Cracked heels can be very painful, as well as embarrassing. They are most often a result of dry skin combined with other factors, such as excess weight on the feet or standing on your feet all day. You can treat most cases of cracked heels at home, with a little extra care and attention to your feet. Trying the following treatment can help heal the heels, as well as save you time and money spent at the doctor's office.
Step 1
Rub your cracked heels with a pumice stone to loosen and remove as much dead skin as possible.
Step 2
Soak your feet for 15 minutes in a foot basin with warm water and a mild cleanser. Rinse your feet well, and pat dry with a towel.
Step 3
Repeat the pumice stone rub on slightly damp feet, as it may help remove more dead skin, relieving some of the thickness of the cracked heel. When you are finished, wipe your heels once again with a damp towel.
Step 4
Moisturize your heels with an oil-based moisturizer. There is no need to purchase a special moisturizer, as you can use pure oil from your kitchen. You can use olive oil and coconut oil as moisturizers, because they both have wound-healing and antibiotic properties, according to the November-December 2008 issue of "Dermatitis."
Step 5
Put on cotton socks after your moisturizer, as the socks will help keep the oil on your feet and prevent it from rubbing off elsewhere. The best time to moisturize is in the evening, so you can keep the socks on when you go to bed.
Step 6
Take special effort to keep your feet clean. One of the problems associated with cracked heels is an increased risk of infection. Bacteria can easily enter through the breaks in the skin on the feet. Never go barefoot when you have cracked heels, especially in public places, such as swimming pools, saunas or gym showers.
Step 7
Drink more water. Your skin needs moisture to come from the inside of your body, as well as the outside.
Tips and Warnings
- Even if you do not have time to take a foot soak, you should moisturize cracked heels two to three times per day. If you need to take a shower at the gym or be barefoot near a pool, keep a pair of flip-flops handy to protect your feet from bacteria.
- If you try home treatments for your cracked heels and they show no signs of getting better or, even, become worse, speak to your physician.
Things You'll Need
- Pumice stone
- Foot basin
- Mild cleanser
- Towel
- Moisturizer or olive or coconut oil
- Cotton socks
- Flip-flops
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