Your feet take a pounding every day. Regular maintenance and care, including soothing soaks and the use of moisturizers, can keep your feet looking and feeling healthy. Soaking dry, cracked feet also can be an important first step in treating conditions such as psoriasis or athlete's foot.
Psoriasis Treatment
Psoriasis is a chronic condition that causes a buildup of skin cells on the surface of your feet, leading to scaly, cracked skin. For symptom relief, soak in a warm water solution that includes oils, oilated oatmeal -- which contains skin-softening agents -- or Epsom or Dead Sea salts, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. After 15 minutes or so of soaking, apply a moisturizer to your feet immediately.
Exfoliation
Soothe cracked heels and foot soles in lukewarm water with a little soap to loosen dead skin. Use a foot scrubber or pumice stone to scrub away the dead skin, but be careful not to scrub too hard and damage the skin underneath. After exfoliating, massage body lotion or foot moisturizer into the skin. By removing the upper layer of dead skin cells, exfoliation helps encourage new, healthy cell growth.
Spa Soaks
Spas that offer pedicures may have customers soak their feet in a solution that includes any number of exotic ingredients. These foot soaks might contain Chinese herbs, curative teas, salts, seaweeds and other natural ingredients. The spa may target the ingredients based partly on the health or needs of the skin on your feet, as well as your soreness, stress or mood.
Warning
If you have severely cracked or even bleeding feet, don't use a scrub or moisturizer that contains lots of dyes and/or perfumes because these substances can further irritate your sensitive, damaged skin. Likewise, if you have diabetic ulcers on your feet, do not soak your feet for more than a few minutes at at time. Prolonged exposure to water or moisture will weaken the skin and make it more difficult for the ulcers to heal.
Expert Insight
The Cleveland Clinic recommends soaking and moisturizing your feet twice a day to deal with cracked heels and feet. Wear socks after applying moisturizer to help retain its benefits. Clinic experts suggest not wearing sandals or shoes with thin soles or going barefoot, particularly if you have heel fissures or any cracks in your feet. Shoes with strong, supportive soles can help relieve pressure on the soles of your feet.
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