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Home Remedies for Cracked Heels

Posted on November 3, 2007 - Filed Under Foot Care

What is cracked heel?

Cracked heels point out that you have not been taking care of your feet. It is a sign of lack of attention to your daily foot care routine. At times overexposure and lack of moisturizing can cause it. Medically cracked heels are known as heel fissures. These linear cut wounds chiefly affect the epidermis. The most common area for cracked heels is the rim of the heel and web of toes, which happen to be the most frequently or constantly used parts of our body. Dry skin or xerosis is one of the most common reason behind cracked heels. It is not a harmful medical condition. However when the fissures or cracks are deep, and tend to become painful and the skin begins to bleed leading to an infection. It generally affects both the feet and is common among senior citizens.

What are the causes of cracked heel?

The most common causes that lead to these conditions are:

• Naturally dry skin or thick dry skin around the heel may cause cracked heels.
• Prolonged standing at work or home and especially on the hard floor.
• Being overweight may increase the pressure in the feet and cause cracked heel.
• Back-open sandals or shoes allow the fat under the heel to expand sideways, thus leading to the painful cracked heel condition.
• Infection like the Athlete’s foot, Psoriasis, Eczema or chronic illnesses like thyroid disease, diabetes and some other skin conditions can cause this problem.
• Wearing ill-fitting shoes can cause the problem of cracked heels.
• The skin loses elasticity with age and therefore senior citizens tend to develop cracked heels.
• Lack of hygiene and deficiency of minerals as zinc can cause cracked heels.

What are the symptoms of cracked heel

The common symptoms of cracked heels include

• Red or flaky patches
• Peeling and cracked skins.
• Itchiness in the feet
• Bleeding from the cracks in severe cases.

Home remedies for cracked heel

• Apply hydrogenated vegetable oil after washing the feet clean, especially in the cracked areas.
• Wear a pair of thick socks when you go to bed. This will help you to combat the cracked heel problem.
• Make a pulp of a ripe banana on the dry or a cracked area and leave it for 10 minutes. Rinse it carefully and dry it.
• Everyday soak your feet in hot lemon water for 10 minutes and then clean the dead cells with pumice stone.
• Wash and moisturize your skin daily. At the end of the day soak the feet in warm soapy water, rinse it and towel it dry. Then apply a foot cream.

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