Posted by Dry, cracked heels can be a bad sight for you and your friends. Your feet are crucial in holding your total body mass as you move around. Your body weight and pressure are exerted on your feet, and your skin expands outwards to cover more surface area. If your soles are dry, your skin becomes less elastic and remains rigid against the pressure of your body weight. In the end, these factors make your heels vulnerable to cracks and fissures.
Given your feet’s tremendous work, it is crucial to give them utmost care to minimize cracks and fissures. So, what causes cracked heels, and how can you get rid of them?
1. Medical Conditions like Athlete’s Foot and Diabetes
When faced with the menace of dry heels, you may think of grabbing and applying some lotion. However, this may not always be the solution, as you may suffer from an athlete’s foot. An athlete’s foot is a fungal infection characterized by cracked heels and fissures. According to WebMD, the fungal infection can lead to cellulitis, causing swelling on your feet. Therefore, a lotion is not a remedy for this case.
Athletes’ foot is common in winter for various reasons. For instance, during this season, you may continuously wear thick shoes that are rarely air-dried. Such situations give room for fungi proliferation leading to cracked heels. Also, wearing wet socks can predispose you to these infections.
Similarly, you can suffer from an athlete’s foot in the summer season. The season tempts you to visit pools to cool your body, and in the process, you may walk barefoot on the banks. Your feet exposure can lead to exposure to fungi leading to infection. In the end, your heels become cracked.
Management of cracked heels requires you to eliminate the causes. If you suspect a fungal infection, never hesitate to seek medical advice. Your doctor may prescribe you some antifungals to clear it, and you will have your soft heels. Besides, you can avoid these infections altogether by avoiding bacteria and fungi exposure. For instance, you can minimize wearing wet footwear and walking barefoot in areas like gyms and banks of swimming pools.
2. Long Warm Baths with Harsh Fragrance Cleansers
Long warm baths with harsh fragrance cleansers may cause drying out of your skin, leading to cracking of your heels. Therefore, you should limit your bathing to less than 10 minutes to avoid such situations. Gently dry your skin with a dry towel after these baths, and ensure that you use fragrance-free cleansers.
Besides, routinely moisturize your skin within 5 minutes of showering to minimize the chances of your skin drying out. Similarly, you should routinely apply recommended petroleum jelly and wear socks before bed. Such measures will help moisturize and soften your heels to minimize drying, cracking, and fissuring your skin.
3. Failure to Wear Proper Shoes
Poorly fitting and torn shoes can be uncomfortable to wear. These shoes can also make you vulnerable to fissures and cracks. If you already have cracks, avoid wearing open shoes as they expose your heels to air which depletes moisture making your skin dry. Such situations can worsen your skin cracks.
Caring for your feet can minimize the chances of infections that can cause cracks. For instance, you can routinely plan for pedicure services to ensure your feet are clean and moisturized. Pedicurists can help you identify the best exfoliating heel peel foot masks to keep your feet healthy and attractive.
Conclusion
Getting rid of cracked heels can be challenging, but with the right information, you can avoid them altogether. First, you need to identify the main causes to manage them. Some of these causes include Medical conditions like athlete’s foot and diabetes and long warm baths with harsh fragrance cleansers. Also, wearing improper footwear can predispose you to heel cracks. You can seek medical advice on handling the underlying causes of cracked feet.
Additionally, you can limit your bathing sessions and use skin-friendly cleansers. Besides, it is crucial to keep your feet moisturized after a bath and before bed to minimize these cracks. Finally, consider wearing appropriate footwear that enhances comfort at all times. With these strategies, you can eliminate the causes of cracked heels and minimize their recurrence.