Many skin problems are not as minor as they might seem at first glance. For example, cracked heels cause enormous discomfort and pain, so there are a lot of remedies for their treatment: creams, masks, lotions, ointments. It is worth noting that you need not only to know how to get rid of this phenomenon, but also to be able to determine its cause. Perhaps then the problem can not be treated, but prevented.

What are cracked heels

This phenomenon is classified as dermatitis. A crack in the heel occurs due to a partial violation of the integrity of the integument. This problem is very widespread, especially among women, although some men also face it. More often, the skin on the feet cracks in older people, but young people are not completely immune from this.

The cracked skin on the heels causes not only severe pain, but also aesthetic discomfort, especially for the fairer sex. Because of it, you have to choose your shoes much more carefully, and open models remain banned. Cracks in the skin develop gradually. At first, a person notices thin incisions, but then they become deeper, inflamed, the formation of a dense stratum corneum begins, itching, burning, and sometimes an unpleasant odor appear.

Causes

There are pathological factors for the appearance of cracks in the skin, which will be described in detail below. In addition, the causes may be conditions that do not require therapy:

1. Congenital skin features. We are talking about severe dryness.
2. Excessive foot care. If a person peels his feet too often or performs the procedure incorrectly, this leads to additional coarsening of the skin.
3. Lack of hygiene. Cracks in the skin can appear if a person rarely washes his feet, does not change socks in time, etc.
4. Wearing the wrong shoes. Any poorly made models, open options that do not involve wearing socks are harmful.

Factors that negatively affect the skin of cracked heels:

• exposure to too low, high temperatures, wind;
• improper diet;
• lack of vitamins;
• skin contact with chlorinated water;
• residues of household chemicals on clothes;
• harmful working conditions;
• the use of alkaline soap;
• smoking.

Pathological conditions

This group includes diseases in which the skin of the heels can become cracked:

1. Obesity. High weight is always accompanied by high cholesterol levels. All this leads to impaired blood circulation, thinning of the skin. Especially the feet suffer from obesity.
2. Diseases that cause thinning of the epidermis, decreased immunity, degradation of nerve fibers.
3. Mycosis of the feet. Feet may crack when infested with yeast or mold. This is accompanied by damage to the folds between the fingers, nails, itching, and peeling.
4. Some vascular diseases.
5. Hormonal disruptions.
6. Diabetes. In the second type of the disease, neuropathy progresses. You cannot stop it, but you can control it, thereby protecting your legs. You need to maintain the correct glucose level, monitor cholesterol, regularly take blood tests, and carefully look after your feet.
7. Diseases of the nervous system.
8. Iron-deficiency anemia.
9. Psoriasis. There are cases when this disease affects the skin of the feet, leads to the fact that cracks appear on it.
10. Helminthiasis.
11. Dyshidrosis, exfoliative keratolysis.
12. Avitaminosis. As a result of a lack of vitamins, the skin loses its elasticity, therefore it bursts.

Causes of cracked heels in women

For the fair sex, hormonal disorders are a more characteristic factor provoking cracking of the skin. It can become excessively dry, start to burst due to pregnancy, menopause, menstruation. In addition, all other reasons for the appearance of cracks on the heels are not excluded, especially such as excessive care, poor-quality shoes, excess weight.

Treatment

If you have cracked feet, the first step to solving this problem is to eliminate its cause. Various ointments, creams, and folk remedies are used to treat cracking. If the reasons for the appearance of cracks on the heels are pathological, then systemic drugs may also be needed. In addition, it is very important to monitor your diet, follow the rules of foot care. The most effective treatment for cracks in the skin should be discussed in more detail.

At home

Currently, a huge number of pharmacy products are produced that are used to eliminate problems with the skin of the heels, to heal cracks. As a rule, their action is aimed at moisturizing, relieving inflammation, itching, and other unpleasant symptoms. All pharmacological agents are very easy to use at home. The duration of treatment, as a rule, depends on how neglected the condition of the feet is.

Hydrogen peroxide

The effectiveness of this well-known remedy is due to its action. Hydrogen peroxide properties:

• reduces the activity of pathogenic bacteria;
• removes calluses, corns;
• has an antiseptic and antimicrobial effect;
• softens the skin.

How to use hydrogen peroxide for cracked heels:

1. Heat 3 liters of water. Add 8 tbsp. l. 3 percent peroxide. Dip your feet in the resulting solution for 10-20 minutes. Then gently brush off dead skin from your feet.
2. Dissolve 50 g of salt and 3 tbsp in 4 liters of water. l. hydrogen peroxide 3%. Keep your feet in this bath for 15 minutes. Remove softened skin with a pumice stone, treat feet with a nourishing cream.
3. Mix one part peroxide and five water. Moisten a piece of cloth in the resulting composition, apply to the affected area and secure with adhesive tape. Remove after a couple of hours and remove any coarse particles.

Ointment

Several effective remedies to heal your skin:

1. Radevit. The main components of the ointment are retinol palmitate and vitamin D. Promotes skin healing, relieves itching and inflammation. It is applied in a dense layer on lesions and cracks twice a day.
2. Balzamed. Moisturizing nourishing ointment for the skin. Removes irritation. It is rich in vitamins A, E, which increase the protective properties of the skin. Requires application to the affected areas twice a day.
3. Zazhivin. Natural ointment that accelerates the regeneration of epidermal cells. Heals wounds, kills bacteria. Zazhivin should be used once a day.
4. Calendula. Homeopathic ointment, which has a bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, emollient, disinfectant effect.
5. Gevol. Ointment made in Germany. Well heals the skin of the heels, softens it. Contains natural ingredients.
6. Zinc ointment. An effective antiseptic, heals well.
7. Petrolatum. A very effective ointment that will heal cracks of any depth.

Cream

If you are not sure how to get rid of cracked heels, try the following remedies:

1. Doctor Biocon. Possesses antibacterial and antifungal properties, nourishes the skin well. Heals deep cracks, relieves feet from excessive sweating and unpleasant odor. Contains lactic and salicylic acids, oils, triclocarban. It is applied to lesions twice a day.
2. Super Heels. Cream containing herbal ingredients and Shostakovsky's balm. Helps to get rid of coarseness, corns. Relieves inflammation, destroys bacteria.
3. Green Pharmacy series foot cream. Heals cracks very quickly, has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Contains walnut and tea tree oils, plantain extract.
4. Ambulance. Contains vitamins. Restores the skin, accelerates the healing process.
5. Dardia Lipo Balm. Contains urea. Softens, restores water balance, increases elasticity.
6. BioAstin is an anti-fungal agent. Helps against cracks of the fungal nature. Contains essential oils.
7. Lamisil. Cream against infections and fungus. Restores the deep layers of the epidermis. Apply once a day.

Folk remedies

Not only traditional but also alternative medicine will help people who do not know how to treat cracked heels at home. There are a huge number of folk recipes based on herbs, herbs, plants, products that have wound healing, restorative properties of the skin. At home, you can prepare foot masks, apply lotions and compresses. Remember a few of the most effective recipes.

Baths

Cooking methods:

1. Mix in 4 tbsp. l. medicinal Veronica and bedstraw, add 3 tbsp. l. sage medicinal and 2 tbsp. l. St. John's wort. 4 tbsp. l. steam this collection with 2 liters of boiling water. Insist an hour. Warm up to a temperature of 35-37 degrees and keep your feet in this broth every two days for 20 minutes.
2. Mix 1 tsp. grated laundry soap and 15 grams of soda, pour 2 liters of hot water. Keep your feet in the solution for 15 minutes.
3. Dissolve 45-50 g of potato starch in 2 liters of water. Keep your feet in the liquid every day for 20 minutes before bed.

Mask for legs

1. Pour calendula flowers with vegetable oil in a ratio of 1:10. Insist 12 hours. Heat for half an hour in a water bath, strain. Apply to feet, bandage, hold for two hours.
2. Spread your legs, treat with a pumice stone. Lubricate the cracks with rubbing alcohol and castor oil. Stir in a 3: 1 ratio of talc and powdered chamomile flowers. Apply to affected areas and bandage. Leave it on for a few hours.
3. Mix honey and lard in a 2: 1 ratio. Anoint your heels and keep it on for at least two hours.

Compress

1. Steam your legs before bed. Pass the onions through a meat grinder, attach to the heels. Wrap your legs in cotton fabric, wrap with foil. Remove the compress in the morning, wash your feet and lubricate with cream.
2. Chop two medium apples finely, pour 200 ml of milk. Add 1 tsp. soda. Put on fire and cook for 10-15 minutes. Add one to two tablespoons of flour. Cool the composition, apply in a thick layer on the heels. Secure with gauze and plastic wrap. Remove the compress when it has cooled completely. Repeat once a week until the cracks are completely healed.
3. You need to take a few stalks of aloe and turn them into gruel. Apply it to the affected area. For fixing, you need a film. Put on some warmer socks on top. Leave the compress overnight.

Prophylaxis

To avoid cracking on the heels, remember and follow a few simple rules:

1. Wash your feet every day, not with hot water, but with warm or slightly cool water.
2. Wear socks made from natural materials.
3. Gently cleanse rough skin from your feet.
4. Wear quality closed-heel shoes made from natural materials.
5. Dry your feet after washing.
6. Be sure to moisturize your feet with special cosmetics.
7. Watch your diet. A sufficient amount of vitamins must be supplied to the body. Avoid obesity.

Video: how to treat cracked heels at home

A cracked heel is not only a cosmetic defect that causes many inconveniences. In some cases, it is a sign of a chronic illness or fungal infection. Women with cracked skin on their feet cannot afford to wear open shoes, feeling uncomfortable on the beach, in the pool, in the gym, and in all places where bare feet are required. Let's take a closer look at why cracks appear on the heels, causes, home treatment with traditional and folk remedies. Let's talk about prevention separately.

Dust and dirt constantly gets into the cracks, provoking a further aggravation of the problem. In addition, even the smallest injury in the foot can cause serious pain, itching, discomfort, burning sensation, because the legs are constantly under stress when walking.

Reason for appearance

Getting rid of the problem directly depends on the factors that provoked the appearance of cracks. The main reason, especially in the hot season, is the coarsening of the skin due to its drying out and a decrease in the elasticity of the epidermis of the foot. A dry, thickened layer of keratinized skin cracks due to a lack of moisture and fat.

Mechanical reasons:

• illiterate foot care (lack of care, non-compliance with hygiene rules, or, conversely, too frequent procedures to remove rough skin with a pumice stone or blade);
• walking on the hot sand on the beach;
• wearing uncomfortable, narrow, smaller shoes, especially with high heels;
• constant load on the legs, for example, due to professional activities (salesmen, hairdressers, linemen, etc.).

Fungal lesions of the skin of the foot are the most common causes of cracked heels.

To prevent the onset of mycosis, dermatologists recommend using antifungal creams, for example, Terbinafine, before and after each visit to public places in which you need to walk barefoot (pool, beauty salon, public baths, saunas, steam rooms, beaches).

Chronic pathologies in which cracks can form:

• diabetes;
• kidney disease;
• diseases of the thyroid gland and endocrine system;
• hypovitaminosis;
• anemia.

Prophylaxis

Why cracks form on the heels is understandable. For reasons, you can minimize the risk of skin cracking (see photo) by observing the following guidelines:

1. Wear comfortable shoes made from natural materials.
2. Buy socks, knee-highs and cotton tights.
3. Regularly treat the skin with a pumice stone to remove the stratum corneum (once a week).
4. Apply foot cream to your heels daily.
5. Avoid walking without shoes on the ground and on a hot beach for long periods of time to avoid injuring your feet.
6. Treat chronic diseases in a timely manner.
7. Include enough vitamin-rich foods (fruits, herbs, berries) in your diet.

Treatment for cracked heels

The first step is to exclude diseases of the internal organs, in which cracks in the heels are one of the side symptoms. To do this, you should undergo a comprehensive examination. If pathology is detected, conduct appropriate therapy. She is appointed by specialized specialists: gastroenterologist, nephrologist, endocrinologist, dermatologist.

If a fungus is suspected, laboratory tests are carried out. In addition, antifungal drugs are prescribed, both external and internal. If the appearance of the problem is due to mechanical reasons, then the complex of procedures is carried out at home. It will be necessary to give up wearing uncomfortable shoes, reduce the load on the legs, change the foot care regimen using proven methods of traditional medicine.

Now more on how to treat cracked heels at home.

Folk remedies for cracked heels

Honey + Vaseline

Beekeeping products have unique antiseptic, wound healing and regenerating properties. Before going to bed, it is recommended to put a compress with pure honey on your heels, covering a thick layer of the product with cellophane. And in the morning, after washing your feet with warm water, it is recommended to lubricate the skin with petroleum jelly. Usually, healing occurs already on the 4th-5th day.

Honey-oil cream

Mix melted butter with the same amount of liquid natural honey. Apply the cream on steamed heels, tie with cellophane, put on cotton socks. Withstand all night. 3-7 procedures allow you to painlessly get rid of the problem.

Homemade anti-cracking cream

Mix 15 ml of vegetable oil (corn, olive, grape seed, almond, pumpkin, nut, sunflower) with one chicken yolk and 5 ml of table (9%) vinegar. The cream is applied to the hardened and cracked skin of the feet or corns before going to bed, wrapping the heels in cellophane and putting on socks.

St. John's wort

St. John's wort decoction is used for foot baths for cracks, scratches and other mechanical damage to the skin of the feet. A tablespoon of dried herbs is poured with hot water (0.25 l), simmered in a water sauna for about 12 minutes and filtered. The duration of the procedure in a warm broth is 6-7 minutes, after which the feet are soaked with a towel, without rinsing with water.

Oat mask

Boil oatmeal with flaxseed or soybean oil. Apply a warm mixture to the feet. Put on a plastic bag, warm with woolen socks. The time of the procedure is 2.5 hours. Next, the feet washed in warm water are smeared with petroleum jelly or a special pharmacy fat cream for feet with the effect of treating microcracks.

White cabbage

Knead the cabbage leaf until juice appears, wrap the heel with it, fix the compress with a gauze bandage, leave it overnight.

Soda

Local soda baths should be done daily: a tablespoon of powder in 1 liter of warm water.

Flaxseed and potatoes

Mix the washed potato tubers with a handful of flax. Boil in a little water over low heat until softened. After the soda bath, the feet are immersed in warm gruel for 20 minutes. Then they are washed with clean water and a fat cream is applied.

Fresh medicinal plants

To heal cracks, plantain, marigold, and yarrow leaves, crushed into gruel, are used. A compress from one or a mixture of herbs is applied to problem areas daily, twice a day, for several hours. Events are held in the summer.

Flour medical cakes

Boil a handful of onion skins in a little water. Mix with gruel from fresh leaves of large plantain (1: 1). Add a teaspoon of unrefined oil, the same amount of honey, and wheat, corn or rice flour. Next, knead a soft dough. The finished cake is applied to the damaged heel after preliminary steaming in soda overnight.

Tea tree

Tea tree essential oil is a unique antifungal, antiseptic, deodorant and wound healing product. Add 2-3 drops to a single serving of your foot cream, and the condition of the skin of the feet will improve significantly.

Despite the fact that cracked heels are quite common, getting rid of them at home is quite simple. The main thing is the regularity of procedures and daily care with the application of special nourishing and moisturizing compositions to the feet. They prevent excessive coarsening of the skin and cracking of the stratum corneum. A timely set of therapeutic measures with folk remedies will allow others to admire your well-groomed feet in open shoes.

Cracked heels are a known cosmetic problem among women and men all over the planet. They not only look sloppy, but also cause severe discomfort, as they cause severe pain, and deep cracks can cause a serious infection and fester if they are not treated promptly.

Usually, the disease begins with dryness and flaking, which gradually worsen and develop into small cracks. With each passing month, things are getting worse and worse, because the feet undergo enormous stress every day. From what cracks appear on the heel and how to cure them, you need to know already at the first signs of the disease, so as not to pull, but to act immediately.

There are many reasons for the appearance of cracks in the heels of women and men, here are the main ones:

• Avitaminosis, unbalanced nutrition;
• Obesity and gastrointestinal disorders;
• Hormonal disorders;
• Skin diseases;
• Inconvenient footwear made of low-quality materials;
• Drying feet in summer.

With improper nutrition in the body, there is a lack of useful vitamins, which makes the skin less elastic and more susceptible to the adverse effects of the external environment. The skin on the heels is always under pressure, so it must be sufficiently firm and elastic. The skin of the feet is usually affected by a lack of vitamins E, F, A.

Excess weight can also cause injury to the feet, because they are not designed to carry 30-40 kg or more of excess fat. As a result, the skin of the feet does not withstand, it becomes thinner and cracks appear on the heels. The same happens when the gastrointestinal tract is disrupted, the necessary substances are poorly absorbed and their deficiency occurs.

Skin conditions such as psoriasis or ichthyosis can cause cracked heels. It is important to note that the fungus of the foot is not the cause, but the diseases can proceed together, then, in addition to unpleasant wounds on the feet, itching and peeling also appear.

Uncomfortable shoes in winter and dry skin in summer often provoke the appearance of the problem. In summer, the skin of the feet is very vulnerable, because people wear open shoes. In addition to the pressure when walking, the skin is exposed to the sun's best, it gets weathered and dirty, the feet have to be washed with soap all the time. In the winter, the heels suffer from tight shoes. And, if the shoes are made of unnatural materials, and even press, then the skin of the feet does not breathe, it becomes thinner and flakes.

First aid

As a rule, it is easiest to get rid of cracked heels at the initial stage of the disease, when the skin is just beginning to peel off. In this case, it is enough only to reveal the causes of the problem and eliminate them, then the skin will stop suffering and quickly recover.

How to treat heels in the initial stages of the disease:

• First of all, you need to think about how comfortable and high-quality your shoes are. If shoes or boots are made of leather. deputy, then you should think about buying a new pair. Leather products are more expensive, but feet breathe in them, and shoes made from natural materials are much more comfortable and will last many times longer. If the problem appears exclusively in the summer, then it is better to purchase sandals with a closed heel so that the external environment does not affect the skin. Also, do not walk barefoot on the ground or sand in this case.
• To soften the skin and remove peeling, it is necessary to purchase a moisturizer, and if small cracks appear, then they need to be treated with a chlorhexidine solution and lubricated with a wound-healing ointment. It is necessary to repeat the procedure every evening before going to bed, on a clean foot. By the way, do not use regular soap for washing your feet if cracks appear, as it dries the skin a lot, moisturizing gels with a neutral ph are best suited.
• Over-grooming is often the cause of the problem. You should not rub your heels with a scrub or pumice stone every day, the peeling procedure should be carried out no more than 2 times a week, you need to give the skin time to recover, otherwise it will become very thin.
• Proper nutrition and drinking regime play a very important role in the health of the skin; you need to drink at least 2 liters of clean water per day. Food should be healthy and balanced, for the health of the feet, it is necessary to regularly include in the diet foods containing vitamins E, F, A, which are found in fresh herbs, vegetables, liver, fish, butter and other useful products. Also, to replenish vitamins, you can drink a vitamin complex, but before using it is better to consult with a therapist.
• During the treatment period, it is very important to relieve sore feet, spend less time on your feet and in tight shoes, it is better to walk barefoot at home so that the skin breathes. You should also think about losing weight if you are overweight, since obesity causes not only cracked heels, but also a number of other, more serious diseases.

Shoes

Improperly selected shoes most often cause various diseases of the feet, including cracked heels. When buying a new pair of boots, you need to pay attention to the following signs:

• Shoes should be made from natural and quality materials. Natural shoes cannot be too cheap, as the preparation of genuine leather is worth the cost. Outwardly, the material should appear of high quality, without wrinkles, tears and cuts, have a uniform shade around the entire perimeter and even seams. If you run it over the fabric with a damp white napkin, no paint should remain on it, but if the napkin is stained, then the material is not of high quality.
• The sole should be flexible, otherwise it will not be comfortable to walk in such shoes, the heel will constantly endure excessive stress and cracks will appear. Plus, shoes with stiff soles will last less.
• High-quality shoes can be recognized by their even seams, no threads should stick out of them. If you try on shoes, nothing should press.
• Good shoes should not have a strong chemical paint smell.

Deep

It is best if the disease is treated under the supervision of a dermatologist, but there are situations when the problem is caught by surprise with severe pain. In this case, you can alleviate the condition in the following ways:

• If the cracks are deep and constantly growing in size, you can seal them with medical glue, which is sold at the pharmacy. It will not allow the wound to grow and will have an antimicrobial effect. Before applying the glue, it is necessary to wash the foot well and dry it with a towel, you can use this method several times before visiting the doctor, you cannot constantly be treated like this.
• If you cannot visit a doctor, then you should not carry out treatment within a week after applying the glue. If the procedure was performed correctly, the wound under the adhesive should actively heal. After a week, you can soak your feet in herbal baths and slowly peel off the dried glue along with the rough skin. Don't rub your heels too hard and try to peel off the glue in one go. Also, during the day, you need to apply a moisturizer to the problem area.
• If the cracks are small, but cause inconvenience, it is necessary to rinse them with chlorhexidine and lubricate them with levomekol. Repeat the procedure 2 times a day and soon the painful wounds will heal.
• Paraffin ointment is very effective for deep cracks. It is necessary to mix paraffin, beeswax and salicylic ointment, preheating. Apply the resulting mixture every day to deep cracks with a cotton pad overnight, put on clean socks on top. In the morning, wash off the product with soap and water.

Treatment

To get rid of the problem quickly, it is best to immediately contact a specialist who will quickly determine the problem of the disease and, if necessary, prescribe to be tested, as well as visit such narrow specialists as an endocrinologist and a nutritionist. Skin diseases are usually treated by a dermatologist, therefore, first of all, you need to turn to to him.

If the cause of cracks in the heels is skin diseases, for example, foot fungus, then the doctor will prescribe a special medication aimed at eliminating the true cause of the problem. If the disease is associated with improper diet, then the nutritionist will select the necessary diet. In the case of hormonal disorders, it will be necessary to undergo a course of treatment with hormonal and other drugs.

In each individual case, the doctor selects the treatment according to the patient's condition, therefore it is impossible to draw up a general treatment regimen. If the cause of the cracks is external factors, and not internal disturbances in the body, then local antiseptics and healing agents will be prescribed as treatment.

Folk remedies

You can heal cracks in the heels with the help of folk remedies, it can be various baths, healing lotions and compresses. You should not be treated with folk remedies if the wound is festering or is accompanied by severe pain, in which case you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.

What to make a compress with

Ointments

• With essential oils. It is necessary to add 2-3 drops of chamomile and lavender essential oils to the baby cream, and mix well. This cream should be applied to painful areas 3-4 times a day.
• From an egg. Beat the egg yolk, vinegar and vegetable oil with a whisk until you get a homogeneous cream. It is necessary to apply this product on steamed heels before going to bed, on top you need to wrap your legs with cling film and go to bed. In the morning, wash off the ointment with warm water.
• Sour milk and butter. It is necessary to beat the yogurt and butter in a blender in a 1: 1 ratio, apply the resulting ointment to the steamed foot three times a day to speed up the healing of wounds.
• Regular petroleum jelly helps very well in the treatment of cracks. It is necessary to steam your legs, grease the cracks with Vaseline and glue it with a plaster.

Baths

• With nettles. You need to take a 2 liter glass jar, pour 4 tablespoons into it. chopped nettle leaves and pour boiling water over. Close the jar with a lid and wrap it with a warm towel, leave to cool completely. Before use, the infusion must be drained and heated, then poured into a basin and place the legs in it for 25 minutes. After the procedure, wipe your feet and apply salicylic acid ointment to painful areas, repeat the procedure every day before going to bed.
• With chamomile, calendula, string. All herbs must be mixed in equal proportions. 2 tbsp Place the chopped mixture in a saucepan and pour boiling water over it, simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, then set aside, cover and leave to cool completely. The broth must be filtered and poured into a basin, slightly diluted with warm water and placed in the foot bath for 15 minutes. Repeat the procedure every day for quick healing of the cracks.
• With starch. Take 1 tablespoon per liter of water. potato starch. In the resulting liquid, you need to steam your feet well and rub them lightly with a pumice stone. The duration of the procedure should be no more than 15 minutes, after which the feet should be lubricated with a greasy moisturizer, put on clean cotton socks on your feet, and go to bed.
• With soda and soap. It is necessary to dissolve a tablespoon of soda and a tablespoon of natural soap in two liters of hot water. A bath with such a solution should be done for 15-20 minutes, at the end of the procedure, the heels should be rubbed with a fine brush. The procedure must be repeated in a course of 10 days, a repeated course can be carried out in a month.

It is better to heal cracks according to one recipe from baths and ointments or lotions. Do not use everything at once. Each recipe must be applied in a complex manner within 10 days, steaming and moisturizing your feet, but do not rub them with pumice stone daily. If, after a course of treatment with folk remedies, there is no improvement, it is necessary to consult a doctor in order to identify the exact cause of the problem.

Prophylaxis

Disease prevention is about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. First of all, you need to adjust your diet, it should contain a sufficient amount of fruits, vegetables and meat to cover the body's needs for vitamins. Correctly selected shoes also play an important role, uncomfortable shoes can not only provoke skin defects, but also such serious diseases as clubfoot and flat feet, especially in children.

If the patient is overweight, it will not be superfluous to go in for sports in order to lose it, then the load on the feet will decrease and cracks will stop appearing. And if there is a tendency to the appearance of a problem in the summer season, it is necessary to moisturize the skin daily and use gentle gels for washing your feet.

To quickly heal cracks in the heels, it is necessary to relieve the foot so that the heel does not injure even more. If possible, it is better to walk as little as possible during the treatment period. Once the wounds have healed, it will be possible to continue an active lifestyle without daily torment.

Of course, vitamins are needed to restore the elasticity and firmness of epithelial cells. They accelerate the healing process of wounds and improve skin regeneration. It is necessary to include in the diet fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, fish, dairy products so that the body does not feel the need for any micro- and macroelements. Also, do not forget about the water balance, so drink at least 2 liters of clean water daily.

In the presence of certain diseases, the intake of a large volume of fluid leads to the formation of edema and other side effects, so consult your doctor first.

An affordable and effective remedy for cracked heels is honey. Its unique properties are used to treat various diseases and disorders in the functioning of internal systems and organs. For complete relief from painful sensations before going to bed, lubricate the affected areas with honey, wrap the top with a plastic bag and put on socks. In the morning, remove the honey residue with a cloth or sponge soaked in warm water. After just a few procedures, the skin condition will improve significantly.

Vaseline will help to cope with dry feet. Pre-steam your feet in water with the addition of boric acid (1 liter of water will require 4 tsp of powder) for 10-15 minutes, then grease with petroleum jelly, secure with a plaster and leave overnight. Repeat the procedure until the wounds are completely healed.

Oatmeal is an effective remedy for soft and smooth heels. To do this, cook a small amount of oatmeal with the addition of 5 tablespoons. vegetable oil. Divide the resulting mass in 2 plastic bags, and then put it on your feet. Wrap the top with a warm bandage or scarf. After 2-3 hours, you need to remove the compress and rinse your feet in warm water. After 7-10 procedures, the cracks will heal, the skin will become elastic and healthy.

You can make a homemade tincture: mix 100 ml of vodka, 100 ml of vinegar, 100 ml of glycerin. Take a linen cloth, soak it in the resulting solution and wrap it on your heels overnight. From above, you need to fix the compress with polyethylene and a warm sock. In the morning, remove the bandage, wash your feet and lubricate with nourishing cream. For small cracks, 2-3 procedures are enough.

Table vinegar can be replaced with 10% ammonia.

For treatment, ordinary potatoes are used. Pre-boil a few potatoes with the skins, drain the water, leaving only ¼ of the volume. Then grind until a slurry is obtained and pour into a container with cool water with the addition of a small amount of baking soda. Place in the resulting mass of the leg for 5-10 minutes, and after the procedure, apply a greasy foot cream on the heels.

An effective remedy is lotions based on mother-and-stepmother. Boil a glass of milk, pour 2 tablespoons over it. chopped plant leaves and put in a water bath for an hour. Cool the resulting mixture, put it on a cotton cloth or gauze and apply to sore spots for half an hour. After the first time, the condition will improve, and the cracks will gradually begin to heal.

Related article

Basically, cracks in the heels are the result of a fungal disease or when the skin dries out due to the large formation of the stratum corneum. When the first signs of cracks appear, it is better to consult a dermatologist to identify the cause of the ailment.

If the cause of the cracks is an overgrown stratum corneum, you need to steam your legs once a week with the help of trays and carefully problem areas with a pumice stone. Homemade ointment is considered an excellent remedy. Scroll the aloe leaves in a meat grinder and mix the resulting porridge with any fatty baby cream. Apply a bandage of ointment to the cracks daily for 3-5 hours.

In summer, small leaves of calendula mixed with yarrow will help get rid of cracked heels. Remember to rinse each herbal ingredient thoroughly to avoid contamination.

In order to avoid the appearance of cracks, get rid of the fungus, or simply eliminate, use a proven folk remedy. Wipe your 10% with table vinegar every morning and every night, then put on cotton socks when your feet dry naturally.

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Tip 3: How to heal cracked heels with folk remedies

Many people are dismissive of heel care, and this is one of the most sensitive parts of our body. No wonder it is said that foot massage can heal diseases or relax the whole body. All important human organs are projected on the feet.

Even in ancient times in Russia, people had a good habit of washing before going to bed. It was believed that warm water not only washes away all the dirt that accumulated during the day, but also all the negative energy. Then the peasants gave massage to rich gentlemen, which allowed them to relax and sleep peacefully until morning.

Now, everyone who takes care of their health should independently engage in massage and foot massage. The effect will be better and the procedure will be more pleasant if you rub any vegetable oil into your feet. After all, it is known that they contain vitamin E, which is an antioxidant. You can add 1-2 drops of rose oil to olive, vegetable or linseed oil. If you have a cold, it is best to add tea tree oil. Here you can already choose individual oils for a specific case: for depression - jasmine oil, for restful sleep - lavender oil, etc.

The heels are most often affected in the summer. During this period, you can notice dryness and cracks, the appearance of which is provoked by uncomfortable shoes and sweating of the feet. To prevent cracking, you need to choose suitable, comfortable shoes, use only a mild cleanser when washing your feet, and do not keep your feet in hot water. To avoid excessive dryness of the heels, it is recommended not to expose them to the sun for too long.

If you still have cracks on the heels, then you can heal them with folk remedies. For example:

• Make a 2 tbsp. tablespoons of flour with 1 tbsp. a spoonful of honey. Then you need to steam the heels, apply the resulting cake and bandage the foot. Put on your cotton socks and go to bed. The procedure is recommended to be carried out every day before going to bed until the cracks disappear.


• You can also knead a tortilla from a different composition. Stir in fish oil, onion juice and aloe, add flour until you form a cake. Also apply it to cracks, bandage and put on socks.


• For shallow cracks, sea buckthorn oil is suitable. You need to lubricate their heels every night, before going to bed. If possible, you can also during the day. It is best to soak a cotton swab in oil, apply to problem areas and bandage your feet. Be careful as sea buckthorn oil leaves stubborn stains on clothes.


• Lard can also be used to heal cracks. Melt the chopped bacon in a clean frying pan and grease the previously steamed heels overnight. It is recommended to wear cotton socks on your feet.

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Tip 4: how to treat cracked heels? Folk remedies

Cracked heels are painful. Most often, this ailment occurs with a fungal infection or due to drying out of the skin as a result of increased formation of the stratum corneum. You can get rid of the problem with the help of traditional medicine recipes.

Eliminate the problem with oatmeal. Cook oatmeal porridge without salt and sugar for about 2 servings, cool slightly. Add 50 ml of flaxseed oil. Take 2 whole plastic bags, spread the porridge in them, put it on your feet, wrap it with something warm, lie down for 2-2.5 hours. Place a basin of warm water by the bed in advance. Wash your feet, wipe with a towel. Perform the procedure every day for a week. Your heels will be like a baby's.

Prepare this mixture. Pour 100 g of table vinegar, vodka and glycerin into a container, mix. In the resulting product, moisten a linen cloth, tie it around the heels, fix it with something. Remove the compress in the morning, wash your feet thoroughly. A few procedures are enough to put the feet in order.

Before handling, steam the skin in hot water.

Burdock will also help with cracked heels. Take a small burdock root, chop. Melt half a pack of butter in a water bath, put the prepared root to it. Boil the composition over low heat for about 5 minutes. Lubricate your feet.

This tool will help remove cracks not only on the legs, but also on the hands and even lips.

Purchase dried nettle leaves from your local drugstore. 2 tbsp. l. collecting, pour a liter of boiling water, let stand for about 30 minutes. Dip your feet into the infusion, hold for 15 minutes. Take baths every day for 3 weeks. Lubricate the skin with honey at night, put on plastic bags, warm socks on top. Rinse everything off in the morning. Do 4 days.

You can get rid of the disease if you lubricate problem areas with spruce resin. Grated green apple or onion lotions will not be superfluous. Cracks will heal quickly if you make daily compresses from the root of elecampane. Use baths of white wine and hot water in a 1: 3 ratio.

Mix equal amounts of ammonia and glycerin. Before going to bed, steam your feet in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then do not wipe, but air dry. Rub the prepared product into the soles. The treatment should last 14-20 days. Treat steamed heels with a pumice stone at least once every 2-3 days.

Boil three medium potato tubers in a little water. Crush the finished potatoes right in the broth. Pour the resulting mass into a basin, add 20 g of baking soda and a little cold water so as not to burn the skin. Immerse your feet in the pelvis for 5-7 minutes. After that, clean with a pumice stone or a special brush from the heel to the toes. Wash, wipe dry, apply greasy cream, remove it with a paper towel after 10 minutes.

Flower oil from cracks. In the spring, when everything blooms, collect inflorescences of various flowers, you should get about 100-150 g. Pour sunflower oil into a saucepan, bring to a boil, put washed plants to it, cover, remove from heat. Insist 8-10 hours. The medicine is ready. Lubricate your feet with oil, put on bags, socks. Walk like this all day. Carry out the procedure until the problem disappears completely.

Love spell in an oriental way. At the time of Scheherazade, it was believed that when washing a man's feet, one could hear the beating of his heart, linking him forever with his own.

This view of the hygiene procedure underlines the importance of water in the East. In desert regions, every drop is worth its weight in gold. People do not wash for weeks, and in the old days they did not take a bath for months, washing only their hands and feet.

Perhaps the heart was beating faster at the same time. In the same way, it can only be argued that the heels of the inhabitants of the Ancient East were not soft. In hot and dry climates, without the possibility of frequent moisture, the skin cracked.

In the ancient books of the Arab region, dozens of recipes for dealing with tears in the covers of the toes are recorded. The problem remains relevant, and not only in the East.

The causes of cracks can not lie not only in the environment, but also in the body. For example, a number of diseases lead to changes in the feet.

Cracked heels: causes

• The seasonality of the problem will indicate the relationship of cracked heels with weather phenomena. Most people have smooth feet in the fall, winter and spring. Cracked heels appear in the summer when people change into light, open sandals.

Contacting with dry air, sand and stones falling between the sole and the foot, the skin is damaged. First, roughness forms on the heels. They go into cracks in the absence of proper care.

Therefore, by the summer it is customary to stock up on all kinds of foot files, cleaning off coarseness with rollers. Remember to buy and cream for cracked heels. In other words, external therapy is sufficient.

• Fungal infection. If cracked heels- a consequence of malfunctions in the body, it is more difficult to get rid of them. It is necessary to eliminate the root cause, and not wait out the heat. Inelastic and rough skin is made, for example, by fungi.

Their spores enter the bloodstream and are able to adapt to drugs, even antibiotics. Therefore, visits to a mycologist and dermatologist are required. Doctors, as a rule, prescribe a complex of tablets taken by mouth and ointments used externally.

After treating the fungus, patients pass skin scrapings and a blood test. If both tests are negative, deep cracked heels must pass.

• Cracked heel skin often associated, as well, with malfunctions of the endocrine system. These include thyroid problems and diabetes. The latter is not cured.

Most ailments of the thyroid gland are also chronic. It turns out that competent therapy against major ailments will help to avoid cracks in the heels or to minimize them.

If a person suffers from, for example, hypothyroidism, thyriotropic hormone, triiodothyronine and thyroxine should be kept normal. With an ailment, their production is excessive. Symptoms of the disease are not only dry heels and cracks on them, but also, excessive thinness, fatigue.

Diabetics deciding how to heal cracked heels quickly, you need to keep blood sugar normal. In addition to the drugs prescribed by the doctor, a strict diet is required. It consists of vegetables, sour fruits, cereals.

They try to replace bread with pasta made from durum wheat flour. Tea is drunk without sugar with milk. You need a lot, at least 6 glasses a day.

By adhering to such a diet, diabetics, at least non-insulin-dependent ones, manage to avoid cracking of the heels. Those whose body does not just perceive its own insulin poorly, but loses the ability to produce it, will need hormone injections.

Its deficiency against the background of diabetes leads to angiopathy. This is vascular damage. Consequently, the blood flow is disturbed, the supply of tissues with the substances they need. Trophic changes begin in the skin. Regular ointment for cracked heels can only be an auxiliary method of treatment.

• Violation of the diet can cause cracks not only in diabetics, but also in people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, gastritis. Improper nutrition leads to exacerbation and, as a result, slagging of cells.
• How to get rid of cracked heels people with anemia are also interested. The disease is caused by a deficiency of iron in the blood. Metal is involved in the synthesis of enzymes and proteins. Iron deficiency affects the epithelium, that is, the cells.

In addition to cracks in the feet, a symptom of anemia is cyanotic, almost white lips and pallor of the integument of the body. A blood test will show a lack of iron. The doctor will prescribe medications containing it.

Take antihistamines against cracked heels stands for allergic dermatitis. Irritation of the skin makes it susceptible to injury.

• Meanwhile, even on the healthy integument of the feet, the load is on the verge of what is permissible. When walking, the weight of the body presses on the heels. This alone is sufficient for the formation of microcracks.

Allergy makes them deep and painful. An uncomfortable, pressing one can also provoke the development of an ailment. It increases the load on the legs.

• Avitaminosis is also the answer to the question, why cracked heels... Vitamins A, E, C and F affect the condition of the skin, its elasticity. Accordingly, their lack makes the integument vulnerable.

Without a doctor's prescription, it is worth taking only vitamin C. Its daily dose can be exceeded 1000 times. The body will not get any worse from this. An overabundance of other vitamins can be just as unpleasant as a lack of them.

So, excess retinol only increases the itching of the skin, leading to its redness, peeling. Nausea may occur. In some patients, hypervitaminosis is accompanied by an increase in temperature.

As a result of hyper- and vitamin deficiencies, hormonal imbalances and other ailments, cracked heels can "bring" new health problems.

The skin is a protective cover that does not allow most infections and impurities to pass through. Cracks open access to blood vessels, internal tissues of the body.

Infection occurs. You can catch a fungus, an immunodeficiency virus, and hepatitis. Therefore, cracked heels are not only a cosmetic issue. Even if the skin lesions are painless, it is worth getting rid of them. Details on how to do this are below.

Cracked heels: treatment

Treatment of cracks caused by problems within the body has been discussed. Here you need a doctor's recommendation and elimination of the root cause. If the cracks are due to uncomfortable shoes or the summer period, salon treatments will help.

However, you can go through them with health problems, but only as an auxiliary method of getting rid of skin tears.

Before running to the salon, objectively assess the degree of care for your feet. Remember the expression "too good, too bad"? So, sometimes cracks in the heels are caused by excessive care for them.

In pursuit of soft and smooth legs, some so often peel off the top layer of the skin from them that it becomes excessively thinning, unable to withstand the load of body weight.

The skin bursts from pressure, not from dryness or disease. This is a rare case when it is better to forget about cracked heels, not to touch your feet for at least a couple of weeks, only moisturizing the integument.

Before visiting a beautician, it is advisable to go to a therapist. You need to make sure the heel problem is due to external factors. In the salon, they will carry out procedures for resurfacing the skin, process the edges of the breaks, and disinfect.

It remains to restore elasticity to the integument and apply healing creams. For example, copes with the first task. A number of spa treatments will also help nourish the skin with moisture and strengthen its structure.

So healed cracked heels not one woman. Men turn to salons less often, preferring to solve the problem with old-fashioned methods. We will talk about them in a separate chapter.

Prevention and treatment of cracked heels with paraffin therapy

Cracked heels: home treatment

Cracked heels folk methods plague all kinds of baths. The feet are pre-washed. The feet are lowered into the bath for 15-20 minutes.

After that, the heels are cleaned with a file, wiped dry and lubricated with a nourishing cream or fortified oil. The composition of the baths themselves varies.

You can stop at one, or alternate. Let's start with a herbal bath. It is infused with dried St. John's wort, chamomile, string, calendula or sage.

These herbs soothe the skin, relieve inflammation and heal wounds. Only one of these plants is sufficient for the bath. They are sold in pharmacies. For 2 liters of hot water, you will need 4 tablespoons of the herb. The mixture should be infused for half an hour in a cool place.

If the cracks in the heels are mild, a soda bath will help. It softens rough skin. A pleasant bonus is getting rid of foot odor. blocks the growth of bacteria. For 2 liters of water, take 2 tablespoons of powder.

Potato starch is taken in half for the specified volume of water. A bath with it is good for those whose feet are cracked due to allergic dermatitis. That is why baths with potato starch are prescribed for children with skin rashes.

30 minutes - this is how much you need to keep your feet in the starch bath to remove cracked heels. Reviews positive about the procedure. The main thing is not to let the water cool down in the bath.

A jug of boiling water is placed next to it. Like other baths, starching is recommended to be done before bedtime. The softened skin of the feet is vulnerable. In a clean bed, at rest, pathogenic bacteria will not penetrate into open pores, and dirt will not clog.

After the baths, you can use homemade creams, for example, wax. You need to melt a pinch of beeswax c. The mixture is cooled to room temperature and liquid oil is poured in.

You need a teaspoon of sea buckthorn, rosehip or calendula extract. The resulting cream is cooled, you can put it in the refrigerator. The product is good for dry skin.

Cracked heels are located among the hardened, dead skin. Taking it off, in fact, is the leg. It can be mechanical, when the stratum corneum is removed with instruments, or chemical.

In this case, fabrics are softened with alkalis, acids, peroxides. The latter include peroxide. Cracked heels treatment with its help the disinfectant "passes".

Peroxide kills most germs. But vinegar copes better with fungi. 3 servings of glycerin, that is, alcohol, are mixed with it. The mixture is applied to the heels, covered with foil and fixed with a bandage or toe. So they go to bed. In the morning, the compress is removed by washing off the ointment with warm water.

Apples contain vinegar and a number of organic acids. They also contain vitamins E and C. To get a complex for the care of feet, it is enough to rub the fruits and apply their pulp to the skin. It is fixed with a film and a bandage for 30 minutes. Express procedure can be done in the afternoon, before going out.