Heel cracking
Cracks are skin sores favored mainly by a loss of normal skin elasticity. When they appear on the heel, these cracks can give rise to various types of disorders: in addition to being objectively unsightly, cracked heels can sometimes cause much discomfort, pain and, in the most serious cases, bleeding and walking disorders.
So let's see what are the useful treatments for smoothing out dry and cracked heels, and what precautions to take to prevent them.
Cosmetic treatment
Given the triggering factors, the first treatment against heel cracking is undoubtedly the restoration of the natural elasticity of the heel skin. For this purpose, moisturizing and deeply nourishing creams are an excellent remedy against heel cracking. To restore the water component of the skin, cosmetic attention should be paid to formulations enriched with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, mucilage and sorbitol. To nourish and soften the cracking of the heel, however, the most suitable creams are those formulated with vegetable butters (eg shea butter), vaseline oil, sweet almond oil and castor oil.
Even creams enriched with active plant ingredients with an antioxidant action (eg pomegranate extract, lemon extract) can undoubtedly benefit a weakened and fragile skin like that of cracked heels.
Restorative, moisturizing and smoothing substances such as urea, in synergy with emollient and film-forming oils, improve the elasticity and appearance of dry and hyperkeratotic skins, eliminate dead cells and relieve the sensation of skin that pulls.
The cosmetic treatment just described proves to be an excellent solution when the phenomenon does not cause particular discomfort and the cracks are dry (not bleeding).
Moreover, in relatively recent times, in the world of cosmetics are depopulated foot masks, very useful when you want to make "shock treatments". These masks are made of fabric and have the shape of real socks in which there are the active ingredients necessary to give hydration and softness to cracked heels.
Medical treatment
In the presence of particularly cracked heels, characterized by wounds that are difficult to heal and bleeding, the podiatric-medical treatment proves to be the only thinkable and intelligent option. A possible and concomitant bacterial or fungal infection in progress requires the intervention of the doctor who, depending on the case, will prescribe the administration of local antibiotic or antifungal drugs, to be applied directly on the heel.
Prevention
The prophylaxis of cracked heels is essentially based on the constant hydration of the skin of the feet through specific creams and on avoiding, as much as possible, trauma, pressure and rubbing on the sole of the foot.
Except for the pathological forms, heel cracks can easily be prevented by respecting some simple - but very important - precautions.
Given that heel cracks are caused mainly by excessive dryness in the sole of the foot, it is understandable how hydration and nourishment of the skin are important to prevent this disorder. To hydrate and nourish the heel, the (multiple) daily application of specific creams proves to be the most immediate solution, probably the most effective for giving rapid relief to parched skin.
Let's see below what is the correct approach to prevent the appearance of cracks under the feet:
- Use comfortable shoes (avoid shoes that are too tight) to minimize chafing and friction that are directly or indirectly responsible for cracks, cuts and calluses at foot level. At the same time, limit the use of shoes with heels, flip-flops and clogs: the continuous traumas, rubbing and pressures favor cracks under the feet.
- Always wear cotton socks and avoid those with stiff seams.
- Yes to hot packs and scrubs : the combination pack + exfoliating cream (eg cream with urea, cream with salicylic acid) helps keep the skin of the foot soft and smooth, removing the thin layer of dead surface cells. Particularly dry and arid heels require the use of pumice stone, more incisive against dry skin; however, given the irritating power of the pumice stone, foot baths (to be performed before treatment) and the use of moisturizing and emollient creams (to be applied immediately after exfoliation) are recommended.
- No to do-it-yourself exfoliants with coarse salt : very often in the cracked heels hiding micro-cuts that, in contact with the salt, would cause extreme burning.
- Keep your feet dry and clean, taking care to completely dry your feet after the foot baths. Maintaining dry and clean feet is essential to prevent fungal infections such as athlete's foot, a non-negligible risk factor for heel cracking.
- Do not tear the cuticles and dry skin that tends to detach from the heel: similar behaviors can damage the skin and favor bleeding and infections.
- Do not walk barefoot : dirt, sand and dust can irritate the skin and impoverish it of its natural hydrolipidic film, weakening it and favoring the development of cracking of the heels.
- Regularly apply (even in the absence of cracks) creams with a moisturizing, emollient and nourishing action under the foot.
- Respect a regular diet and, when necessary, reduce body weight: as we know, in fact, obesity is part of the long list of factors predisposing to cracked heels, since the feet are forced to bear excessive pressures and loads.
- If necessary, use specific rubber or orthotics to cushion possible rubbing and pressure on the feet.
- Drink at least a couple of liters of water a day to ensure the body is adequately hydrated even from the inside.
- Use an ambient humidifier to maintain a certain degree of humidity in the air and prevent the skin from drying out excessively.
Taking care of your feet is the best solution to prevent unpleasant problems like cracked heels.
Do-It-Yourself Remedies
In addition to treatments with industrial cosmetic products (creams, exfoliants, etc.), the problem of cracked heels can be prevented or dealt with even with various DIY remedies.
Some of them will be briefly described below.
Lavender foot bath
The foot bath is a very useful method to soften dry and parched skin that characterizes cracked heels.
To carry out the lavender foot bath it is sufficient to add a few drops of essential oil to the hot water in which the feet must then be immersed. If desired, it is also possible to add sodium bicarbonate (two or three tablespoons), or rice starch to further promote the softening action of the treatment. The duration of the footbath is usually 15-20 minutes.
In general, after the foot bath, it is advisable to immediately perform a scrub (of course, after careful drying of the feet).
Sugar scrub
Just as it can be used for the preparation of body and lip scrubs, sugar is also a very valuable ingredient for making DIY scrubs for treating cracked heels.
The preparation of the scrub for the feet is simple and quick: just mix the sugar (raw or refined) with extra virgin olive oil, or with sesame oil, or even with sweet almond oil, until you get a creamy mixture can easily massage on cracked heels. If desired, it is also possible to add honey to the mixture of sugar and oil, with the well-known emollient and moisturizing properties.
Fruit mask
Similarly to what happens to the face, the vast world of DIY also offers different recipes for the preparation of masks for cracked heels. Also in this case the preparation is simple and requires little time. The types of fruit that can be used are different - such as, for example, avocando, papaya and banana - the important thing is that they are well ripe.
Shea butter wraps
Shea butter is a natural ingredient that is readily available and has strong moisturizing, emollient, nourishing and regenerating properties (for more information: Shea - Shea Butter).
To make a compress against cracked heels, simply take a generous amount of shea butter and massage it directly on the affected area just before bedtime. Also in this case, once the product has been applied, it is advisable to wear a pair of socks and leave it on all night.
