Millions of people worldwide suffer from cracked heels. While there are
individuals who seek treatment from beauty salons, there are those who prefer
to suffer in silence. Cracked heels are not only unattractive sights, but cause
a lot of discomfort whole walking since the heels bear much of the body weight.
Cracked heels are quite common during hot summer months and are not that
difficult to recognize. The development of cracked heels is usually characterized
by slight discomfort while walking. Once in a while you may feel some pain,
especially when wearing shoes. Should you experience slight discomforts or
pains emanating from your heels while walking or standing, then you ought to
assess them for cracks or tiny slits. You need to consider seeing a doctor as
soon as possible the instant you notice inflammation around your heels.
Whereas a majority of people love walking barefoot, especially on the
beaches, garden and river banks, it is not highly recommended irrespective of
the health benefits derived from it. When in the house, make a habit of walking
in slippers. If you are in the countryside and have no desire of walking in
closed shoes, opt for open or ballet shoes. Walking in shoes and slippers causes
your heels to become soft rather than hard due to exposure to hard ground.
If you recently noticed cracks forming on your heels, do not ignore the
issue. Waiting for the problem to disappear on its own will cause you to
develop low self-esteem since you won’t be comfortable exposing your soles in
public. Treatment tends to be time consuming. However, the time and effort
spent in treating cracked heels is worth it. Moreover, everyday treatment will
enable you to avoid the pains and discomforts associated with cracked heels.
At the early stages, you can effortlessly treat cracked heels by
applying Vaseline or products made from petroleum jelly. They are quite
affordable and can be found in most pharmaceutical stores. Prior to retiring to
bed, prepare a foot bath using boric acid and hot water. Deep your feet in the
water for about 20 to 30 minutes before wiping the soles dry using a towel.
Thereafter, apply on the cracks Vaseline of creams designed for cracked soles.
Apply this simple, yet basic technique on a daily basis and you’ll soon notice
the difference in your soles.
Petroleum jelly is also recommended for cracked heels that are showing
signs of bleeding. However, you need to apply the petroleum jelly alongside a
steroid cream containing traces antibiotics in order to avoid instances of
infections. While applying the ointment, rub it in a circular motion on the
affected areas.
If you would like to accelerate the healing process of cracked heels, it
is highly recommended that you massage the affected areas in order to encourage
increased blood flow. Before the massage, apply the steroid cream on your
hands, rub for a couple of seconds to heat the ointment then apply on the heels
using kneading motions. Once you are through, wear socks designed from 100%
cotton. Socks function in retaining heat within the heels, which is essential
in encouraging blood circulation. But if you have time and desire you probably
would be interested in homemade powder for feet to avoid damage of your heels
in future.
There are also a couple of other home remedies that you can use to
ensure that your heels are restored to their former glory. For instance, you
can buy a couple of aloe leaves from your local health store and refrigerate
them for about 4 days. Thereafter, pound the leaves with an aim of extracting
the juice. Blend the extracted juice with 3 tablespoon of honey and rub the
mixture on your cracked heels for 2-3 hours. For best results, allow the
mixture to stay on your heels overnight. If you cannot find aloe leaves, then
you can substitute them with cabbage leaves. For best results, deep your soles
in a foot bath prepared from hot water and chamomile. After taking your feet
from the foot bath, apply a moisturizing cream on the cracked parts of the
heels. Apple juice is another great home remedy that you can use to treat
cracked heels.
If you have tried different home remedies for cracked heels and still
are not able to achieve desired results, it is highly recommended that you see
a specialist who will recommend the best treatment.