Cracks on the heels pretty much spoil the appearance of the feet.
However, the discomfort does not end there: the wounds on the heels when walking constantly hurt and bleed.
Today you will learn why heels crack, what to do and how to prevent this problem in the future.
Heels are cracking - what to do: determine the reasons
Painful cracks on the heels can appear in any person, regardless of gender and age. First, small notches can be seen on the skin, after a while they are transformed into cracks. If left untreated, they become deeper, become fouled, and begin to bleed.
To begin with, you should consider the causes of cracks:
1. Lack of foot care or improper care. It’s not enough to clean your feet from dirt every day, it is very important to remove dead skin from time to time. Heels should be moistened with special nutritious creams or oils.
2. Fungal infection. Pathogenic mushrooms can get on the skin in a bath, pool or in the office for the provision of manicure and pedicure services. Their reproduction is facilitated by weakened immunity, infectious diseases and disorders in the circulatory system. Often, cracked heels are one of the main symptoms of skin fungus. With this disease, excessive growth of the stratum corneum of the skin occurs. It becomes so thickened that various injuries easily form on its surface.
3. Inconvenient and low-quality shoes. Some shoes can mechanically damage the skin of the feet, resulting in micro-injuries. Artificial materials do not let air through, so the legs sweat a lot. This creates favorable conditions for the formation and reproduction of harmful microorganisms. If dirt gets into the cracks, an inflammatory process may begin.
Synthetic socks and nylon tights also have a bad effect on the skin of the feet. The skin of the feet, becoming wet, is more quickly injured.
4. Long stays and overweight, which put a heavy load on the feet, also negatively affect the condition of the heels. Thickening of the stratum corneum makes the skin dry, inelastic and prone to cracking.
5. Vitamin A deficiency. Retinol is responsible for the beauty and health of our skin. This fat-soluble vitamin promotes the synthesis of proteins, takes part in tissue regeneration, strengthens them. A deficiency of vitamin A is indicated by dry, loose skin, as well as cracks in the heels. Lack of retinol in the body can be caused by the following factors:
• unbalanced nutrition (lack in the diet of foods containing vitamin A - eggs, vegetables, fruits, herbs and carrots);
• a lack of the trace element zinc and vitamin E, which help retinol to go into an active form;
• use of mineral oil that dissolves vitamin A;
• diseases;
• hormonal changes in the body caused by natural causes such as menstruation, menopause, or pregnancy.
To begin treatment of cracks in the heels you need to eliminate the causes of their appearance. Without fulfilling this condition, they will form again.
Cracked heels - what to do: medical treatment
In almost any modern pharmacy, you can buy drugs for cracks in the heels. According to the manufacturers of these products, you can get rid of skin problems in just a week. Consider the most popular, well-proven drugs.
1. Foot cream "Healing against cracks in the legs" from the "Green Pharmacy". The preparation is rich in natural plant components. It contains plantain extract, tea tree and fir essential oil, walnut oil. This rich composition promotes the rapid healing of micro-wounds. The cream has a softening and moisturizing effect, which perfectly affects the rough skin of the feet.
2. Allga San Pine Crack Cream is a professional foot care product for home use. Its formula contains mountain pine oil, vitamin E, beeswax, bisabolol, chamomile extract and other emollients and anti-inflammatory components. This tool promotes the regeneration of dermal cells. With regular use, the cream eliminates cracks, makes the skin smooth and supple.
3. Cream "Dawn" with the active substance phloralizin was originally developed to care for the udder of dairy animals. Now it is actively used for the prevention and treatment of skin diseases. The product perfectly softens and enhances microcirculation of the blood, eliminates cracks and wounds on the feet.
4. Ointment "Radevit" shows good results in the treatment of skin diseases, which are accompanied by dryness and cracking. It contains vitamins A, E, D2. The tool reduces inflammation of the skin, helps get rid of abrasions and peeling. The ointment quickly restores the affected tissue and heals cracks.
Cracked heels - what to do: folk remedies
You can cure the heels of cracks with the help of folk remedies.
Foot baths
Before you make a bath, your feet need to be washed with soap. The procedure should last about 15 minutes. After the bath, the heels can be easily cleaned of rough skin with pumice. The stratum corneum should be removed gradually. After the foot bath, wipe with a towel and grease with a nourishing cream or ointment.
1. A bath of medicinal herbs. To prepare the infusion, you need to take 4 tablespoons of herb for 2 liters of boiling water. For the treatment of the skin of the feet, sage, succession, St. John's wort or calendula are perfect. We wait 30 minutes and filter. The bath should be warm. Lower the feet into it and hold for 15 minutes.
2. A tray of baking soda has a softening and disinfecting effect. For 3 liters of hot water we take 2 salt spoons of soda and 3 tablespoons of shavings of laundry soap. This procedure perfectly softens the soles and allows you to remove the stratum corneum of the skin. Soda bath is an excellent prevention of fungal infections and cracks in the heels.
Honey compress
Bee honey has long been used if heels crack. What to do for the treatment of cracks and wounds on the heels? A layer of honey should be applied to the heels at night. The feet are covered with cellophane and put on a sock. In the morning, the remnants of the compress should be wiped with a sponge. As a rule, 4 days are enough to treat the disease. The result of applying the compress will be healing wounds and smooth, nourished skin of the feet.
Lotion of vegetable oils
Especially good are helping to cope with cracks on the heels of lotions of olive, castor and almond oil. They have an antimicrobial, moisturizing and healing effect.
Before applying any of the oils to the feet, you need to steam them. After the heel, the heel should be soaked in warm vegetable oil, wrapped in polyethylene and put on cotton socks. A few hours are enough for the lotion to work. Such lotions must be done daily. Very soon, you will find that the cracks in the heels are tightened and the skin is soft and nourished.
Thus, we have considered, if the heels crack, what to do, what effective drugs and folk remedies exist. Meanwhile, if the heels could not be cured by any of the methods, and the wounds continue to become inflamed, then you should immediately consult a doctor.
