Heel spurs

Cracked heels are a common problem, especially in winter when the air is dry and cold. Common symptoms are discomfort, pain and dry and yellowish skin that flakes. There is a lot you can do yourself both to treat and prevent cracked heels, and thus also get beautiful feet. Here are tips on what and how.

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What are heel cracks?

Cracked heels mean that the skin has become so dry and thick that it cracks on its own. It can therefore also be called self-cracks, which can occur on toes, fingertips and palms. It is the top layer of the skin that cracks. If the condition is not treated, deep heel cracks can form which can cause bigger problems.

Self-cracks are sometimes called skin cracks, dry cracks, cracks or fissures.

What happens to the skin with cracked heels?

The skin protects the body from dirt and infections. If the natural skin barrier is damaged, the skin can lose water and dry out, and when the skin becomes dry, it can crack. Cracks in the skin make the body more susceptible to infections.

Health spots cause

Heel cracks are due to dry heels. When the skin around the edge of the heel becomes dry and thick and the fat pad under the heel bone is subjected to increased pressure, the skin can split, giving you heel cracks.

The risk of developing heel cracks is greater if any of the following are true:

• Frequent use of sandals or other shoes that are open at the heel
• Misaligned feet
• Cold and dry skin
• Severely overweight

If you wear shoes that rub on the heel, it can aggravate problems with dry skin and dry cracks on the feet. It is most common to have problems during the winter, when the humidity is low and it is cold outside. How your home is heated can also have an effect, as wood burning, central heating and portable heaters reduce indoor humidity, making skin drier.

Other things that can dry out the skin and thus increase the risk of self-cracks on the heels or worsen already existing problems are, for example

• that you drink too little water
• that you often shower or bathe in hot water
• that you use strong soap or shower cream that dries out the skin
• that you do not moisturize the skin on your feet after bathing and showering

Different types of skin problems such as atopic eczema or psoriasis can also increase the risk of heel cracks. Less often, heel cracks can be a sign of a more serious illness such as diabetes or impaired nerve function. Also a lack of vitamins and minerals, for example iron, can increase the risk of heel cracks. After going through menopause, some women may develop a skin condition that causes the skin to crack more easily, both on the heels and other parts of the body.

Health spots symptoms

Heel cracks are cracks in the skin on one or both heels, which can cause you to feel discomfort, pain and burning, and some may experience that they have ugly feet. The development of heel cracks that are not treated in time can look something like this:

1. The heel feels tight when you stand up for a long time
2. The heel becomes very dry, itchy and sore
3. The skin on the heel turns yellow or brownish and feels hard
4. It hurts more and more until it hurts as soon as you walk on the heel, while the skin turns white or yellow and flakes
5. The cracks are getting deeper and can both bleed and become infected with bacteria

Acne treatment

It is important not to ignore a dry, cracked heel, as over time you can develop deep cracks in the heels, increasing the risk of infection.

You can repair heel cracks by moisturizing the dry skin and at the same time caring for the feet so that the cracks in the skin can heal. Dry, old skin can be hard and need to be loosened. It can be done with different types of products:

• Foot ointment or foot cream: There are foot ointments and creams that contain, for example, salicylic acid or urea, which can soften the upper layer of the skin.
• Medicinal foot bath: In a medical foot bath, a granule is dissolved in water, which loosens up old hard skin and makes the skin underneath become softer.

You can then gently remove the old, dead skin using a sponge, by filing your feet, or by rubbing the skin away with your hands. You can also pull old skin off your feet, but be careful not to damage the surrounding healthy skin. Also, be very careful with a foot file or foot scraper so that you do not aggravate your problems.

If it does not help to treat and care for your feet yourself, or if your feet become inflamed or swollen, you should contact healthcare. If the cracked heels are due to an underlying condition, such as diabetes or a nerve disorder, you need to get treatment for it if you aren't already getting it.

Prevent heel cracks

You can prevent cracked heels by taking care of your feet and making sure to keep the skin soft and supple. Start by using a moisturizing, thicker foot cream every morning and night, if you have problems with dry skin. Moisturizers create a cover over the skin that locks in water, preventing the skin from drying out.

It is also good to give your feet a little extra care at least once a week and at night to clean your feet, rub off dead skin and thoroughly dry your feet before oiling them. Finish by putting on a pair of thin cotton socks that can seal in the moisture during the night. Make sure to clean thoroughly, both on and under the feet and between the toes. A good way to get everywhere at once is to use a foot bath, or preferably a medicated foot bath, which helps to loosen old calluses and soften the remaining skin. You can advantageously clean your feet thoroughly every evening, both on and under the feet as well as between the toes and under the nails.

Also read the advice under the section Heel cracks treatment at home and follow the advice there about, for example, replacing soap with shower oil, avoiding hot showers and baths, and using closed shoes with good support for the foot.

Treat pimples at home

If you have cracks in the heel, you also have dry feet, and it is then important to both moisturize and prevent further dehydration and irritation. You can do that by following the advice below:

• Lubricate your feet with moisturizing foot cream: It is good to lubricate the feet often, because there is a limit to how much water the skin can absorb at one time. By lubricating often, more water is bound and the skin can recover faster. The feet feel good from a thick moisturizer. Some creams also contain emollients that can help remove dead skin, but they may sting or irritate a bit. You can read more about such creams under the stretch mark treatment section. There is also special foot cream for cracked heels.
• Treat your feet with a medicinal foot bath: By bathing your feet in a medical foot bath, you can both treat the cracks that have appeared and prevent further cracks.
• Use shower oil instead of soap: Many soaps and shower creams dry out the skin and increase the risk of cracked heels. Therefore, choose shower oil that is not drying, and gentle foot care products that protect the skin.
• Avoid hot water when showering and bathing: It's okay to take a hot shower or bath, but hot water dries out the skin and can lead to dry skin, increasing the risk of cracked heels.
• Use close-toed, closed-toe shoes: Good shoes with adequate support for the foot can alleviate the problems of cracked heels. It is also important to wear socks inside to reduce abrasion on the feet.
• Lose weight if you are overweight: When a dry heel is subjected to pressure, it can cause the skin to crack. If you are overweight, it can therefore help to lose weight and thus reduce the pressure on the heel.

If you have a lot of trouble, you can also try the following products sold in pharmacies:

• Patch which relieves, relieves the pressure and makes the crack heal more easily.
• Solution for skin cracks that facilitate healing and reduce pain.
• Ointment which numbs the skin if you have a crack that hurts a lot.
• Medicinal foot bath which creates conditions for the cracks to heal .

It is important to take good care of your feet. Cleaning the skin also reduces the risk of infection, which can occur more easily if you have cracked heels. Below is an example of a good evening ritual for foot care:

1. Give your feet a bath for 10–20 minutes, preferably a medicated foot bath.
2. Gently scrub your feet with a sponge or foot file to remove dead skin. Be careful and use only light pressure on the foot. Then clean the sponge or foot file after each use.
3. Dry your feet thoroughly after bathing, including between the toes.
4. Lubricate your feet with a heavy, oil-based foot cream.
5. Finish by putting on a pair of thin cotton socks to lock in the moisture.

You can file your feet dry or wet, so you can also switch places on steps 2 and 3. Always be very careful if you choose to use a foot file so you don't damage the skin further.

A foot bath is a good way to access the entire foot and both soften dry, old skin and clean the skin. In addition to regular foot baths with just water or water and soap, there are medicated foot baths that help better dissolve old dry skin and make the skin underneath soft. You can read more about it in the section Health stretch marks treatment.

If you have diabetes, psoriasis or atopic dermatitis (eczema), you should contact your healthcare provider for advice before treating cracked heels and other foot problems yourself.