Cracked heels can be persistent, recurring, and incredibly painful.
Personally, I have seen my mother suffer from cracked heels.
“It hurts to walk.”
“Even my panty hose and tights rip.”
“No matter how much I care for it, it doesn’t get better.”
Perhaps there are many people who have cracked heels but have never found the right solution.
Therefore, this article will explain the causes of cracked heels, how to prevent them, and recommended products to take care of tem.
This article will give you all the information you need to get smooth heels!
If you suffer from cracked heels, keep reading!
Causes of cracked heels
Normal heels are moisturized and smooth to the touch, but cracked heels are dry, white, hard, and crusty.
Cracked heels are difficult to solve.
They can cause so much pain and bleeding that it becomes impossible to walk.
In order to improve them as quick as possible, it is important to understand the causes of cracked heels.
There are 3 main causes.
3 main causes of cracked heels
・Dry skin
・Irritation and external stimuli on heels
・Poor blood circulation
Cracked heels caused by dry skin
One cause of cracked heels is dry skin.
When the skin is dry, its elasticity is reduced and it becomes more vulnerable to cracking.
Heels in particular are one of the most vulnerable areas to dryness.
Unlike other parts of the body, our heels do not have sebaceous glands and cannot secrete sebum.
Normally, sebum mixes with sweat to create a sebum film that serves as a barrier for our skin.
It prevents moisture from evaporating from the skin and protects the skin from bacteria and external irritation.
However, our heels do not have a sebum film.
Therefore, the skin tends to lose moisture quickly and become drier than usual.
Cracked heels caused by irritation and external stimuli
Irritation such as friction and weight can also lead to cracked heels.
The skin on the heel becomes hard due to irritation, and the pressure of our body weight can cause the skin to tear.
When we stand or walk, we support our body weight with our feet.
Our heels play a particularly important role in supporting our entire body weight.
In addition to weight bearing, our heels are also subject to friction from the ground, shoes, and other factors.
When our heels are subjected to such external stimuli and burden, it gradually becomes thicker and stiffer.
And putting weight on them makes it more vulnerable to cracking.
Cracked heels caused by poor blood circulation
Another cause of cracked heels is poor blood circulation.
This is because blood flow to the heels can be blocked, and this disrupts the skin’s turnover process.
The turnover process is the process where skin cells are renewed.
Normally, dead skin cells and dirt are sheded during this process.
However, when the turnover process is disrupted, dead skin cells and dirt remain inside the pores.
As they gradually accumulate and become thicker and harder, the skin becomes more vulnerable to cracking due to dryness and irritation.
If cracked heels are left untreated, it can lead to immense pain
If you have cracked heels, it is best to care for them as soon as possible.
If they are left untreated, it can cause the following situations.
It can lead to pain simply by walking
If cracked heels are left untreated, the cracks will worsen and become painful.
This often causes people to unconsciously walk differently to protect their feet, which can worsen posture and balance.
In addition, if bacteria enters from the cracks, it can lead to unwanted skin troubles.
Compared to the skin on our face, our heels tend to be neglected when it comes to skinare.
However, our heels are important for supporting the entire body, so they must be treated as soon as you notice any cracks.
It can rip stockings and panty hose
Cracked heels can cause the skin to get caught in the fabric when wearing stockings or panty hose, and to rip them.
When the skin gets caught, it can open the cracks and peel them further.
This will make it more difficult to heal them and can increase the risk of infections.
It can make your heels more noticeable
If cracked heels are left untreated, it can become white or discolored, or leave a red scar after bleeding.
This greatly influences the appearance of your heels.
When your heels become more noticeable, it can become an insecurity especially during the summer when sandals and mules become more common to wear.
In severe cases, it can affect other parts of the body
Cracked heels can become severe if left untreated, which can result in negative affects on other parts of the body.
As mentioned above, cracked heels are cause by dryness and irritation.
When these causes worsen, it can open the wounds and lead to bleeding and immense pain.
In order to deal with the pain, people unconsciously walk differently and with a weird posture.
However, this strains our hips and knees, and causes pain in these areas.
Not to mention, this can also interfere with our daily lives because it becomes difficult to walk normally and increases the risk of tripping.
4 solutions to painful cracked heels
Below are 4 solutions to help you take care of your cracked heels as soon as possible.
Protect your heels with vaseline or moisturizer and avoid pressure
Moisturizing with creams or vaseline is crucial for cracked heels.
The drier it becomes, the more cracks will develop.
Below is the most efficient way to moisturize your heels:
How to moisturize cracked heels
1. Rip a cotton pad in half and moisten it with a body mist or toner.
2. Wrap the cotton pad on your heels for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the cotton pad and gently apply moisturizer to your heels.
4. Wrap your heels with your palms and rub them in a circular motion to restore blood flow.
5. Rub between each toe and massage.
When moisturizing your heels, you can use the same moisturizer that you use for your face, hands, or other parts of your body.
Skin condition improves significantly just by moisturizing, so please give it a try!
Do not overuse foot scrapers
Over-scraping your heels can worsen cracked heels.
This is because the excessive irritation weakens the skin barrier.
Points to be careful of when using foot scrapers
・Gently scrape your heels
・Moisturize afterwards
Use medicinal products
When the pain is too much to handle, using medicinal products is recomended.
Medicinal and pharmaceutical products are products that have been approved by health organizations or government ministries.
Therefore, they can be expected to restore and improve skin condition more than other general products.
Active ingredients contained in medicinal products that specifically target cracked heels include the following:
- Vitamin A: promotes skin turnover and smoothens heels
- Tocopheral acetate (vitamin E derivative): promotes blood circulation
- Allantoin and panthenol: helps repair broken skin
Medicinal and pharmaceutical products can be purchased at pharmacies, so we recommend making a visit to your local pharmacy if symptoms become severe.
It is important to find the right product for your skin, regardless of whether it’s pharmaceutical or general.
Consult a dermatologist
If your cracked heels do not heal at all or recur repeatedly, you may have a condition known as athlete’s foot.
Athlete’s foot is caused by an infection from a type of fungus called trichophyton rubrum that is most commonly found on the toes.
If athlete’s foot is left untreated, the fungus can penetrate the skin surface and cause athlete’s foot to develop on the heels as well.
In fact, it can spread from bath mats and slippers too.
Athelete’s foot on the heels is not itchy, and many people mistaken the cracks to be caused by dryness or from walking too much.
Consider consulting a dermatologist if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Your cracked and crusty heels do not heal at all.
- Even after healing, the symptoms recur again.
- There are areas of rolled-up skin on your heels.
- The soles of your feet at powdery and white.
- You have athlete’s foot on your toes or other parts of your feet.
- A family member has athlete’s foot.
How to choose the right products for cracked heels
When choosing products for cracked heels, considering whether the product:
- Regulates and maintains moisture.
- Supports the skin’s barrier function.
If the product can regulate and maintain moisture within the skin, it will help prevent cracks from developing or worsening.
We also recommend using a product that contains the right ingredients for your situation.
If there is pain, choose a product with anti-inflammatory ingredients.
If you are concerned about dryness, choose a product with moisturizing ingredients.
Recommended moisturizer for cracked heels
Heels do not have sebaceous glands, which makes them more prone to dryness.
When the skin becomes dry, the skin’s elasticity decreases and the heels become more susceptible to cracking.
The most important thing for cracked heels is moisturizing.
Specifically, moisturizing with water to hydrate the skin AND oil to prevent hydration from evaporating out of the skin.
This cannot be achieved with creams or vaseline, which only contain oil.
Therefore, we recommend the following gel moisturizer, which has the perfect balance between water and oil, and specializes in high moisturization.
“I apply creams on my heels multiple times, but it never gets better…”
“I don’t know what product to use for my cracked heels.”
If this is you, we recommend Earthcare Asia’s Aquatect Gel.
Aquatect Gel is perfect for people struggling with acne because:
- It contains 16 moisturizing ingredients that make it highly moisturizing.
- It has passed 3 skincare safety tests and is low-stimulus.
- It is an all-in-one product that completes your skincare with just one bottle.
Moisturizers that are best for cracked heels are ones that are highly moisturizing and are low-stimulus.
Aquatect Gel has passed these requirements!
Formulated with 16 moisturizing ingredients, Aquatect Gel replenishes plently of water and oil to the skin at the same time and is highly effective in moisturizing the skin.
It keeps the skin moisturized for a long time and strengthens the skin barrier from irritation.
It has also passed 3 skincare safety tests.
- Patch test
- Allergy test
- Stinging test
If you are serious about solving your cracked skin, please try revising your skincare by moisturizing with Aquatect Gel!
Lifestyle habits to prevent cracked heels
In addition to skincare, changing your lifestyle habits can improve your cracked heels too.
Below are 3 lifestyle habits that should be considered to solve cracked heels.
Keep your feet warm by wearing socks
Warming your feet with socks can prevent cracked heels.
Cold feet can easily cause poor blood circulation and disrupt the turnover process, both of which lead to cracking.
Also, if you spend a lot of time barefoot, your heels are directly affected by dry air, friction with the ground, and walking.
Therefore, wearing socks can protect your heels from external irritation and poor blood flow.
Wear shoes that are the right size for your feet
To prevent cracked heels, it is important to wear the right size shoes.
If you wear shoes that do not fit properly, your heels will rub against the inside of the shoe everytime you walk.
Such friction and irritation can cause the skin to harden and crack.
It can also cause sores, bunions, and calluses.
Therefore, it is important to wear shoes that are the right size for your feet.
People who are active or are on their feet constantly tend to be affected the most by this, but anyone who struggles with cracked heels should keep this in mind.
Stimulate blood circulation by taking a bath
Bathing and massaging your feet is one way to prevent cracking.
As mentioned above, poor blood circulation leads to a disruption of the skin’s turnover process.
When the turnover process is disrupted, dead skin cells and dirt clog the pores.
Overtime, they thicken and harden and make the skin more prone to cracking.
If blood circulation is stimulated, it is easier to maintain a normal turnover process.
Therefore, it is important to keep your body warm with water that is about 40 degrees Celsius.
Summary
Many people struggle with cracked heels because it is recurrent and painful.
There are 3 main causes of cracked heels.
- Dry skin
- Irritation and external stimuli on heels
- Poor blood circulation
To take care of cracked heels, it is important to consider the use of medicinal products and to prioritize moisturizing.
Especially if there is pain and bleeding, consider using medicinal products.
For small cracks or areas that seem dry, consider moisturizing frequently.
If your cracked heels do not get better even after using medicinal products and moisturizing, there is a chance that you have athlete’s foot on your heels.
Athlete’s foot is a condition that can be contagious and difficult to cure if it spreads to your nails.
If you feel any discomfort when taking care of your cracked heels, consult a dermatologist.
Moreover, cracked heels can get better by being conscious of the following lifestyle practices.
It may be difficult to completely solve, but it is important to stay consistent with your care methods.
- Exfoliating and moisturizing
- Warming your feet with socks
- Wearing shoes that are the right size
- Improving blood circulation by massaging and bathing
When cracked heels worsen, the pain can make it difficult to walk.
Compared to other parts of our body, our heels tend to be neglected when it comes to skincare.
However, please be sure to take care of them as soon as you notice any dryness or small cracks.
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