Natural Remedies to Tackle Super Dry, Cracked Heels at Home

Cracked feet are not only painful but also not appealing to the eye. It can lead to self-conscious behavior and avoidance of wearing sandals or showing our bare feet. The main reason why our heels are prone to this kind of wear and tear is because when we walk or stand at any given time, all (or most) pressure is put on our heels. The feet being one of the most neglected parts of the body, it is no wonder so many people are walking around with heel fissures. In some cases, where the cracks are so deep, the heels bleed and can be very painful. This can lead to infection, thick dying skin, and even surgery to correct it.

This situation doesn’t get any better during the hot seasons when sandals are worn pretty much every day. Older women are more susceptible to this problem because they wear sandals often and without socks. They expose their heels and feet to the outside elements and fail to realize that they need to be cleaned and rehydrated at the end of the day.

Causes of Cracked Heels

• Standing for long periods of time while at home or at work (especially on hard floors). This could be minimized by wearing shoes whose heels and sole are well padded. This provides additional support.
• Being overweight (this increases the pressure exerted on your heels and if the skin is not supple enough, chances of 'cracking' are high)
• open back on the shoes (this allows the fat under the heel to expand sideways and increases the pressure to 'crack')
• Medical conditions such as diabetes which lower the body's metabolic rate therefore reduced sweating leading to skin dryness.
• Skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.
• Your body being deficient of omega-3 fatty acids and zinc.
• Hot and dry climate.
• Wearing open back shoes regularly.
• Medication causing general skin dryness.
• Shoes that are poorly fitted and lack a heel support.

Degrees of Heel Fissures

Heel fissures or cracks are an awful thing and are often caused by repetitive pressure on your heels which could also be linked to continuous exposure to peep toe shoes and sandals. As a defense mechanism the human skin thickens itself in areas injured repetitively. If these cases are left untreated, the cracks on the heels get deeper. It also leads to advanced degrees of swelling, bleeding, redness and drainage of clear or yellowish fluids.

READ Natural Remedies to Tackle Super Dry, Cracked Heels at Home

In most cases, these fissures can clear on their own but some serious cases may require an individual to seek medical help from a podiatrist (foot specialist).

Most people at this level will resolve to scrub the thick skin aggressively. This kind of self-treatment worsens the cracking. Untreated cracked heels, if exposed, also face the risk of inflammation and infections such as Cellulitis (deep tissue bacterial infection) or even sepsis (a blood infection) but it’s rare, though. None of these results are ideal, and you should do your best to avoid having to seek serious treatment.

Home Remedies for Treating Cracked Heels

Soak Recipes

1.      Vegetable Oils

Vegetable oils such as olive oil, sesame oil and coconut oil will do wonders to your feet. This remedy should be used before you go to bed. Simply soak your feet in soapy water and scrub lightly using a pumice stone. Then wash your feet with warm water and dry them. Apply the vegetable oil of your choice on your heels and soles. Put on some clean socks. Let the oil penetrate your skin overnight. In the morning you will definitely see a difference. Repeat this until the cracks clear completely.

2.      Lemon Juice

The acidic qualities are responsible for softening the rough, thickened skin that causes heel fissures. Simply squeeze some lemon juice into some warm water. Soak your feet in the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes. Scrub the heels gently using a pumice stone. Rinse your feet and dry thoroughly. When using this remedy, do not use hot water because it will only make your become more dry.

3.      Use Glycerin and Rosewater

The mixture of rosewater and glycerin can work miracles for your cracked heels. Glycerin is responsible for skin softening and rosewater has some anti-inflammatory properties making this a very effective remedy. Take equal amounts of glycerin and rosewater mix them and rub them on the cracked heels or feet daily. Leave them overnight.

4.      Paraffin Wax

This is a remedy recommended for heels that have cracks that are deep and very painful. Paraffin wax is a natural emollient which helps with skin softening and therefore easing the pain.

Simply melt a block of paraffin wax and mix it thoroughly with two tablespoons of mustard oil or coconut oil. Leave it to cool. Soak your feet in the mixture, get your feet out and after 5 to 10 seconds dip again. Repeat this as severally as you can. Put your feet with a plastic and cover them for about 30 minutes. Peel off the wax from your skin. Repeat this treatment twice a week. If you are diabetic or having circulation problems do not try out this remedy.

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5.      Essential Oils

Oils such as lavender and tea tree oil are not only effective for aromatherapy but also have antiseptic and antifungal properties. Pour warm water into a basin and a tablespoon of salt. Then add essential oils of your choice and soak your feet in it for 30 minute. Dry thoroughly.

Exfoliating Scrubs

1.      Rice Flour

In this case, the rice flour will be used as an exfoliating scrub. This helps get rid of dead skin on the feet and especially the heels. To make this exfoliating scrub, grind some rice and mix it with three tablespoons of honey and apple cider vinegar. Stir until the paste is thick. Dip your feet in warm water for ten minutes and then scrub lightly with the paste. Repeat this weekly until the cracks disappear.

2.      Oatmeal

This is another super effective foot mask. Simply grind two tablespoons of oatmeal. Mix it with jojoba oil and make a thick paste. Rub this on your heels and feet.  Leave it for 30 minutes then rinse your feet with cold water.

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After soaking your feet, dry them thoroughly and apply moisturizing lotion. In today’s market there are very many effective foot moisturizers and creams that will protect the skin on your heels. If you regularly soak your feet and remove the dead skin using exfoliators and a pumice stone then you will never have to worry about heel fissures. You can also use petroleum jelly to moisturize your skin. Alternatively you can use natural essential oils such as olive oil, coconut oil or almond oil.