We care about our face and hands so much, that we often forget that not only our toes but our heels need care too. If not taken care enough, heels can crack. You must be thinking how to get rid of deep cracks in your feet then? Well, let’s get into the details.
Cracked heels are one of the most common foot problems, and according to research, it can affect women more than men. Often cracked heels don’t create any problem, but if it is severe then it can cause bleeding, pain, and discomfort while being barefoot.
Calloused and cracked feet are not only hideous and unattractive to look at they are equally painful too, they also cause embarrassment that we often try to hide them.
Dry cracked feet causes
Feet are the most exposed areas, so it is common for them to get dry and cracked. There can be several causes of dry and cracked feet. Check them out.
- If you stand in damp areas for a long time
- If there is excess dryness in your skin
- Deficiency of vitamins
- Obesity
- Poor hygiene
- Genetic factors
- With age
- Inadequacy of moisture
- Psoriasis
- Fungal infection
- Pregnancy
Cracked feet mean your skin is screaming for moisture. As we all know that the skin on the base of the foot, especially in the heel area, is thicker and tougher than other parts of the body, thus it requires a bit more effort to moisturize and soften them. Here are some tips on how to get rid of deep cracks in your feet.
Do a soak: It is one of the easiest ways to heal the cracked heels. Simply fill a tub with lukewarm water and add a small amount of white vinegar to it. Vinegar disinfects the skin and can also get rid of foul-smelling odors. Soak your feet for 10-15 minutes. If you don’t have white vinegar, then lemon can also work wonders. You can also add essential oils of your choice to enhance the hydrating effect.
Scrub the heels: This is the next step after soaking your feet. Use a pumice stone to gently exfoliate the slough off dry, cracked, calloused skin. But make sure you don’t scrub your feet too harshly. Don’t try to remove all the dead skin at once as it will cause you more pain than comfort.
Apply moisturizing lotion or balm: If you do not want to scrub the dry feet, you can immediately use a moisturizing lotion or a balm after soaking your feet. Look for moisturizers rich in urea, as they can help hydrate and soften the skin even more. Gently apply the lotion on your feet, wear cotton socks, and let the lotion do its magic overnight. Rinse your feet carefully in the morning.
These three simple, at-home remedies can help you in curing dry and cracked feet. You can always make moisturizing lotion, oil, or balm at home for smoother heels. Here are some tips:
Virgin coconut oil: Virgin coconut oil can be used as a deep moisturizing treatment for your feet. Coconut oil has healing properties and it can also fight off fungal infections. All you have to do is to slather this oil to your dry feet. Wear cotton socks and let the oil penetrate overnight. Wash it off in the morning.
Shea butter: Shea butter is rich in vitamin A and vitamin E content, hence it hydrates, nourishes, and moisturizes the skin very well. When applied on the cracked feet, it forms a protective layer and locks in moisture.
Olive oil: Olive oil is another natural moisturizer that heals cracked feet. Take cotton and dab the oil onto your heels and dry feet areas. Wear socks and let it penetrate the skin for one hour. Later, wash it off with warm water.
Honey: Honey is one of the natural products used in medicines for ages. You can either apply honey directly to the dry feet or you can make it a foot soak with warm water. You can let sit your feet in this honey-water mixture for 10-15 minutes to get soft and supple skin.
Petroleum jelly: Petroleum jelly restores moisture to dry and cracked heels. It reduces water loss from the outer skin. Apply petroleum jelly to your cracked heels and wear woolen socks. Woolen socks help in trapping the body’s heat and increases the effectiveness of the jelly. And the jelly will keep your skin soft and hydrated.
Conclusion
These are the tips on how to get rid of deep cracks in your feet. In most of the cases, cracked heels or dry feet are not a matter of great concern. They can be treated with simple home remedies. There are several ways to accelerate the healing process and the main thing to keep in mind is to keep your feet well moisturized. However, depending on the severity of the dryness in your feet, consult a doctor as it may be an underlying symptom of a bigger issue.