Home remedies for cracked heels can help with this common and very bothersome problem. Cracked heels look unsightly, and even worse - they can hurt when walking and cause serious infections. Here are 8 home remedies for cracked heels - see how to relieve yourself from this unpleasant ailment.
Home methods for cracking heels can be used at home, regularity is important. Cracked heels are a problem for people of all ages. It is especially often seen in summer, when most of us wear open shoes. Where do cracked heels come from?
The skin on the heels is almost twice as thick as elsewhere, so the epidermis in these places grows very quickly and is not able to peel off by itself. If it is not removed mechanically, the skin loses its elasticity, begins to keratose and, consequently, to crack.
If we do not take care of our feet at the right time, it may end up in deep wounds, through which dangerous bacteria and viruses will enter the body.
Here are 8 home remedies for cracked heels that each of us can apply ourselves.
Cracked heels - the most common causes
Dry skin - this can be caused by:
malnutrition,
drinking insufficient amounts of fluids,
deficiency of vitamin A, which is responsible for skin hydration.
Improper footwear - both high-heeled shoes and those with too thin soles that do not absorb the forces generated during walking can be harmful. Too long standing is also inadvisable.
Overweight - under the influence of extra pounds, the skin on the heels expands and may crack as a consequence.
Diabetes - diabetics have very sensitive skin on their feet and impaired blood supply to this part of the body, which is why they are more susceptible to any injuries.
Genetics - this disease is very common in several generations in a given family.
Home remedies for cracked heels
In order to get rid of the problem of cracked heels, systematic care is crucial. Here are the most popular home treatments for damaged feet:
Soaking your feet in water with salt. Medicinal salt, for example Ivonic or Bochnia, will work best for this. It is better not to use table salt for this, especially if there are wounds on the heels. In this situation, a Dead Sea extract that heals cracked heels may be good.
A bath in an infusion of herbs. To create a soothing mixture, just mix two tablespoons of fenugreek, linseed and chamomile, pour boiling water over them, and then soak your feet in the warm mixture for a quarter of an hour. You can also add yarrow, birch leaf, calendula and comfrey root to the mixture.
Soaking feet in linseed. It is enough to pour boiling water over the linseeds and, after slightly cooling, soak the feet in this decoction. After bathing (without rinsing the feet with water), wipe off the peeling skin with a pumice stone or a grater. The oil contained in the seeds will soften and elasticize the skin.
Bath in milk and rubbing with baking soda. First, you soak your feet in slightly warmed milk (about half a liter), and then rub them with baking soda, which acts as a natural pumice stone. After 5 minutes, the legs can be rinsed with water and wiped dry.
Regular removal of callous epidermis with special graters and a pumice stone (preferably with every bath).
Daily use of moisturizing creams designed for cracked heels. It is good if they contain urea, which softens and moisturizes the skin extremely well, retaining water in it, or glycerin, which has similar properties.
Vitamin A treatment. After rubbing the keratinized epidermis, massage it into your heels (it is best to use one in capsules), and after it is absorbed, rub a thick layer of moisturizing cream on your feet and put on cotton socks. This treatment is best done at night. The effects should be visible after a week.
Unloading the legs as often as possible. If every day we have to stand for a long time, let's take breaks as often as possible, sitting or standing on our toes. If our lifestyle is predominantly sedentary, get up once in a while to walk. After a whole day in the evening, it is worth relaxing with your legs slightly raised (e.g. on a pillow) to improve the blood circulation in your legs.
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