Cracked feet, or foot fissures, occur when friction or prolonged pressure splits open dry skin on the feet. Eczema, psoriasis, diabetes, and hypothyroidism increase the risk of developing foot cracks, and the heels are more likely to crack than...
Smelly feet usually can be attributed to one thing: sweat. A foot has more than 250,000 sweat glands, says Los Angeles podiatrist Joshua Kaye. When that sweat interacts with the normal bacteria on the skin, in the enclosed environment of socks and...
Dealing with dry skin can be a challenge --- that's evident in the skin-care aisles crowded with creams, lotions, ointments and oils. But if your heels are so dry that they are sore and cracked, they need special attention. Especially if your...
Skin peels and cracks when the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin, becomes damaged. Home treatment is typically enough to reduce simple cases of peeling and cracking. But because peeling and cracking may be symptoms of something else, a trip...
If you suffer from dry skin on your feet, you are not alone. This is a common problem, as we often forget regular foot care because our feet are hidden from view for most of the day. Dry skin sometimes occurs on the fleshy balls of the feet,...
Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to multiple complications. Keeping diabetes under control is paramount for preventing conditions that can shorten lifespan, lead to disability, and decrease quality of life. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of...
Cracked heels, or heel fissures, can be very painful and may cause discomfort while standing, walking or during exercise. Cracked heels are not dangerous at first--ignore them and they may crack, bleed and cause infection. Preventive care and...
Cracked heels, medically referred to as heel fissures, cause skin to become dry, rough and flaky. Sometimes a hardening and thickening of the skin, known as a callus, develops around the border of a cracked heel. When left untreated, these cracks...
Whether you have light cracks on your heels or red cracks between your toes, cracked feet can be irritating. Usually, cracked feet and toes don't present any serious health problems. However, cracks can cause pain. Deeper cracks may become...
Your skin is a vital organ that requires care and attention to stay healthy. Skin is your frontline of defense against bacteria, viruses, free radicals and other enemies of good health. Natural skincare treatments can nourish and protect your skin...
Dry cracked feet may cause physical discomfort and affect the appearance of your feet. Cracked heels may cause tears and pain in your feet and affect your ability to walk and exercise. Understanding the different causes of and solutions to dry and...
Foot disorders are commonly linked to diabetes mellitus and can result in harsh complications if left untreated. Drug Topics, an online pharmacist magazine, reports that up to 24 percent of diabetes patients with foot ulcers must receive an...
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...
Ignoring the dry skin on your feet can eventually lead to cracking and peeling that makes each step painful. Sometimes the dryness is due to lack of humidity in your environment or simple lack of attention, such as skipping the moisturizer after a...
Edema is a condition commonly known as water weight. Fluid builds up in your lower extremities and causes swelling and even skin cracking. Diabetics and those suffering hypothyroidism are most likely to develop cracked heels from edema, according...
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that can cause many health problems. The ill effects of diabetes stem from elevated levels of glucose in the bloodstream. The body cannot process the glucose properly, so it ends up being deposited in...
Diabetes mellitus categorizes a group of diseases disturbing the body's blood sugar, or glucose, levels. The most common type of diabetes is type 2, affecting up to 96 percent of diabetics reports the National Institutes of Health. The condition...
When dry skin affects your feet, the heels may develop cracks on the surface known as fissures. The Foot & Ankle Center of Washington notes that obesity, standing for long periods of time and such medical and skin conditions as diabetes,...
While dry skin on the bottom of the feet is a common condition, several severe skin diseases can result in dry skin, as well as cracks. Peeling skin and open cracks can lead to infections, which can lead to serious consequences for diabetics. It...
Though foot dryness is common, there are times when this condition causes pain and discomfort. People with extremely dry feet often suffer from red or flaky skin patches , and find that the skin around their feet is peeling, itchy and cracking....
Diabetes can cause prolonged, high levels of blood glucose that impede blood flow throughout the body and skin. This can damage or destroy nerves, delay healing, and decrease oxygen and nutrition to cells of the body. The University of Maryland...
Diabetics often lose sensation in their hands and feet, making it harder for them to detect injuries and cuts on fingers and toes. Make it a part of your morning routine to inspect your feet for cuts, bruises and discoloration. Lift your feet and...
Dry, cracked feet are not only painful and unsightly, but are susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections. You can use over-the-counter medications for relief of minor foot cracks and to prevent new ones from developing. For best results, apply...
Foot complications are common in diabetic patients and often are caused by the body's poor circulatory system. According to PodiatryChannel.com, leg and foot problems are the primary cause of hospitalization for diabetics. Diabetes is also the...
There is a wide range of conditions that first appear as purplish discolorations on the skin. Some conditions may be harmless and treated with cosmetic cover-ups, other discolorations can signal serious skin diseases that must be tested and...
Embarrassment over a milder case of dry, cracked skin on your feet may make you want to bury them in the sand. However, moderate to severely dry skin on the feet, especially when accompanied by cracking and fissures on your heels, is often quite...
Cellulitis is a common skin infection caused by certain bacteria, such as staphylococci and streptococci, that occurs due to cracks or breaks in the skin, insect bites or diabetic ulcers. Fever, chills, fatigue, painful rash and inflammation of...
According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 8 percent of the population has diabetes, including both children and adults. As diabetes is a chronic condition of lack of blood sugar control, many organs may eventually be affected by the...
Diabetes, a serious condition characterized by high blood glucose, affects many systems in the body, including the immune system. Since the immune system helps protect the body from infection, diabetics often develop more infections than people...