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Cracked Heels
Cracked heels are a common foot problem often referred to as heel fissures. Cracked heels are often caused by dry skin but can be made more complicated if the skin around the rim of the heel is thick. For most people this is simply a nuisance and a cosmetic problem however when the fissures or cracks are deep, they are painful to stand on and the skin can bleed, in the most severe cases this can become infected.
Wearing open or thin soled shoes usually make the symptoms worse.
Cracked heels can be caused by a predisposition to dry skin. The propensity for thickened callus on the heel to crack is often due to mechanical factors that increase pressures in that area, i.e. the way you walk or your gait.
Other factors that can be involved in the cause of cracked heels include:
- prolonged standing, especially on hard floors
- being overweight
- wearing shoes with open backs
- some medical conditions predispose to a drying skin (eg autonomic neuropathy in those with diabetes leads to less sweating; an underactive thyroid lowers the body's metabolic rate and there is a reduction in sweating, leading to a dryness of the skin)
- skin conditions (eg psoriasis and eczema)
Treatment:
Use an oil based moisturising cream twice daily. A pumice stone can be used to reduce the thickness of the hard skin. Avoid open backed or thin soled shoes.
Never try to reduce the hard skin your self with a razor blade or a pair of scissors. There is a risk of an infection developing and taking too much off.
If the problem persists it is important to consult your podiatrist as there are several avenues of treatment they will be able to advice you on.