What Causes Cracked Feet
Cracked feet happen for a variety of reasons. And the chilly weather makes them all worse because we utilize central heating, which causes our skin to become dry. Or we increase the temperature of our shower, causing our skin to lose moisture. Additionally, if we have peripheral neuropathy, unexpected temperature drops exacerbate the condition. The condition impacts your circulation and the condition of your skin.
Aside from that, hormone shifts may also cause cracked bottom of feet. Your oil glands also begin to malfunction as you age. Your elastin protein levels decrease at the same time, which causes your skin to dry up. Then, if you have eczema or psoriasis, your feet become more susceptible to develop painful cracks on bottom of feet. Last but not least, changes to the surfaces of your skin, such as callous buildup, increase your risk for cracked feet.
If the skin in that region starts to grow thick and rough, your heels may begin to crack. Because of the extreme dryness, your feet could also start to itch. The skin may then begin to flake after that. And if things get out of hand, cracked heels could go so deep that they begin bleeding. If you have diabetes, that may be more problematic because any kind of wound might endanger the health of your feet.
How Often Should I Put Vaseline On My Feet
This way, you’ll stop any problems before they happen. If you use an exfoliating agent to remove dry skin from your feet, applying a coat of Vaseline can help lock moisture in to prevent dryness and cracking. Remember, there’s nothing in Vaseline that will harm your skin, so using it every day shouldn’t be a problem.
Apply A Ripened Banana Mask
Do not toss overripe bananas into the trash! Instead, put them to good use by making a foot mask. Applying overripe bananas to your cracked feet may moisturize and soften the hard skin.
The vitamins A, B6, and C in bananas can provide hydration and nutrition to the skin, aiding in the treatment of cracked feet.
How to use:
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Discover How We Can Help You Find Relief From Fissures
A fissure is a crack in the skin. In some instances, fissures can be nothing more than a minor annoyance that will heal with little or no assistance. Other times, irritations like this may contribute to serious infections and other medical problems. When deep cracks occur on feet, they typically appear on heels or in between toes.
- If fissures are affecting the ability to continue with daily movements without pain, a foot specialist may be able to recommend a treatment that could lead to much-appreciated relief.
- Attention from a podiatrist, especially for deeper or more extensive fissures, can also reduce the risk of infection.
How To Prevent Cracked Heels And Other Foot Problems
Check your feet daily. This is particularly important if you have diabetes. Checking your feet every day will help you find problems before they become serious. Look for:
Wash your feet every day. Use warm water to wash your feet. Dry them well, making sure you get between your toes because the skin there tends to stay wet. Then apply cornstarch or talcum powder between your toes. This will keep the skin dry and help prevent infection.
Trim your toenails. If your toenails need to be cut, trim them straight across. Then file them down gently with an emery board. This will help prevent ingrown toenails.â
Wear supportive footwear. Start with clean, lightly padded socks that fit well. Wear shoes that fit and support your feet. Shop for shoes at the end of the day, since feet tend to swell as the day goes on.
Protect your feet from temperature extremes. Make sure you wear shoes at the beach and on hot pavement. Use sunscreen to protect exposed areas of your feet. If your feet get cold at night, wear socks to bed. In the winter, wear lined waterproof boots to keep your feet warm and dry.
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Do You Need A Caring And Experienced Podiatrist
If your heel fissures are deep, bleeding, or infected, contact our office for an evaluation. You can contact us online to schedule your appointment or call one of our convenient El Paso offices directly. To reach our Sierra Tower Building podiatrist office, please call 915.533.5151. You can find driving directions here. To reach our George Dieter Drive podiatry office, please call 915.856.3331. Driving directions are available here.
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Treatment for Cracked Skin on the Feet
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When To See A Healthcare Provider
Sometimes, bottom-of-foot pain goes away on its own in a few days. Other times, it becomes a chronic condition that impacts your quality of life. It’s important to have an accurate diagnosis and begin treatment and any lifestyle changes to relieve pain on the bottom of your foot.
See a healthcare provider if you have:
- New pain that lasts more than a few days
- Loss of sensation or tingling
- Existing chronic foot pain that gets worse
- Pain that makes it uncomfortable and difficult to walk or do other activities
- An injury that causes foot pain
- Dizziness or nausea related to foot pain
- Fever or swelling with foot pain
- Diabetes or another condition that affects your nerves
In general, your primary care provider should be the first person you see for any foot pain, injury, or other condition you are experiencing.
Based on their assessment, they may point you to a podiatrist or orthopedist .
Your PCP may point you to a neurologist if they suspect your foot pain is due to a nerve condition like peripheral neuropathy or Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Treatment For Dry And Cracked Skin
If youve tried all sorts of lotions, creams and balms to treat your dry and cracked foot calluses without any result, then it might be time to see a specialist such as a podiatrist. Theyll be more equipped to tell you exactly what the cause of the problem is and will administer the right treatment.
Podiatrists are also qualified to remove calluses and corns, which will help you avoid future damage, and your feet will look much better as a result. Its important to add here that extremely dry skin can only get better when prescription-strength creams are administered, and youll have to consult with an appropriate physician in order to get that.
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Treatment Of Fissures With Related Athletes Foot
Fissures on or around toes may develop along with athletes foot. If this the case, treatment will involve addressing the fissure and the fungal infection that caused the athletes foot. Regular foot washing can prevent the problem from getting worse. Over-the-counter or prescription fungal creams can help clear up the infection from the athletes foot.
Using lotion on dry feet to make skin less brittle and not going barefoot on outdoor surfaces are some of the steps that can be taken to reduce the chances of developing fissures on feet. While fissures arent directly caused by bacteria or any type of fungus, infections can develop if cracks in skin arent treated or allowed to properly heal. This can be especially problematic for patients with diabetes, arthritis, and other conditions that may affect circulation, promote inflammation, or contribute to other foot issues.
What Can I Do For The Cracked Soles Of My Feet
While dry skin can seem rather innocuous, cracked soles of the feet can often itch, burn and even bleed, making you vulnerable to infection.Fortunately, medical experts have several recommendations for treating dry and cracked soles of the feet, particularly the areas most prone to cracking, the heels and the areas between the toes.In addition, you can take preventative measures at home to ensure that dry skin does not develop deep cracks.
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Who Gets A Cracked Heel And Why
Anyone can get a cracked heel. Predisposition may be due to:
- Systemic conditions, including diabetes and hypothyroidism
Dry thickened skin around the rim of the heel is the very first step towards cracking. Increased pressure on the fat pad under the heel causes it to expand sideways, leading to splitting or cracking of the callus. Some factors that contribute to cracking or splitting include:
- Excessive weight or obesity
- Prolonged standing, especially on hard floors
- Open-back shoes and sandals, as they provide no support to hold the fat pad under the foot
Home Treatments For Dry Or Cracked Feet & Heels
Oftentimes, Xerosis on your feet can be treated at home with proper attention and care.
In our How to Permanently Heal Cracked Feetpost, we outline some great DIY advice around:
- Keeping your feet clean to prevent infection or worsening of symptoms
- Soaking and exfoliating to remove excess dry skin
- Sealing deep cracks to allow them the right conditions to heal
- Finding the right moisturizer to keep your feet hydrated and happy moving forward
However, oftentimes external and internal influences or infections need to be addressed to prevent a recurrence of dry feet flakiness and pain.
Thats where a podiatrist comes into play counseling you on important adjustments to your everyday routine, ways to live with a pre-existing condition to prevent dry skin, and treatment for pesky fungal or bacterial foot infections.
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The Final Diagnosis & Proper Care You Need
Its not always easy to tell if your feet are just naturally dry or if you are suffering from another issue. A prime example of this is foot peeling, which could be both a symptom of dry skin conditions like eczema and the result of excessive moisture from a condition like hyperhidrosis. Confusing, right?
Here at Foot & Ankle Group, our skilled podiatrists can get to the bottom of your dry feet cause and offer the treatment options you need for quick relief.
Give us a call to set up an appointment at 239.936.5400, today.
Applying A Keratolytic To Thickened Skin
When the heel skin is thick, applying a keratolytic may help thin it, as well as the other treatments.
Keratolytics are agents that thin thickened skin, cause the outer skin layer to loosen, and help with removal of dead skin cells. This process allows the skin to keep in more moisture.
Examples of keratolytics include:
- alpha hydroxy acids, such as lactic acid and glycolic acid
Products that contain both keratolytics and humectants may be the most useful. For example, urea is both a keratolytic and humectant that moisturizes and removes dry, cracked, and thickened skin.
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Heel Fissures And Diabetes
It is common for heel fissures to occur in those with diabetes. Diabetes can damage the nerves in the feet. The damage to the nerves results in the feet not being able to sweat and provide needed moisture to the feet. Those with diabetes often have dry skin on their feet due to this reason.
Heel fissures can lead to deep ulcers and open sores on the heels which are extremely dangerous to diabetics since they can easily become infected. This can cause serious complications and even amputation.
Treatments For Heel Or Foot Fissures
Deep skin moisturizers promote the healing of fissures on heels and other parts of the feet. Keeping skin properly moisturized is often all thats necessary for minor fissures. Its best to treat skin abnormalities of this nature early to reduce the risk of an infection developing from the opening in the skin. Having a crack in skin in feet also provides a potential opening for germs and bacteria to get into the affected foot or heel.
The healing process can be further encouraged by applying topical creams and lotions to the affected area a few times a day. Feet should be covered with breathable cotton socks to keep germs and other possible sources of infection from getting into feet. Soaking feet in warm water and using a pumice stone to remove layers of dead skin can also be helpful.
If pain from fissures continues, it may be necessary to consider over-the-counter or custom orthotics. Foot and ankle supports can also provide added cushioning and take pressure off of the affected area to allow skin to heal without further irritation. Individuals with a compromised immune system or underlying health issues may benefit from further evaluation and treatment from a podiatrist.
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Other Tips To Get Rid These Sores
Here is more to tips to prevent or treat the bottom of foot sores:
- Protect your foot from harsh weather i.e. cold or hot weather
- Wash your feet daily
- Wear shoes and shocks almost every time if possible
- You are able to examine every part of your feet daily
- You should also not forget good foot hygiene
- In case you suffer corns and calluses, you should consult the doctor for good care
- You should drink plenty amount of water daily to stay hydrated
- Avoid extreme sweating by removing your tight shoes or socks at some points
- You should avoid hot showers, this robs the skin its moisture
How To Treat Cracked Heels At Home
Most cases of cracked heels can be treated at home by soaking your feet, then moisturizing them. You can repair cracked heels using these steps:
- Rest your feet in soapy water for 20 minutes.
- Gently scrub with a loofah or pumice stone to remove the thick, hard skin on your heels.
- Dry your feet thoroughly.
- Apply a heavy moisturizer, such as petroleum jelly, to your dry feet.
- Put on a pair of thick socks to keep the moisturizer in place.â
Moisturize your feet at least twice daily. You can buy over-the-counter moisturizers with ingredients that help remove the dead skin on your heels or retain moisture. Look for products with ingredients like:
Ointments or creams may work better than lotions.
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When To Seek Emergency Care
There are some instances in which you should go straight to the emergency room. Don’t hesitate to go to the ER if:
- You have severe pain or swelling
- You are unable to put any weight on your foot or walk
- You have numbness or loss of sensation
- The pain or tingling comes on suddenly
- You feel burning or tingling in your feet after being exposed to toxins
- You had a flu or other infection in the days or weeks before your pain began, which could indicate Guillain-Barré syndrome
- You have an open wound, or your wound has signs of infection, such as pus, redness, or red streaks leading from it
Contact Dermatitis And Poison Ivy
Sores on the bottom of feet can also be due to contact dermatitis. It can be due to an allergic reaction or irritation to several irritants. There are several allergens and irritations that can be blamed. These can include chemicals and dyes used to manufacture shoes and socks, soaps and detergents, etc.
Blisters can also form in reaction to poison ivy if the bottom of the foot is exposed the best treatment so far will involve lotions or creams containing calamine as well as oral or topical antihistamines.
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Cracked Feet: Causes And Natural Home Remedies
Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.
Are you in a position that has you standing for long hours? Or perhaps you have a serious medical condition that causes dry feet?
The result may be cracked feet, and if left untreated, can cause severe pain and infection.
With the sandal season right around the corner, we look at cracking feet causes and the best home remedies to heal cracking feet.
Your unsightly cracked heals and feet are mainly as a result of dry skin brought on by a lack of moisture to the affected areas. Our feet do not contain oil glands, and are, therefore, susceptible to dryness. Too much dryness causes heel fissures, which can turn into cracks quite easily.
The pain associated with this condition happens when the dermis layer is broken by the cracking of the skin. You may experience symptoms of itchiness, rough and hard callused skin, flaky spots, and cracked skin. Cracking of the skin can cause it to bleed, and can lead to bacterial infections.