Taking good care of dry, cracked heels might not be the very first thing on everybody’s skincare to-do record. Positive, they’re somewhat ugly, however who would actually discover in addition to your pedicurist? Even when the feel and appear don’t trouble you, although, there are literally a couple of causes this frequent foot downside is value the additional consideration, in accordance with Ray Kleinfelder, DO, Los Angeles–based mostly dermatologist at Lux Dermatology.
For probably the most half, somewhat dehydration in your soles isn’t uncommon. “The pores and skin right here is of course thicker, because it withstands probably the most put on and tear from being in your toes all day,” Dr. Kleinfelder tells SELF. To get extra technical, your physique overproduces keratin (the protein that varieties the laborious, outer layer of pores and skin) in response to stressors like frequent strolling, standing, and sure medical points (extra on that later). Whereas this thickened buildup is supposed to be protecting, it’s additionally extra susceptible to drying out and cracking over time, he explains, since there additionally aren’t many oil glands right here to retain moisture.
In some extreme circumstances, these cracks (referred to as heel fissures) can get deeper when left untreated, finally making it painful to face or stroll and rising your danger for an infection. That’s why it’s so necessary to deal with the problem early on—and the excellent news? There are many easy over-the-counter cures you possibly can attempt to get your toes feeling further clean and delicate.
However first, what causes dry, cracked heels?
A variety of it comes all the way down to environmental components and way of life habits, Supriya Rastogi, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York Metropolis, tells SELF. For instance, if you happen to’re standing or strolling for lengthy durations of time (as a nurse, say, development employee, or runner), the pores and skin right here can thicken into calluses, Dr. Rastogi explains, and due to this fact have a more durable time holding onto moisture. Residing in a chilly or dry local weather may go away your physique—toes included—further parched and crumbly.
In a lot of these eventualities, dry pores and skin can sometimes be relieved with easy residence cures (which we’ll get into). However generally, heel cracks or peeling layers will be signs of an underlying situation that will require knowledgeable’s assist. As an illustration, metabolic issues like diabetes can mess along with your physique’s capacity to manage sweat and due to this fact moisture, Dr. Kleinfelder says. Additional flaky, powerful pores and skin may additionally sign psoriasis, an autoimmune dysfunction that triggers keratin overproduction (leading to scaly and extra infected lesions) or eczema (particularly in case your signs are paired with relentless itchiness). With each of those pores and skin diagnoses, although, Dr. Rastogi says you’d probably discover flare-ups in different spots too, just like the palms of your hand and between your fingers.
Different lesser-known however attainable culprits embody fungal infections like athlete’s foot, which Dr. Kleinfelder says contain dryness (typically between toes) together with a hard-to-miss, disagreeable odor. (For this, a podiatrist can be your finest wager for providing extra specialised remedies.) One other medical situation to concentrate on is Sjögren’s syndrome, an autoimmune dysfunction that may trigger dryness and flaking. Nevertheless, Dr. Kleinfelder factors out that it “tends to manifest as dry mouth and eyes”—fairly than being a main reason behind dry toes.
What residence cures may help with cracked heels?
Assuming you’re not coping with any of the above diagnoses (if you happen to’re not sure, a dermatologist, podiatrist, pedicurist, or main care supplier can weigh in), listed below are some expert-approved cures and tweaks that ought to relieve run-of-the-mill foot dryness.
1. Scrub away tough, flaky edges with a pumice stone.
No matter you do, don’t forcibly rip the peeling chunks your self. Doing so, Dr. Rastogi says, might danger injuring the wholesome, delicate pores and skin beneath, resulting in extra ache, bleeding, and even an infection. As an alternative, it’s safer to make use of remedies that may soften and exfoliate the laborious pores and skin—that is the place pumice stones come into play. Principally it’s a light-weight but abrasive stone that’s generally used to take away lifeless pores and skin with out damaging it.