 minutes. Follow this by cleaning your feet using a pumice stone and soap. You must do this at least twice a week to keep your feet and heels beautiful.
4. Papaya and lemon
Take about 200 grams of papaya and mix lemon juice in it. Make a smooth paste and apply it on your cracked heels. Leave it on the heels for about 20-30 minutes, then wash with warm water. In the end, apply rosewater and glycerine mix over the cracked heels.
5. Shampoo
Pour some shampoo in 1/4th bucket of luke-warm water. Mix properly and dip your feet in the bucket for at least 15 minutes. Once your feet is properly soaked, clean them with a pumice stone to remove all dead skin. Thereafter wash your feet with warm water and soap.
6. Salt
Add some raw salt to 1/4th bucket of warm water and soak your heels in it. Scrub your heels with the raw salt to remove the dead skin. This will exfoliate your feet making them look great and will also heal cracked heels.
7. Banana
Take a nicely ripe banana. Mash it and apply it on the cracked heels and leave it for at least 15 minutes before washing it with warm water. This is a great remedy to quickly treat cracked heels.
8. Paraffin wax and coconut oil
Take some paraffin wax and heat it with some coconut oil. Apply this on your cracked heels before going to bed. Wash your feet in the morning and apply some moisturiser. Do this daily for healing the cracked skin. You can also use paraffin oil to massage your cracked heels for quick healing.
9. Sodium bicarbonate
Take about a teaspoon of Sodium bicarbonate and mix it in 1/4th bucket of luke warm water. Dip your feet in this water for about 15 minutes allowing your feet to become supple. Use pumice stone to remove the dead skin and see how it works wonders.