Every day taking good care of feet is really important to protect the heels from getting dry and cracked and to keep them healthy and beautiful.
Dry and cracked heels apart from being uncomfortable and painful can also become a major cause for embarrassment and may even lower confidence in an individual. Not taking proper care of feet can make them dry and rough. Besides this, there are some medical conditions like dermatitis, psoriasis, diabetes, thyroid abnormalities which leads to dryness of feet, if left untreated may lead to deep painful cracks.
Here are some tips to keep the heels healthy.

People who have cracked heels must

• Do gentle scrubbing.
• Use intense moisturizing creams.
• Avoid harsh soap.
• Wear cotton socks
• Select proper footwear.
• And don’t miss the night care.

1.     Avoid Harsh Soaps – Soaps contains chemicals that not just remove dirt and dust but also steals moisture from the skin. So it's always better to choose a gentle, fragrance-free mild cleanser. 
2.     Foot Scrubbing- Vigorous scrubbing is recommended neither in healthy heels nor in cracked heels. It makes the skin rough and dry and can worsen the condition. Only remove the hard skin using a foot file gently. Scrubbing with a pumice stone can damage the skin. Rubbing too harshly can damage even the normal skin. These days some, electric hard skin remover, electric devices are also available in the market which is gentle to skin while peeling off the dead layer.
3.     Good Moisturizer- Keep the feet moisturized using a good hydrating lotion. Choose the best moisturizer out of the wide range of moisturizers available in the market. One can also use homemade natural remedies, like

• Vegetable Oil- It provides moisture to skin & makes the skin supple
• Aloe Vera- It soothes dry skin, removes dead skin and also heals the cracked skin by collagen synthesis.
• Honey- It is a natural antiseptic that helps in healing of cracked feet. It has soothing properties that help in rejuvenation of the skin. 
• Vaseline petroleum jelly
• Coconut Oil- Help the skin to retain moisture, especially in a soaked foot.
• A foot mask of lemon, glycerine and rose water.

       4. Moisturizing Silicone Gel or Heel Socks- These socks provide localized occlusion to the heels and help in the absorption of moisturizing cream. Rest of foot can breathe easily. It will also reduce the friction component of the heels and helps to keep the cracks and callous away. One can also use cotton socks. Cotton socks also let the skin breath & sweat freely unlike synthetic socks. Synthetic socks can irritate the skin and make them dry. They also protect the heels from dust.

      5. Proper Footwear- Open and backless footwear looks beautiful but as they provide no support to heels, heels are exposed to more dust and friction, closed footwear prevent dryness & cracked heels. Gel soles or inner socks are also available these days in the market that gives better support to feet. Therefore, avoid using footwear with no heel cups like flip-flops, it provides more mechanical stress, thus causing the more callous formation and drying of heels.

      6. Crack Repair Creams- For deep cracks, it is always better to put a good crack repair creams or urea-based creams after consulting a dermatologist. They have strong re-hydrating power. Sometimes, antibiotic creams are also required for deep bleeding cracks to prevent complications like infections. 

     7. Special Medical Conditions- Some medical ailments lead to dry skin and cracked heels like vitamin deficiency, psoriasis, atopy, thyroid abnormalities(dysfunction). These conditions if left untreated can worsen the condition with superimposing infection, bleeding or ulcers. In such conditions, one needs to consult their dermatologist to take care of feet & the underlying cause at the same time.

    8. For Overnight Everyday Care- Before going to bed, soak the feet in lukewarm water for 10-20 minutes to make the skin soft, apply some strong moisturizing cream and leave it overnight. It locks the moisture and helps in hydrating the skin. 
 

Avoid

1.   Harsh soaps
2.   Long hot showers
3.   Walking barefoot
4.   Ill fitted shoes & unsupported heels.
    

TagsHow to fix cracked heels permanently