Caring for your feet
Cracked heels are not only unsightly, they are also painful and bad for your feet, and can affect how you walk. Furthermore, dry, cracked heels may increase the risk of infection in the feet and lead you to develop fissures. Cracked heels develop if you don’t take care of your feet, but some of the other most common causes of dry skin on the heels of the feet include: regularly standing for long periods of time, athlete’s foot, heel spurs, eczema, diabetes, obesity, and other medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and juvenile plantar dermatosis.
Our feet carry us everywhere so it is important to take care of them as much as possible, and ensure that they are well looked after. Ideally, you should pay for a pedicure regularly, because the professionals will give you a good soak for your feet and file your toe nails. However, you can also do a home pedicure to get rid of hard skin on your feet, and then moisturise and condition your skin.
Regular pamper sessions are important, where you relax and give yourself some TLC. When washing your feet, scrub your heels with a pumice stone, and scrub or wash cloth, making sure that you use soap and water to lather.When you are done, apply a heavy, oil-based cream such as petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and then put on cotton socks. Do this preferably at night, so that your feet can be moisturised while you are asleep.
When it comes to cracked heels, petroleum jelly is your best bet. It may take a while to soak in but it is a good way to restore moisture to cracked heels. If the heel cracks are bad, apply a heavier, oil-based cream or petroleum jelly such as Vaseline. Since we are on our feet most of the time, they do get tired, so soak your feet a few times a week and always use a pumice stone or foot brush to gently exfoliate off dead skin from the feet.While it might seem like a good idea to use hot water, it is not. Avoid hot showers or baths as much as possible, and rinse in tepid (warm) water to prevent the skin from drying.