Whenever the delicate skin on the bottoms of the feet and heels becomes very dry, it has the potential to split apart, resulting in painful cracks known as fissures on the heels. It is possible that such cracks would not only make it unpleasant to walk, but they may also cause significant infections.
How They Begin
In most cases, cracks in the heels are caused by inadequate moisture. These fissures may become inflamed and bleed. Extremely dry feet can develop for a variety of causes, including the following:
- The Winter weather is severely cold.
- Dehydration, or failing to consume enough water
- Not hydrating the soles of your feet
- Bathing or showering with extremely hot water
- Soaking in a hot bath for an extended period of time or on a frequent basis
- Applying strong, abrasive soaps to your feet
- Cleaning and scrubbing feet
- Diabetes
When the feet get too dry, heel fissures can readily form. “It’s similar to how if you put a plaster on a balloon and allow it to cure before blowing it up, the plaster will expand and fracture. The heel pad desires to extend outward, but the skin is too rigid to accommodate it, and hence splits.
Cracked heels can occur for a variety of causes, ranging from a lack of sufficient moisture to the wearing of exposed footwear. You should know the origins of your disease if you have seen symptoms such as dry, thickened skin around your heels, cracked skin, or heel discomfort. Knowing the causes can help you comprehend the illness and prevent recurrent relapses.
There are a wide variety of different causes.
Cracked heels can be caused by a number of different factors. If you can discover anything in your daily routine that may be negatively impacting your health, then you should consider making changes to your present routines. The following are the most typical factors that contribute to cracked heels:
Need improvement: A lack of vitamins and minerals (such as zinc) might have a negative impact on the health of your heels.
Pressure: Standing for lengthy periods of time at work or at home.
Aging skin: The suppleness of thick, dry, scaly skin is lost over time as a result of the aging process, and cracks may become more common as you get older.
Personal hygiene: Unsanitary circumstances might also contribute to the problem.
Water is a good example: Water can strip the skin of its natural oils, resulting in rough and/or dry skin as a result of this process. Standing for lengthy periods of time in moist environments, such as a restroom, can result in dry and cracked heels.
Shoes that don’t fit properly: Standing for an extended period of time or altering one’s walking stance
Genetics: Cracked heels might be caused by naturally dry or calloused skin surrounding the heel, which could be inherited.
Dryness: Cause of cracked heels. Your feet’ skin is generally dry, rough, and chapped. Because the skin surrounding your heels contains few sweat glands. Fat generally keeps the skin moist and protects it from drying out. Dry skin is more prone to cracked skin due to decreased suppleness, which can worsen any of the following.
Obesity: Heavyweight may put pressure on the heel fat pad. This causes it to extend sideways, putting pressure on the feet if the skin is stiff. This causes heel cracks.
Exposing Shoes: Open-back sandals and shoes allow fat under the heel to grow horizontally, increasing the risk of heel cracks. Regular foot care is vital when wearing exposed footwear.
Prevention
There are a variety of ways that you may use to keep your heels from becoming cracked over time.
- Every day, moisturize your heels and feet (not between the toes) with a thick moisturizer, such as one with a high urea content. This will keep the skin moisturized and smooth.
- Make a habit of inspecting your feet on a regular basis for any early symptoms that cracks may be developing.
- When at all possible, choose appropriate and supportive footwear that does not promote the development of dry skin — avoid thongs, bare feet, and open-back sandals, for example.
- When at all feasible, use stockings and high-quality socks.
- Standing for extended periods of time should be avoided.
- Drink plenty of water to keep from being dehydrated.
Treatment
What do you do for dry skin? You hydrate!
If your condition is mild, start by moisturizing your heels 2-3 times a day. Pre-moisturise using a pumice stone to remove rough, dry skin that may hinder the moisturizer from settling in properly.
If your symptoms linger after a week of standard foot care, call one of our podiatrists. Our Brisbane podiatrists may prescribe or administer a mix of the following:
- Use a scalpel to remove thick calluses/fissures to decrease skin buildup.
- Foot balm for hydration and nutrition. It’s like a moisturizer, but with urea, an added component that boosts efficiency.
- Shoes that cushion the heel pads
- Foot and ankle strapping to prevent skin mobility around the heel
We can also use technology to analyze how much pressure your heel is under while you walk. Reduce the pressure to avoid callus formation.
Signs and symptoms
The following are the signs and symptoms of dry and cracked heels:
- You may notice dryness in the area around your heel and on the underside of your foot, right below the toes.
- Patches of skin that are red and flaky.
- Several tiny strands of skin are flaking away.
- Skin that has cracks and ridges in it.
- Itchiness
- The fissures are leaking blood.
- As a result of the infection, there is a discharge from the fissures.
Preventative medicine is preferable to curative medicine. There are several home treatments and lifestyle suggestions that may be used to avoid heel cracking. Take a look at this.
There are several strategies to speed up the healing of broken feet. Treatments for medical diseases, skin problems, and obesity include keeping your feet properly moisturized and out of pollution, relaxing your feet with natural oil-based foot massages, and bathing your feet in warm water with lemon juice.
So, what are you waiting for? Try these home cures for cracked heels.
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