Our feet are one of the most neglected parts of our body – ask yourself, when was the last time you sat down and moisturized your feet?! … we rarely do!
When the skin around the heels becomes thickened or dry, it loses its elasticity, and can split under the pressure of walking and prolonged daily movement. Those poor cracked heels can become incredibly painful, even bleeding, and if left untreated, can become infected.
Cracked heels can be caused by a number of other elements – not just heat and walking! Prolonged standing, hard shoe soles or inappropriate footwear, hard floors, your weight adding pressure to the pads of your heels, and even the reduction of the natural oil production in your body as you age.
If you suffer from cracked heels, or are prone to them appearing in the heat-filled summer months, here’s some tips to help combat the issue.
*
Use a heel balm or oil-based moisturiser twice daily. Using a heel balm
in the morning helps increase the elasticity of the skin on your heels
before you get moving for the day. Likewise, moisturising at night can
help the heels during their ‘recovery’ when our bodies are relaxed and
in self-healing mode. Dip your feet in a bowl of warm water for about 10
minutes. Dry the feet completely and lather on your moisturizer (or
even vegetable oil!). Put on some socks and if you can - sleep with them
on throughout the night. The warmth of your body will soak the oil and
will be more effective. Repeat this until you start to see significant
improvement.* A pumice stone or a foot file (like a giant emery board) can be used to reduce the thickness of the hard skin in less severe cases. In more severe cases you may need the help of a podiatrist as they can remove the thick layer of the heel callus fairly simply. This may be done regularly, or if you are willing to put the work in, it can give you a kick start in the right direction. Try using a foot file on both wet and dry feet to see which one works better.
* For a natural home remedy, why not try soaking your feet in lemon juice for about 10 minutes. It’s (non-harmful) acidity will help get rid of the dead and unnecessary skin – give your feet a good scrub while in the lemon juice to get a better effect.
* Likewise, using glycerin mixed with Rosewater will help heal and smooth the cracks.
* For something a little unconventional, why not try applying banana pulp to your cracked heels for about ten minutes. Afterwads, wash with water - a harmless "daily" routine that can help naturally clear the cracks.
ake
a banana pulp and apply it on your cracked heels for about ten
minutes. Wash with water and clean your feet. This method is harmless
and you can do it daily. - See more at:
http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/cure-cracked-heels-natural-way/#sthash.RtGXbL8g.dpuf
Take
a banana pulp and apply it on your cracked heels for about ten
minutes. Wash with water and clean your feet. This method is harmless
and you can do it daily. - See more at:
http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/cure-cracked-heels-natural-way/#sthash.RtGXbL8g.dpuf
* And on another note - healthy skin is also a result of a good diet. Eat food containing lots of iron, zinc and omega 3 fats.
There are quite a number of ‘over the counter’ creams and moisturisers that can be found in pharmacies or supermarkets, and ofcourse lots of home remedies which can help aswell!
If you suffer from severe cracked heels though, we recommend a visit to your local Podiatrist, who can assess the issue and help you create a plan of attack to combat the problem.
Look after those feet!!
~ The Easy Living Footwear Team
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