Cracked Heels

How To Heal Your Cracked Heels

What causes dry, cracked heels?

There’s nothing like feeling a dry, sandpapery heel graze against your leg or watching it snag a new pair of tights. But why do our heels become so rough and dry in the first place?

Dry skin is common and can be caused by a variety of things, often it’s a combination of a few different factors.

These factors include:

Age: As we age, our skin changes. The accumulation of sun damage, decreased oil production and reduced skin thickness all contribute to dry skin — on our feet and elsewhere.
Trauma: Your skin can dry out as a result of repeated friction from rubbing and continued exposure to harsh environments, like dry climates.
Lack of maintenance: You may be neglecting your poor feet. People don’t always moisturize their heels, even if they moisturize the rest of their body.

Sometimes, though, dry skin can be a sign of a more serious underlying condition. Dry, flaky skin can be a sign of atopic dermatitis, or eczema, a fungal infection or nutritional deficiencies, among others and in some cases, dry, cracked skin on the heels could signify diabetes.

If you’re dealing with an underlying condition, it’s best to seek treatment from your healthcare provider rather than try to get rid of the dry skin on your own.

Remedies to help heal cracked heels

Wash your feet

You should wash your feet daily using water that’s not too hot; lukewarm is best. Taking care not to scrub, use a gentle, fragrance-free soap.

It’s OK to soak your feet for a few minutes, but just a few. You don’t want to soak them too long, or you risk weakening the skin barrier, which allows for excessive moisture loss.

Moisturize your feet

After you soak or shower, dry your feet and slather them with lotion or cream. Look for products with ceramides, which are molecules that help trap water in the skin and restore its natural barrier.

Lock in the moisture

After you’ve lotion up, give it a couple of minutes to sink in. You can use an occlusive ointment which creates something of a sealant to secure the moisture you’ve just applied.

Wear socks to bed

Not a sock person? It might be time to reconsider — overnight, at least. Slip into thin, 100% cotton socks to retain the moisture in your feet while you sleep.

How to prevent cracked heels

Once you’ve gotten those heels back on track, how can you keep them that way? Here’s how to establish a heel care routine that will help ensure that your feet are sandal-ready any time of year.

Moisturize twice a day

Keep wearing socks to bed

That sock habit is one you should adopt more often, not just when your heels are in need. You may not think of socks as a protective garment, but they help protect your feet from the outside world.

Socks add an additional layer between your skin and the environment and can limit damage to the outer layer of the skin.

They can be done safely but should be avoided if you have or are prone to other skin conditions. This includes:

Athlete’s foot.
Atopic dermatitis (eczema).
Contact dermatitis.
Any other broken skin, like rashes, sores or wounds.

When to see a dermatologist

If you’ve tried it all and your heels just seem to hate moisture, it’s time to call in the cavalry. Schedule a dermatologist near me to get to the bottom of your dry heel worries and woes.

A dermatologist can evaluate you for an underlying pathologic process that may be contributing to your dry skin. They can also offer advice on gentle skin care routines and safe products to keep your skin healthy.

Recommended:

Hydra-Lac Body Lotion | 150ml

Hydra-Lac is a non-irritant, fragrance-free, non-greasy body lotion which is rapidly absorbed when applied. It contains an advanced formula for the treatment of problems associated with skin roughness and scaling. The 12% Sodium Lactate not only hydrates but also retains skin moisture for prolonged periods, especially with over-exposed areas such as the arms and legs.

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