Podiatrist’s Advice on Heel Cracks

Athlete’s foot, ingrown toenails, and heel cracks. It might not sound like a huge problem, but for those affected, it’s extremely painful and something that makes itself known with every step. But it’s fairly easy to prevent. Here you’ll find sound advice and tips from Carola Richardson, a medical foot care therapist who is passionate about good foot health.

‘It’s so important to take care of your feet—they carry us through our entire lives, yet they’re easy to forget about. Once you start having problems, though, you need patience, the right measures, and good products to get rid of them. There’s a huge benefit to doing things correctly from the start, for example to avoid using strong medications,’ says Carola Richardson, who also teaches courses for podiatrists on nail and skin fungus. In recent years, in her practice, she has seen an increase in foot and nail fungus, particularly. ‘I think it could be because we exercise more. It’s also twice as common in men. The absolute biggest risk of transmission is in public showers and locker rooms. It’s warm and humid there, fungal spores thrive in that environment, and the infection spreads easily.’

How to Get Healthy, Beautiful Feet

- Regular  foot bath, preferably with BIOpH+ Footcare, which treats and builds healthy feet.
- Moisturize with a foot salve with good ingredients.
- Don’t file or sand too much, as this triggers the skin to form calluses.
- Receive regular foot care from a medical foot care therapist. The First Step to Healthy Feet

The First Step to Healthy Feet

Taking care of your feet has never been easier. Regular  foot bath with BIOpH+ lays the foundation for avoiding problems and delivers positive results for anyone dealing with issues like athlete’s foot, heel cracks, and calluses. 

It’s almost impossible to tell just by looking if dry feet and flaky skin patches are caused by fungus—symptoms mimic both eczema and psoriasis. A first step is to use BIOpH+ Footcare. The foot bath relieves symptoms regardless of whether the person has fungus or not. BIOpH+ is effective, biodegradable, and a safe product with no side effects, according to clinical studies. Many people who see symptoms they think are fungus start treating themselves with medications. But this will be ineffective if it’s not actually fungus you have, and the result is that you’ve used strong products unnecessarily, with the risk of side effects that medications carry. 

‘I’m truly passionate about foot fungus,’ says Carola Richardson, who also trains aspiring foot care therapists about athlete’s foot.

‘It’s so important to act quickly so that the problem doesn’t develop into athlete’s foot that covers the entire sole of the foot or spreads up into the nails. 
She explains that fungus is a parasite that significantly worsens skin quality and can also lead to cracks. With BIOpH+ medical-grade foot care products, you relieve symptoms regardless of whether you have athlete’s foot or not. If you don’t get the desired effect after regular use, it’s a good idea to get a diagnosis. It’s relatively easy to do, either with a so-called DNA test at a medical foot care therapist or with a culture at a healthcare center.

‘My most important advice of all is to keep the skin on your feet healthy, as well as your nails. Take a therapeutic  foot bath, file moderately and moisturize with a good foot salve—that’s the foundation. If you still develop problems, seek help from a medical foot care therapist.

Prevent Heel Cracks with Foot Baths and Cream

The foundation for avoiding skin problems on your feet is healthy skin and strong nails. Build a good habit of taking a relaxing  foot bath on the couch or why not at your home office? File moderately and moisturize with a good foot cream. But even with good habits, problems can still arise, for example heel cracks, which can be extremely painful. 
In the winter, you can get heel cracks due to dry air. In the summer, they can occur because you’re wearing shoes without heel support, which makes the heel ‘slip out’ and form cracks. 

‘Cracks that don’t heal can also be caused by a fungal infection. A recommendation, therefore, is to use a BIOpH+  foot bath that cleanses and exfoliates the skin. It softens, effectively relieves calluses, kills microorganisms, and keeps your feet healthy while preventing various problems that can arise on the feet,’ says Carola Richardson, medical foot care therapist. 
She also recommends wearing shoes with heel support, even indoor slippers, which keep the heel in place and reduce the risk of cracks forming.

‘If you have a deep crack that won’t heal despite  foot bath, moisturizing, and good foot hygiene, it’s a good idea to get help from a medical foot care therapist who can clean the area, remove hard edges, and tape the crack together.
The skin on our entire body is also affected by what we eat and drink, including the skin on our feet.

‘The skin feels good with vegetable oils like olive oil, and plenty of water. Moisture from within is a way to keep your skin and feet in good condition,’ says Carola Richardson.

The Best Way to Prevent and Relieve Heel Cracks

• Make it a habit to take a  foot bath with BIOpH+ a few times a week—it dissolves calluses, kills microorganisms, and speeds up healing.
•  Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize—with a high-quality foot cream.
• If you have a painful crack, soak your feet in a  foot bath and carefully remove hard edges, then moisturize again.
• If the crack is deep, a foot care therapist may need to tape the crack together.
• Wear both shoes and indoor slippers that have heel support to keep your heel in place.
• The skin on your feet is also affected by what you eat and by drinking enough water.