Having cracked heels, or heel fissures, can be an unsightly cosmetic problem or physically painful. If you notice that your heels are starting to dry out and crack, start treating them right away. Left untreated, they will only get worse. The cracks can grow to be quite deep, and bleeding may occur. Then you will have to worry about infection. This is especially true for people with diabetes.
It is best to avoid getting cracked heels at all. Here is a list of preventative measures you can take to avoid getting heel fissures.
Thick Calluses Result in Cracked Heels
Over time your feet will produce layers of dead skin on your heels. This is normal, and will help to protect them. Unfortunately when the calluses get too thick problems can occur. Thick layers of dead skin will no longer have any elasticity. So, when you walk instead of expanding, your heels will crack open.
Step 1: Remove Pretruding Dead Skin
If your heel are severely cracked, there will be deep crevasses with jagged edges around them. This protruding dead skin can get caught on clothing or bedding. This could result in ripping or tearing of the skin, making things even worse. To remove the skin in this problem area grab some toenail clippers. Clip off any skin that is protruding from your heel. This works great because there is no chance of cutting too deep. If you use a blade or scissors, you run the risk of cutting too deep or slipping. You could end up making things even worse.
Step 2: Chemical Exfoliation
Often times calluses are too thick for moisturizers to penetrate and work effectively. So, we need to remove this dead skin. If you have really thick calluses the best option is chemical exfoliation. However, if your calluses are simply a cosmetic problem, physical exfoliation might be a better option.
The best chemical exfoliant for calluses is salicylic acid. This acid will safely remove the dead skin cells from your feet, and can found in many over-the-counter products. You can buy salyicylic acid pads that you apply to your feet for twelve hours, or you can make your own with salicylic acid gel and a bandage. After you remove this treatment, the dead skin will be very soft, and you will be able to rub it away easily.
Step 3: Physical Exfoliation
Most of the callused area should be removed from the salicylic acid treatment. Now you can finish the job by physically buffering away the rest of the dead skin. Physical exfoliation is also good for thin calluses, and for part of your daily routine.
There are a number of exfoliating products available to remove calluses, but pumice stones are the most popular option. Prior to using the pumice stone, soak your feet in a warm bath or take a shower. This will soften the skin. Then take the pumice stone and gently rub back and forth across the dead skin. It should slowly buffer away the callus, exposing new healthy skin below. This can take a while, depending on how thick the callus is. Do not apply too much pressure, because you could contact healthy skin and cause bleeding.
If you are going to use a product like the ped-egg, do not soak your feet first. These products are meant for dry skin.
Step 4: Apply Moisturizer
Once the callus has been removed or reduced to an acceptable level, you can then moisturize your feet. This will help to soften and repair your heels over time. Moisturize your feet at least once daily. After a shower and before bedtime is the best time to apply this treatment. Moisturizer will help to keep the skin on your feet soft, elastic, and healthy. It will also help to prevent dead skin from building up in the future. There are also medicated foot sleeves that have moisturizer in them. These work well for intensive short term moisturizing.
Continued Maintenance
You might still have some callus build up, or your feet might not be as soft as you want them to be. Plus, over time layers of dead skin will start to form again. In these cases, you can do steps 3 and 4. These two steps should be part of your normal hygiene routine anyway, and will help to prevent cracked heels in the future.
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