Dry skin is a common condition that occurs when your skin loses its normal water or oil content. If you experience skin dryness on your feet, you may also develop significant skin cracks or fissures. In some cases, these abnormal openings on the surfaces of your feet may lead to serious complications, including pain and the development of an infection called cellulitis.
Dry Skin
You may develop dry skin on your feet for a number of reasons, including exposure to low-humidity environments during wintertime, use of harsh soaps, frequent bathing and the presence of a disorder called eczema, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine's Medline Plus. In addition to common dry skin, the New Zealand Dermatological Society lists potential causes of skin cracking that include psoriasis, the presence of skin-drying disorders such as hypothyroidism or diabetes, and an abnormal thickening of the soles called palmoplantar keratoderma.
Cracked Skin
Cracking of your foot skin typically involves your heels, according to the Foot and Ankle Center of Washington. If your feet have a layer of thickened tissue called a callus, your heel cracks may be particularly significant or severe. Factors that contribute to the development of heel cracks or fissures include being overweight or obese, standing for extended periods of time, wearing open-backed shoes and the presence of the same disorders that contribute to dry skin. Skin cracks typically form at the juncture of the sides and bottoms of your feet, the Foot and Ankle Center notes.
Calluses
Calluses may appear dark brown or yellow in color, the New Zealand Dermatological Society reports. When a callus forms, it typically contains visible small cracks. Without proper treatment, daily pressure on your heel will increase the size of these cracks, leading to pain when you walk or stand. In some cases, you may develop cracks that are deep enough to cause bleeding.
Complications
If your foot skin cracks become infected, you may develop a serious bacterial disorder called cellulitis, the New Zealand Dermatological Society explains. Medline Plus lists symptoms of cellulitis that include skin inflammation or redness, fever, skin tenderness or pain, chills, muscle aches and a rapidly developing rash or sore. If you have diabetes, loss of sensation in your feet may make you incapable of feeling the pain of cracked foot skin. As a result, untreated fissures in your skin may eventually develop into serious diabetic foot ulcers.
Treatments
You can treat or prevent cracks on your feet with moisturizers that contain salicylic acid, urea, saccharide isomerate or alpha-hydroxy acids, the New Zealand Dermatological notes. You can also treat any pain with gels, liquids or spray bandages. If self-treatment does not work, your doctor may recommend options that include prescription medications, straps or bandages that reduce movement of your skin, procedures that cut away dead or infected skin, use of special glues to close any fissures and use of pads that redistribute your weight. If you develop cellulitis, your doctor will remove any damaged tissue and prescribe antibiotics.
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