Care of Cracked Feet

The skin of our feet lacks the normal sweat glands that are present everywhere else because of which it is normally a bit drier when compared to the rest of our body. Though anyone can have dry feet, it is more common among seniors and diabetics.

Occasional dryness of skin on any part of the body is not much of a problem. But chronically dry skin on the heels and feet can become problematic because it tends to ulcerate. In healthy people, the ulceration heals rather quickly due to good blood flow. But in seniors and especially in diabetics, the growth of new blood vessels and the repair of existing ones slows down quite a bit. So these chronically ulcerated heels crack further and attrct bacteria, leading to infections. Diabetics are especially vulnerable to infections, thanks to chronically cracked heels.

Since cracked feet can be much more than just a cosmetic concern, it is important to manage them. Here are some tips on caring for cracked heels:

1: Make it a Habit: Cleaning, moisturizing and regular inspection of the feet is important. Regular moisturizing is a good cure for dry or cracked heels.

2: Soak Your Feet: At the end of the day, soak your feet in warm soapy water for about 15 minutes. Rinse feet and pat dry.

3: Make a healing mixture: Mix one teaspoon Vaseline and the juice of one lemon. Rub this mixture on cracked heels and other dry areas of the feet till it is thoroughly absorbed. The oils in this mixture will help to soften dry and cracked heels. You can then exfoliate more easily. Avoid harsh cosmetic exfoliating scrubs .Instead you can make your own gentle and natural scrub with honey, apple cider vinegar, and rice flour

• Grind 10-15g of into a slightly coarse flour.
• Add a few spoons of raw honey along with apple cider vinegar to obtain a thick paste.
• If the cracks are very deep, you can add a spoon of olive oil or sweet almond oil.
• Soak your feet for 20 minutes in hot water or lime water and then massage them with this paste. The vinegar will help to dissolve the dead skin while the rice flour will gently slough off the top layer of dead skin. The honey and olive oil act as natural moisturizers and will help to keep the skin on your feet soft and moisturized and this will prevent further cracking.

4: Paraffin and Mustard Oil Remedy: Melt paraffin wax and mix it well with mustard oil. Apply on the cracked area. Rinse it off in the morning. You will probably want to wear a pair of socks to prevent it from making a mess. A continuous application for a week or two can achieve desirable results.

5: Plain Old Lemon Juice: Soak the feet in lemon juice for about 10 minutes. It is best to soak your feet in a lemon juice solution and then lightly scrub it with a loofah or apply the pulp of a ripe banana on the dry or cracked area of the heel. Lemon juice is a very mild natural acid and helps to dissolve dead and dry skin.