How can you remove cracked heels? How to remove cracked heels at home. Recipes and techniques

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The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!

How to treat cracked heels?

Treatment cracked heels includes both traditional and folk medicine. If the cracks do not accompany a chronic decompensated disease, then treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis ( that is, at home). If cracks have developed against the background of decompensated diabetes mellitus or severe anemia, then the patient must be hospitalized. In addition to medicines, baths and applications are widely used.

Treatment for cracked heels involves treating the underlying disease. Only by curing the underlying disease can the cause of crack formation be eliminated. Additionally, symptomatic treatment is carried out, which consists of prescribing local medications - creams, ointments, gels.

Treatment of foot fungus

Treatment comes down to the use of antimycotics ( antifungal agents) for local or systemic use. External ( local) antimycotics are effective for minor skin lesions. For deep cracks and peeling, creams or ointments are used, and for the weeping form of the fungus, sprays, gels and powder are used.

Drugs to which foot fungus is sensitive are:

• griseofulvin;

All these drugs can be produced both in tablet form and as part of gels and ointments. Selection of dosage form ( that is, is it a tablet or a spray?) depends on the form of the fungus and the degree of its prevalence.

The most common topical medications for the treatment of foot fungus

Name of active substance	Trade names	Release form	How to use?
Terbinafine	lamifast.	spray; cream; gel.	The cream is applied in a thin layer to the surface of the heel twice a day.
Fluconazole	flucorus.	capsules; solution for infusion.	As a rule, capsules of 50 milligrams are prescribed orally once a day for 3 ( sometimes 6) weeks.
Ketoconazole	fungus;	pills; cream; ointments.	The cream is applied to the heel area once a day. The tablets are taken orally.
Itraconazole	itrazole; rumicosis.		200 milligrams ( two capsules of 100) twice a day for a week. This is followed by a break of 3 weeks, after which the course is repeated. A total of 2 to 3 courses are recommended.
Griseofulvin		ointment; cream; pills.	Apply a thin layer of cream to the fungus-affected area twice a day for a month.

Gewol cream ( Gehwol)

Gevol cream is not an antifungal drug; it is used exclusively for dry skin of the feet without concomitant fungus or other skin diseases. Contains mainly oils ( eucalyptus, rosemary), as well as lanolin and glycerin. It has a thick, pleasant consistency, but despite this it is absorbed very quickly. A small amount of cream is applied to the skin of the feet, after which the skin is massaged. Eliminates dryness and regulates excess sweating, which can also lead to the formation of cracks.

Treatment of anemia

All patients diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia are prescribed iron therapy. It should immediately be noted that the belief that iron deficiency can be corrected with foods high in iron is erroneous. This is the most common myth in the treatment and prevention of patients with iron deficiency anemia. Of course, a balanced diet plays an important role in correcting iron deficiency, but it cannot in any way replace therapy with iron-containing drugs.

Today, the pharmaceutical market has a large arsenal of iron preparations in various dosage forms, with different iron contents. The choice of a particular drug depends on the degree of anemia and the presence of concomitant diseases.

The most common iron supplements

Tradename	Release form	How to use?
Totema	solution.	From 2 to 4 ampoules per day, depending on the degree of anemia. The contents of the ampoule must be dissolved in a small amount of water and taken preferably before meals.
Maltofer	solution; syrup; chewable tablets.	One to three tablets per day. Syrup dosage - from 40 to 120 drops per day.
Fenyuls	capsules.	One capsule per day for a month.
Sorbifer	pills.	One to two tablets per day; if necessary, the dose can be increased to four tablets per day.
Ferroplex	dragee.	Take one tablet orally 2 to 3 times a day.
Hemofer	dragee; drops.	2 milliliters ( 35 drops) twice a day or one tablet three times a day.

Additionally, in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia, B vitamins, glucose are prescribed and, of course, a balanced diet is recommended. But all this is recommended as an addition to the main treatment.

Treatment of diabetes

Treatment of diabetes mellitus primarily consists of supportive and ongoing drug treatment. The choice of medication depends on the type of disease. Thus, for type 1 diabetes mellitus, insulin is mainly prescribed, for type 2 diabetes mellitus - drugs of various pharmacological groups that lower blood glucose levels.

Basic drugs for the treatment of diabetes mellitus

Tradename	International name	How to use?
Maninil	Glibenclamide	The dosage depends on the initial blood glucose level. The tablets are taken twice a day.
Diabetes	Gliclazide	The drug has a long-term effect and therefore the tablets are taken once a day
Amaryl	Glimepiride	Inside, once a day
Siofor Glucophage Metformin	Metformin	The drug is taken two to three times a day, orally, before meals.
Diab-norm	Pioglitazone	Inside, before meals, once a day.

Diet and water regime
In order to prevent dry skin and cracked heels, the body must receive sufficient amounts of vitamin A and E, as well as other elements that are responsible for skin restoration. Dry skin and, as a consequence, the appearance of cracks can be caused not so much by the lack of vitamins in the diet, but by the predominance of low-fat foods in it. Products that remove water are also dangerous for the body ( for example coffee). Therefore, it is recommended to maintain the correct water regime. For good skin health, you need to drink at least two liters of water per day. At the same time, it is necessary to limit the consumption of coffee and tea. It is important to know that an adequate amount of moisture improves metabolism and helps normalize weight.

Treatment of cracks at home

Self-treatment of cracks involves carrying out various procedures using both pharmaceutical drugs and traditional recipes. The success of combating this problem at home largely depends on how correctly and regularly the treatment measures are carried out.

Treatment of cracks at home involves the following procedures:

• masks;
• baths;
• applications.

Masks for cracks
The essence of this procedure is to apply a nourishing composition to the damaged skin of the feet. The main effect of masks is to soften and saturate the skin with beneficial elements. Regular implementation of such procedures accelerates regeneration ( update) of the skin, as a result of which existing cracks disappear faster and new ones do not appear. The composition of the mask, as a rule, includes plant materials and a binder ( not always). When making a mask and carrying out the procedure, you need to follow some rules.

The following rules exist for this procedure:

• the mask should be applied immediately after production;
• one composition cannot be reused;
• if the product turns out to be too liquid, you can add corn or potato starch to it;
• the systematicity of the procedure - from 2 to 3 times a week;
• Keep the mask on the skin for about an hour;
• It is better to apply the product on warm feet ( as an option, take a bath before this);
• To fix the mask on your feet, you can use cling film ( wrap her feet), plastic bags or shoe covers.

There are many recipes for heel masks, and the best option is to alternate different compositions in order to provide comprehensive support to the feet.

For cracked heels, you can prepare the following masks:

• Potato. Raw potatoes should be crushed using a grater or blender, wait 5 - 10 minutes and then squeeze out the resulting liquid.
• Oatmeal. Cook a thick porridge from oatmeal, add a tablespoon of any vegetable oil and place in 2 plastic bags. Then the bags of porridge need to be put on the feet, tied and wrapped with a towel on top.
• Mask from coltsfoot. Coltsfoot leaves ( dry or fresh) you need to pour milk and leave in a steam bath for half an hour ( if the raw material is dry, then an hour). Then the leaves should be placed on gauze and applied to the damaged skin.
• Cabbage. A few fresh cabbage leaves should be beaten with a meat mallet to make them softer. If the leaves are still hard, they need to be doused with hot water. Then the skin of the feet should be lubricated with honey, and cabbage leaves should be secured on top.
• Banana. The banana pulp needs to be mashed into a paste ( It is better to use ripe or even overripe bananas) and apply to the skin of the feet.

Trays
This procedure is carried out to soften the skin of the feet, as well as to relieve fatigue, tension and pain in the legs. It is recommended to take a bath in the evening, and after it apply a nourishing mask or other product to nourish and moisturize the skin on the heels. The principle of the procedure is to prepare a medicinal aqueous solution, in which you then need to keep your feet for 20 - 30 minutes, unless other information is indicated in the recipe.

The main component is warm water ( from 40 to 50 degrees), to which herbs, salt, essential oils and other medicinal ingredients are added. If any other treatment is planned ( masks, applications), the bath is always done at the very beginning.

There are the following types of baths for cracks:

• Herbal. To carry out this procedure, you need to prepare an herbal solution. To do this, pour 2 tablespoons of dry or 4 tablespoons of fresh raw materials with a liter of water and leave for 30 minutes over low heat. Then the broth is poured into warm ( maybe soapy) water. To prepare a herbal decoction, you can use chamomile, sage, calendula, oak bark, and string. You can make a decoction from one type of plant material or from several herbs.
• Starchy. For this bath you need to mix potato starch with water, in the proportion of a spoonful of starch per liter of liquid. To enhance the healing effect of the procedure, instead of plain water, you can use a herbal decoction of chamomile or calendula.
• Saline. It is best to use sea salt for such a bath, but iodized table salt will also work. For one and a half liters of water, you should use 100 grams of salt.

Applications
Therapeutic application involves applying pharmaceutical ointment to the injured skin of the feet. It is best to apply the product not directly to the skin, but to a bandage, which is then fixed on the feet. This is especially true for old cracks and rough skin on the heels. The purpose of ointment applications is to reduce pain, accelerate healing and stop the inflammatory process, if any.

The following ointments can be used for applications:

• flexitol balm;
• balm lifesaver;
• Zazhivin 911;
• gewol;
• doctor;
• balsam;

You can prepare medicinal ointment for applications yourself. To do this you will need a fat base and a vegetable component. As a base, you can use any vegetable oil of solid consistency ( cocoa butter, coconut oil, shea butter) or animal fat ( badger, bear, goose, pork). The role of plant raw materials can be calendula, chamomile, oak bark, plantain. Plants must be used dry. You can also add vitamins A or E to this ointment ( in fatty form), essential oils.

To prepare the ointment, you need to combine the fat base and vegetable raw materials in a 1 to 1 ratio and place in a steam bath. The ointment needs to simmer for a long time - at least 5 hours, so it is better to do this in several stages. After this, until the fat base has cooled, the product must be strained. Essential oils and vitamins are added to the already filtered ointment. The product should be stored in the refrigerator and used in the same way as pharmaceutical ointments.

How to get rid of cracks at home?

Getting rid of cracks requires a consistent series of treatment procedures. To get rid of the defect, you need to repeat the course several times, with an interval of 2 to 3 days. On those days when procedures are not carried out, it is necessary to continue treatment using ointments, compresses and other folk and pharmaceutical remedies.

Repairing cracks includes the following procedures:

• bath for steaming the skin;
• mechanical foot cleaning;
• disinfection of cracks;
• application of nutrients.

Skin steam bath
For this procedure, you should prepare water whose temperature is at least 60 degrees, since under the influence of hot water the stratum corneum becomes softer. You need to add baking soda and liquid or solid soap to the water ( grate), salt ( especially if your feet are swollen). You can also add herbal decoction, essential oil or other components to the solution. You need to keep your feet in water for at least half an hour so that the skin steams well. After the bath, dry the skin and proceed to the next step.
Mechanical foot cleaning
Mechanical cleansing involves removing dead skin using special tools. There are several types of devices that can be used to remove dead skin. When choosing, you should focus on the degree of heel damage.
The following tools are available for mechanical foot cleaning:

• Pumice. A block of porous material of natural or artificial origin. To achieve maximum effect, it is necessary to apply pressure in circular motions along the cracks and the skin around them. Pumice is used for small cracks, as it does not allow deep cleaning.
• File. The working part of this tool has an emery coating, which can be of varying degrees of grain. The file also has a long handle to make it more convenient to use. For old cracks, it is necessary to use a coarse file, but it must be used with caution so as not to injure the feet in areas with thin skin.
• Grater. Externally, this device looks like a file, but the role of an emery coating is played by a metal grater that covers the working surface. The tool should only be used on areas where rough skin is present.
• Scraper. This tool has a blade that is used to cut away dead skin. The scraper requires some skill in use, so before using it over the entire surface of the foot, you should practice on the areas with the roughest skin.

Disinfection of cracks
When cleaning your feet, dead skin particles can penetrate deep into the crack and cause inflammation. Therefore, the next mandatory step after cleaning is disinfection. To do this, you can use hydrogen peroxide, an aqueous solution of furatsilin, ethyl alcohol, and the drug miramistin.

Application of nutrients
The final stage is the application of various nutritional compositions that soften the skin and accelerate the regeneration of the skin. Creams or ointments are used for this ( pharmacy or homemade), masks, compresses. You can also take a cosmetic cream for face or body care, which contains vitamins A and E. Various oils perfectly nourish and restore the skin of the feet ( castor, coconut, olive). It is better to apply any nutrient using massage movements, since massaging the feet promotes rapid healing of cracks.

Treatment of cracked heels with folk remedies

Traditional medicine offers a wide range of recipes for the treatment of cracked heels. The main principle of their use is regularity, since due to the lack of active chemical components, such products have a weak effect. But with constant use of folk recipes, you can achieve lasting results. The advantages of this therapy are the harmlessness of the drugs and the small number of contraindications.
Folk remedies include various ingredients that have a softening, exfoliating, healing effect.

Most often, the following components are used in folk recipes for cracks:

• soda;
• vinegar;
• glycerol;
• essential oil;
• vegetable oil;
• hydrogen peroxide.

Honey for cracked heels

To treat cracks, you need to use natural, not artificial, honey. It should be applied to the foot and left overnight. Another way to use this product is to make honey cake. To do this, you need to heat the honey, mix it with flour and knead the dough, the consistency of which is similar to that from which dumplings are made. The dough should be formed into a flat cake ( or 2 if there are cracks on both feet) and apply to the affected area overnight, securing with polyethylene. In the morning, the honey cake can be rolled into a ball and used again in the evening. The recommended duration of such treatment is at least 7 days.

Aloe for cracked heels

When fighting cracked heels, a perennial plant is used, which must be at least 2 years old. The main effect of aloe is bactericidal, so it is recommended to use it for deep cracks, when there is a risk of infection. Also, products based on this plant soften the skin and saturate it with nutrients, which speeds up healing.

There are the following methods of using aloe for cracks:

• Compress. This method is the easiest to implement. To make a compress, you need to take several medium or one large leaf, cut off the side spines and cut lengthwise. The cut sheet with the side where the transparent pulp is located should be applied to the crack and adjacent areas. Then the aloe must be fixed with polyethylene and soft cloth. It is better to apply the compress before going to bed and leave it overnight.
• Mask. The mask is prepared from crushed aloe and fresh apple pulp puree. If the gruel turns out to be too watery, add a tablespoon of any starch to thicken it. The resulting composition is applied to the affected area, after which it must be secured with polyethylene. The optimal duration of action of such a product is 2 hours.
• Baths. To prepare the bath, you need to grind 3 to 5 aloe leaves ( depending on their size), pour 2 liters of water and keep on fire for a quarter of an hour, avoiding boiling. After this, the broth should be left for several hours, then diluted with 2 - 3 liters of hot, clean water and poured into a basin. You need to immerse your feet in water gradually so as not to cause a burn. After your feet get used to the temperature, it is recommended to keep them in the water for 15 to 20 minutes.

Baking soda for treating cracked heels

For this problem, traditional medicine suggests using baking soda. The main therapeutic effect of soda is its pronounced loosening effect, due to which dead skin layers are easily removed. Therefore, after using baking soda, it is recommended to treat your heels with pumice.

The use of soda for cracks is as follows:

• it is necessary to prepare a container that is convenient for soaring your feet in it;
• depending on the volume of the vessel, you should heat the water ( as a rule, no more than 5 liters);
• the optimal water temperature for the procedure is from 40 to 50 degrees;
• then you should grate laundry soap at the rate of a tablespoon of grated soap per 3 liters of water ( if you don’t have laundry soap, you can replace it with regular bath soap);
• dissolve soap in water and add baking soda, focusing on the proportion of 2 teaspoons per liter of water;
• then you need to immerse your feet in the prepared solution and hold for 15 - 20 minutes;
• After treating with pumice, you should apply a rich cream or any oil to your feet, since soda also has a drying effect.

Vinegar for cracked heels

The easiest way to use vinegar for cracked heels is as a compress. To do this, you need to take natural apple cider vinegar and mix it with clean water in a ratio of 1 to 1. Then you need to moisten a piece of cloth, gauze or medical bandage with this mixture and wrap your heels. The compress should be left overnight, and in the morning, treat the skin on the heels with pumice. The acid in vinegar eats away dead skin, making it easy to remove. It should be noted here that such a procedure is not recommended for inflammation in the area of ​​​​cracks.

Vinegar can also be used to make an ointment. This product requires time and patience to produce, but as evidenced by the reviews of those who have used it, the ointment helps to quickly get rid of cracked heels. For vinegar ointment you will need 400 milliliters of concentrated vinegar ( essences), the strength of which is 70 percent. You also need a raw chicken egg and 200 grams of butter ( it is important to choose natural, without vegetable oils in the composition). In the production of vinegar ointment, all stages and deadlines must be strictly followed.

Vinegar ointment for cracks is prepared according to the following rules:

• you need to take a glass glass or other glass container, the volume of which does not exceed 250 milliliters;
• a raw egg should be placed at the bottom of the vessel, and then filled to the top with vinegar essence;
• The container with the egg and vinegar must be covered ( for example, a coffee saucer) and leave in a dark place for 5 days;
• after the specified period, the egg should be transferred from the glass to a plate;
• if everything is done correctly, the egg will be without a shell, since it will completely dissolve, forming a sediment at the bottom of the glass;
• Instead of a shell, there will be a thin film on the surface of the egg; it needs to be removed, and the egg itself ( it should have a boiled consistency) grind into a homogeneous mass;
• add essence from a glass and butter to the mashed egg;
• the mass must be thoroughly mixed until smooth and left for another 5 days;
• then it is recommended to transfer the vinegar ointment into a container with a wide neck to make it easier to use;
• This product should be stored in the refrigerator.

Before using vinegar ointment, feet should be steamed in warm water with salt ( per liter of water a tablespoon of salt), after which you need to wipe the skin so that there is no moisture left on it. Then the ointment is applied to the cracked area and adjacent areas. Then you need to put plastic bags on your feet ( you can use shoe covers), and warm socks over them. The ointment should not be applied to the indentation inside the foot, as well as to other areas with thin skin, as it can cause a burn. It is also not recommended to use this remedy if the cracks or the skin next to them is inflamed.

Glycerin for cracked heels

When used regularly, glycerin softens the skin of the feet, heals shallow cracks and inhibits the spread of bacteria. For the best therapeutic effect, purified glycerin should be used. There are several varieties of folk recipes based on this component.

The following methods of using glycerin for cracks are distinguished:

• Rubbing. To carry out this procedure, you need to mix glycerin and vinegar in equal doses, the concentration of which is 6 percent. A vinegar-glycerin mixture is applied to the steamed feet with massage movements. Areas with thin areas of skin should be massaged most actively, since foot massage is most effective in these areas. This procedure is useful because it not only softens the skin thanks to vinegar and glycerin, but also improves blood supply to the tissues of the foot due to massage.
• Mask with glycerin. To prepare this product you will need an apple, milk, glycerin and vinegar. The fruit should be grated, pour in milk and boil over low heat for about 15 minutes. The result should be a mushy mass, to which you need to add about a teaspoon of glycerin and then apply the mixture to the heels. After 15 minutes, the composition should be washed off, and the skin of the feet should be treated with an vinegar-glycerin mixture.
• Bath. Glycerin can be added to any aqueous bath solutions. The classic option is regular warm water with the addition of soap and a teaspoon of glycerin per liter of liquid. This component can also be included in salt, herbal and any other baths.

Essential oil for cracks

There are a large number of essential oils that traditional medicine recommends for use in the fight against cracked heels. The main requirement for this product, regardless of its type, is a natural composition and a good shelf life. You need to know that any essential oil is an ether, so you should be careful when using it.

The purpose of using essential oils is to provide a bactericidal effect in order to prevent inflammation of cracks. Also, some esters, with constant use, accelerate the healing process and have an analgesic effect. Any essential oil cannot be used as the main component of a folk remedy, since a large amount of such a product can cause burns and allergies.

The most effective way to use it is to add 5 – 10 drops of ether to water for foot baths. You can also add essential oil to any nourishing cream or vegetable oil and then use this product for foot massage. The choice of ester depends on the therapeutic effect to be achieved.

The following essential oils are used for cracked heels:

• Lemon. Tones the skin, improves blood circulation and tissue nutrition. It is recommended to use for shallow cracks, as well as at the stage of healing of cracks.
• Tea tree oil. This product has a strong disinfectant and healing effect. Therefore, tea tree oil will be especially useful in cases where cracked heels are accompanied by an inflammatory process.
• Rosemary. This oil reduces pain and also relieves foot fatigue.
• Mint. This ester reduces swelling and inhibits inflammatory processes. The oil also has a relaxing effect, so it effectively helps women who, despite cracks, wear high-heeled shoes.

Vegetable oils for cracks

Vegetable oils are essentially fats, so the main purpose of their use is to soften dry and rough skin on the feet. Also, some of the oils have a wound-healing effect. The simplest method of use is to apply the oil to the skin of the feet, steamed and cleansed with pumice. It is better to warm up any oil before applying and leave it overnight. Oils are also used to massage the feet. As with esters, the main requirement for this product is its freshness and naturalness.

For cracks, the following vegetable oils are used:

• sunflower, olive ( it is better to use refined oils);
• coconut, shea butter ( Before use, warm up in a water bath);
• sea ​​buckthorn ( heals cracks well);
• castor ( due to strong stickiness, it is not suitable for massage, but it softens the skin well if applied at night);
• calendula oil ( has a bactericidal effect).

Hydrogen peroxide for cracks

Hydrogen peroxide reduces the activity of microbes, so it is recommended to use it in cases where there is already an inflammatory process or there is a high probability of its development ( for deep cracks). This drug also loosens the layers of the epidermis, so that the keratinized layers of skin on the feet are easily removed.

Hydrogen peroxide is used as a component for baths. Add iodized table salt and peroxide to warm water. Add a tablespoon of salt and peroxide per liter of water; if the peroxide is in tablets, add one tablet per liter of liquid. The water temperature should be such that your feet can be lowered immediately, without getting used to it. You need to keep your feet in water for no more than 5 - 6 minutes, then you should dry the skin and clean off the whitened areas of the skin with a pumice stone or a pedicure file.

Before use, you should consult a specialist.

Why do heels crack - causes of cracked heels
Cracks in the heels appear for the following reasons:
1. Fungal infection
2. Dry skin, which cracks easily.

Causes of dry skin on heels:
- incorrect, slow metabolism. The reasons for this are age (after 40 years, metabolism slows down, skin condition worsens), chronic diseases (gastritis, diabetes, obesity), and lack of vitamins in the diet.
- increased formation of stratum corneum on the heels: this may be due to walking barefoot or walking in uncomfortable flip-flops and mules that constantly hit the heels. Constant mechanical stress leads to hardening of the heels.
3. Improper foot care. The causes of cracked heels may be an incorrectly selected cream, excessive friction when removing the stratum corneum, or wearing synthetic socks.

What to do if your heels are cracking

Folk remedies will help cure heels. First, you need to analyze the causes of cracks and choose the appropriate treatment method. If the cause is a fungal infection, then it is advisable to use products with the addition of vinegar. If the disease is caused by dry skin, then remedies with the addition of honey, medicinal herbs, potato and flax compresses, as well as recipes with vinegar will help in the treatment of dry heels. Below are folk recipes that helped readers of the newspaper “Vestnik ZOZH” cure heels and get rid of cracks

Honey cake is a popular folk remedy for treating cracked heels.
Knead the dough from 1 tbsp. l. honey and 2 tbsp. l. flour. Divide into 2 parts. At night, steam your feet for 10-15 minutes, dry them, and put a honey cake on each heel, wrap it with plastic and a bandage. Put on socks. In the morning, remove everything, wash your feet, roll the cakes into a ball until the next evening. Do this procedure for 5-6 days in a row. All old rough skin will come off and dry heels will become pink and smooth. (Bulletin of Healthy Lifestyle 2011, No. 12 p. 32).

Woodlice in the folk treatment of cracked legs
To get rid of cracked heels, steam your feet in a decoction of chamomile and calendula. Then put fresh woodlice in your socks, put the socks on your feet and walk like this all day. Everything will drag on quickly. (HLS 2011, No. 20, p. 39).
You can add plantain leaves to the woodlice (2007, No. 13, p. 34).

Cracked toes, feet, heels - home treatment with apple cider vinegar
If the skin on the soles of your feet has become rough and begins to crack, the following folk remedy will help: mix apple cider vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio. Soak a cloth in this solution and wrap your feet overnight, put plastic bags on top and put on socks. Overnight, rough skin will become limp and easily cleansed. In the morning, feet should be washed and lubricated with nourishing cream. (2010, no. 9, p. 30).

If your heels are cracked, glycerin and vinegar will help.
This is the simplest and most popular remedy that effectively treats cracked heels, cracked toes and feet.
Buy a bottle of glycerin at the pharmacy and fill it to the top (it is not full) with vinegar. In the morning, lubricate your feet and toes with this mixture. Then put on socks. In just two days, rough, cracked skin will become soft and pink. To treat cracks, it will take more time - you need to take 5 vials of glycerin per course. (HLS 2010, No. 11, p. 30, 2010, No. 14, Art. 23). Another article says that glycerin and vinegar essence should be taken in a 1:1 ratio - after bathing, lubricate the soles, they will not crack and peel. (2009, no. 16, p. 10)
But here is a similar folk recipe, given to the reader by an old paramedic. Only here you need to mix glycerin with ammonia in a 1:1 ratio. Steam your feet in warm water, wipe and lubricate with this mixture. With the help of this remedy, the woman managed to cure cracks in her fingers, and her niece was able to completely improve the skin on her legs - she was covered with scales, swollen, with sore layered nails. A week later, the scales and swelling disappeared, and a month later the nails became beautiful, strong, shiny, as if covered with varnish. (2010, no. 15, art. 30).
Another variation of the recipe: mix 3 parts glycerin, 3 parts 70% vinegar and 2 parts alcohol - rub into the soles every evening after washing your feet. This product is well absorbed and does not stain the bed. (HLS 2008 No. 5, p. 30)

How to treat cracked heels with herbal ointment
Take 4 bunches of lilac with leaves, 10 calendula flowers, 10 plantain leaves, a handful of cinquefoil and 2 aloe leaves. Mash all this with a masher and pour in 200 g of hot (60-70 degrees) chicken fat. When cool, refrigerate for two days, then heat again and strain. Rub into steamed cracks on the heels at night, put on socks. The cracks will heal quickly. (2011, no. 11, p. 28,).

Traditional treatment of heels with yolk ointment
Mix 1 yolk, 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, 1 tsp. vinegar. The result will be an ointment similar to yellowish sour cream. After the foot bath, apply the mixture to the heels, put on plastic bags and socks. In the morning, wash everything off and treat with pumice. After 2-3 procedures, the feet will become smooth. (2010, no. 22, art. 38,).
Another similar recipe: 1 egg, 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, 1 tbsp. l. vinegar essence - mix.

Ointment for cracked heels
Heat 100 g of sunflower or olive oil to 40 degrees, remove from heat, add beeswax the size of half a matchbox, stir until the wax dissolves, add 1 tsp. glycerin and 1 tsp. sea ​​buckthorn oil. Mix until smooth and store in the refrigerator. Before going to bed, steam your feet, apply ointment, put on socks and sleep until the morning. At first, treat every day, then as needed. The skin on the heels will become very soft and smooth (2009, No. 14, Art. 31).

How to treat heels with an ointment made from vinegar, eggs and oil
Wash the white chicken egg, put it in a glass and fill it with 70% acetic acid, close the lid and put it in a cool place for 7 days. Then carefully remove the egg with a spoon, place it on a plate, mix with 200 g of butter, mashing with a fork into a homogeneous mass. Apply like a cream, rubbing lightly. The course of treatment will not end.
The man had cracked heels for many years, and at times he could not walk due to pain. Lotions made from onions, potatoes, and herbs did not help him, nor did expensive medications prescribed by doctors. And this folk remedy helped immediately (2009, No. 18, Art. 32).

Wonderful oleoresin ointment for cracked heels.
Heat good butter in an enamel mug, skim off the foam, drain the clean oil, and discard the remainder with impurities. For 1 cup of melted butter, take two matchboxes worth of natural wax and the same amount of resin (frozen in the refrigerator and grated). Mix all this, heating no higher than 80 degrees. When everything has dissolved, strain through double gauze; when the mass begins to thicken, add 1 tsp. honey and stir again. The result will be a healing ointment with the aroma of pine needles, slightly bitter. Store in the freezer in a glass jar.
The properties of the ointment are simply extraordinary: it treats wounds, erosions (tampon), hemorrhoids, trophic ulcers, boils, cracked heels. When taken orally, it helps with stomach ulcers and heartburn.
(2009, no. 19, art. 26).
You can add 5-10 g of propolis to this ointment along with resin (2007, No. 4, Art. 32).

Tetracycline ointment and apple cider vinegar will help with cracked heels.
The woman had problems with her heels for many years - thick, dry skin constantly grew on them, and cracks often appeared. I used many traditional recipes, but the following method helped:
Steam your feet in water with soda, clean your heels with pumice stone, generously lubricate them with 3% tetracycline ointment, put on bags, socks and go to bed. Wash your feet in the morning and the cracks will gradually heal. After this, change tactics: take gauze, moisten it generously with apple cider vinegar and wrap the heel across the entire foot, secure with a pin, bag and sock. In the morning, rough skin can be easily removed with a pumice stone. Do this procedure once every 2-3 months as the skin grows, there will be no cracks at all, and the heels will be smooth. (2009, no. 21, p. 39).

Treatment of heels with onion peels
Pour a handful of onion peels into 2 liters of boiling water, cover and leave for 1 hour. Pour the infusion into a bowl, add 1 tbsp. l. salt and soda. Soar your feet until the water cools down. Then wipe your feet and spread the entire foot with vegetable oil, then egg yolk, put on cotton socks, then a plastic bag and wool socks. - and to bed. To cure cracked heels, 4-5 procedures are enough (2009, No. 9, p. 32).

Treatment of heels with rest.
The reader claims that the best remedy for cracked heels is not to lubricate them with anything. You need to steam your feet every evening and go to bed, the cracks will begin to dry out and tighten, and only in the morning anoint them with a rich cream. If you anoint the wounds right away, the cream or ointment will prevent them from shrinking as much as possible. (2008, no. 18, p. 30).

How to treat heels with resin
Apply liquid resin to the cracks - the pain goes away immediately, and the wounds will heal in 1-2 days. The resin heels will be black, but this is temporary. (2007, no. 17, p. 32).

Plantain roots will help with cracked heels.
Cracked heels are very easy to treat. Wash the roots of the plantain, pour boiling water over it, when the water has cooled to lukewarm, lower your feet and hold for 20 minutes, it is better to do this before going to bed. Dry heels will become soft, wounds will heal. (2007, no. 20, p. 31).

Cracked heels treated with lipstick
The woman had cracked heels for a long time, she tried to treat it with various means, but a simple lipstick helped - every evening after washing her feet, she lubricated her feet with lipstick - the cracks quickly went away. (2007, no. 20, p. 32).

Onion ointment for cracked heels.
Heat 1 glass of unrefined oil and throw in 2 chopped onions. Fry the onion in oil until it turns brown. Then quickly strain and add beeswax to the hot oil. Stir, cool, store in the refrigerator. After washing your feet, lubricate your feet with this mixture. Cracks in the feet go away quickly (2006, No. 5, p. 32, No. 23, p. 8,).

Traditional treatment of heels with curdled milk
If your heels are cracking, you need to make compresses from yogurt or sour cream for 7-8 days. (2006, no. 11, p. 33).

Traditional treatment of heels with cabbage compress
The woman’s heels often cracked until they bled, she used various folk remedies, but the cabbage leaf helped best - after these compresses, her heels have been fine for 10 years. You need to steam your feet, let them dry, then smear them with honey, wrap them in a cabbage leaf and secure them with a plastic bag and bandage overnight. Repeat the procedure 5-7 times. This recipe has helped many. (2006, no. 27, p. 31).

If your heels are cracking, cheremitsia will help.
To treat heels, dried and ground cherry roots are used. The resulting powder is mixed with an equal amount of butter. Lubricate the sore spots with the mixture at night and insulate them with a bandage. Healing occurs within a week. (2005, no. 21, p. 28).

How to treat heels with folk remedies
The woman’s heels were in terrible condition: covered with cracks, many warts, all the tights tore within the first hour of wearing them. She tried to treat them with various means, but with the onset of improvement, she abandoned the treatment, and the problem returned. In addition, after the dislocation of the foot, a lump began to grow on the inside of the big toe, the surgeon said that it was joint fluid leaking out and that the lump needed to be removed through surgery. Then the woman decided to take hold of her legs more systematically. I used a number of measures, and my heels became soft and healthy. In addition, the lump on my finger went away. She can’t say what exactly happened, but here’s what she did:
1. At night, I wrapped my feet in a cloth soaked in urine, over a bag and socks. I washed it off in the morning.
2. I tied a cake made of flour, garlic, and vinegar to the wounds
3. I tied baked onions and ate oleoresin.
4. At night or for the whole day I made a compress with tincture of potato flowers.
5. Steamed my feet in a potato decoction or a decoction of burdock, celandine, calendula, nettle, wormwood herbs - in arbitrary proportions.
6. She lubricated her feet with honey, and her heels with ointment, which she prepared from honey, vegetable oil and wax. (2005, no. 15, p. 10).

How to treat dry heels with potatoes
If your heels are dry, covered with corns and cracks, then raw potatoes will help - grate 3-4 potatoes, add the same amount of alcohol, divide the mass into two parts and place in two plastic bags. Place your feet on this mixture, having previously lubricated your feet with cream so that there is no burn, and secure. Sit in front of the TV for three hours, then wash your feet and apply cream. You can make compresses 3-4 times with the same portion of potatoes. (2004, no. 16, p. 22).

Home treatment of heels with paraffin
If your heels are cracking, you need to take a candle and cut it into a tin jar. Take the same amount of butter. Put on fire and stir until smooth. When the mixture has cooled slightly to a tolerable state, pour it onto the heels, tie it with parchment and put on socks. the next morning everything heals (2004, No. 1, p. 24).

Herbal meal
A simple remedy will help against fungus, sweating, and cracked feet: put a pinch of herbs: mint, sage, chamomile, celandine, nettle in clean socks in the morning. Walk in these socks all day. When walking, herbs turn into powder and get into all wounds. Every morning add a new portion of grass. This way you can cure cracked heels and bad foot odor. (2004, no. 3 p. 25).

Cracked heels - home treatment with honey
If your heels are cracking, you can do a simple procedure: before going to bed, spread honey on them and wash them off in the morning. Everything will heal quickly. (2004, no. 4, p. 24).

Dry heels and cracks can be cured very quickly
This product helped in just 2 applications. The woman had cracked heels for many years and could not wear sandals until they were so terrible. On Saturday after the bath, after steaming my feet well and wiping them dry, I lubricated my heels with grease. She wrapped her feet in plastic and went to bed. A week later the treatment was repeated. All the dry skin on the heels fell off, they became smooth and soft, and scars remained from the cracks. (2003, no. 13, pp. 23-24)

Treatment of heels with fat
Rub melted beef fat into the cracks overnight with a cotton swab. In the morning there will be no more pain (HLS 2003, No. 17, Art. 26)

Treatment of heels with soap
Soak a linen cloth in strongly brewed tea and soap it with laundry soap. Place the fabric on the heel, polyethylene on top and secure overnight. It is necessary to do 3-4 such procedures to cure cracked heels. (2003, no. 23, p. 27).

How to treat heels and cracks with nettle baths
Per liter of boiling water - 2 tbsp. l. nettles Soar your feet in this solution, then lubricate them with cream or fat and give a light massage. Instead of nettle, you can take starch - 2 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of water. (2002, no. 16, p. 4).

Cracked heels: causes

Cracked heels are a serious problem that can be quite difficult to eliminate. This is not just a cosmetic defect, but a problem associated with diseases in the body. Cracks present the possibility of penetration of various infections, as well as pathogens. Even minor damage to the skin should be treated, since it is at the very beginning of the development of the disease that it is easier to cope with it.

There are many causes of cracked heels. Some of them can be easily and without problems eliminated with the help of a lubricating cream, others need to be treated more seriously and for a long time. The causes of cracked heels deserve special consideration.

Causes of cracked heels

Exogenous causes of cracked heels should be considered:

1. The main exogenous cause of cracked heels is fungus. There are a variety of possible ways for a fungal infection to enter the body, both from the surrounding air and after staying in a sauna, bathhouse, or swimming pool. Injured skin is a source of spores entering the body; the spread of infection is accompanied by decreased immunity and impaired blood circulation.
2. Cracks occur due to the development of vitamin deficiency, developing due to poor nutrition.
3. Violations of the rules of personal hygiene, manifested in carrying out only routine washing of feet. Proper foot care involves taking foot baths, exfoliating, and lubricating your feet with moisturizing and nourishing creams.
4. Also, cracks in the legs can occur as a result of overly careful care of them. With frequent peeling, the skin of the legs does not have time to recover well, as a result of which it becomes thinner and cracks form in it.

These are only the main reasons for the occurrence of cracks in the legs; in fact, there are many more reasons and it is very difficult to describe them all.

Deep cracks in the heels, causes

There are the following main causes of deep cracks in the heels.

1. The most common cause of deep cracks in the heels is a disruption of the normal functioning of the endocrine gland. This can happen as a result of diabetes or problems with the thyroid gland.
2. Deep cracks in the heels can occur as a result of hereditary diseases. If parents have cracked heels, most likely their children will have them too.
3. Quite deep cracks in the heels appear in people suffering from gastritis, vitamin deficiency, and other skin diseases.

If you find deep cracks in the skin, you should seek help from a doctor as soon as possible. Only a timely diagnosis and timely treatment can guarantee relief from the problem.

How to get rid of cracked heels?

Methods for getting rid of cracked heels can be very different, and when choosing any of them, the nature of the skin damage should be taken into account.

Cream for cracked heels

Creams are widely used in cosmetology; they also help, if necessary, to treat cracked heels. For example, the Super Heels cream contains extracts of medicinal plants, as well as Shostakovsky balm. The cream effectively removes corns and rough skin. High-quality softening of the skin occurs, cracks in the skin heal and the formation of new cracks is prevented. The good antibacterial effect of the cream is explained by the presence of aspen extract and Piroctonalamine in its composition. The cream should be applied with massaging movements twice a day until complete recovery and the disappearance of all cracks.

Cream Healer for cracked heels

Cream Healer is relatively inexpensive and at the same time very effective in treating cracked heels. It is also recommended to use it to eliminate keratinized skin on the legs.

The main active component of the Lekar cream is urea. It does not damage healthy skin, while it softens keratinized skin well. It is the presence of urea that makes Lekar cream an effective remedy for treating cracked heels. The effect of its action is enhanced by the presence of oak bark extract and tea tree oil in the cream. The action of such components helps to accelerate skin regeneration and also eliminates severe pain from deep cracks.

Emergency cream for cracked heels

Cream for cracked heels First Aid belongs to the category of relatively inexpensive and at the same time quite effective drugs. The cream contains glycerin, stearic acid, petroleum jelly and water. The cream also contains components that promote the speedy healing of wounds received by a person.

You can purchase Emergency cream almost without problems at any city pharmacy. No special medical prescriptions are required for this; the cream is freely available. It can help well with calluses, and it is also successfully used in the treatment of foot and heel fungus.

Gevol cream for cracked heels

Gevol cream is specially designed to restore the skin to its normal state. The use of the cream helps restore the hydro-lipid balance; after using the cream, the skin again acquires previously lost freshness and elasticity, and its dryness is eliminated.

The cream contains sea buckthorn, chestnut, avocado, algae extract and other natural ingredients. This cream is used exclusively externally.

In addition to eliminating cracked heels, the cream can be used to treat fungal diseases, to remove unpleasant odor from the feet, with increased sweating, as a means of combating inflammation on the feet, and also to care for the skin after a patient has suffered from diabetes. The cream is freely available in tubes of 75 and 125 milliliters; you can buy it in a pharmacy or order it online.

Cream Shol for cracked heels

Cream Shol is an excellent restorative cream for the skin of the heels. To eliminate cracked heels, it is recommended to smear the skin with it every day. In this case, a month will be enough to completely eliminate the problem. The cream has a good wound-healing and disinfectant effect, eliminates microbes that have penetrated skin cracks and prevents the development of new infectious diseases. It moisturizes the skin well and soothes it, so the cream is recommended to be used after baths, before going to bed. The use of Shol cream provides a good healing effect for skin cracks on the heels. A prerequisite for achieving good results from using the cream is its daily use.

Pine cream for cracked heels

Pine cream for cracked heels promotes high-quality regeneration of skin cells. The cream contains mountain pine oil, allantoin, which renews the cells of the upper skin layer, turpentine, which improves blood circulation and blood supply to the legs, as well as chamomile extract, which prevents the development of the inflammatory process. The cream should be used regularly to moisturize the surface of the feet and heels, as well as to give them additional elasticity. Among the various varieties of such creams, Allga San cream can be distinguished as the most effective.

Ointment for cracked heels

Salicylic ointment with a concentration of 20% helps very well for cracked heels. You should prepare a compress from this ointment and place it on your heels overnight. As a rule, a single application of a compress is sufficient to achieve the desired effect.

For the treatment of cracked heels, the use of Radevit ointment is effective. In addition to eliminating cracked heels, this ointment shows sufficient effectiveness as a treatment for burns, skin lesions due to infectious diseases, as well as dermatitis of varying degrees. The ointment contains vitamins of almost all known groups, so it can be used to treat cracks that have formed as a result of the lack of vitamins.

Calendula ointment for cracked heels

Calendula ointment can effectively heal wounds on the skin, relieve inflammation and destroy harmful bacteria. Also, this ointment destroys fungus on the skin, makes the skin softer and has a good disinfecting effect. Due to the above circumstances, calendula ointment is widely used to treat various skin diseases.

To treat cracked heels, this recipe for preparing calendula ointment is recommended. You should select a container with a lid and mix 20 grams of calendula ointment and 10 grams of vitamin A in it. The composition should be stored in the refrigerator. You should apply the ointment to your feet every day after the skin on the heels has softened. The course of treatment is two weeks.

Zinc ointment for cracked heels

Zinc ointment is widely used in the treatment of fungi on the feet, nails, as well as in the treatment of various inflammations. The basis of the drug's action is the use of zinc oxide. It qualitatively restores damage to the integrity of the skin, and also eliminates dry skin, itching in certain areas and unpleasant odor from inflammation. Zinc ointment is known for its antiseptic properties and can perfectly resist inflammation, which makes it very effective in treating cracked heels.

Zinc ointment is available for free sale in aluminum tubes weighing 30 grams, the cost of one tube is approximately 35 rubles. This product is relatively inexpensive; its analogue is Zorka, a cream for cracked heels, which costs about 85 rubles per tube.

Salicylic ointment for cracked heels

Salicylic ointment for cracked heels is applied only externally. The drug contains in its composition, in pharmacies in large cities you can also purchase other varieties of this drug: zinc-salicylic paste and sulfur-salicylic ointment.

The effective effect of salicylic ointment in the treatment of cracked heels is explained by its good anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. In addition, external application of salicylic ointment guarantees a softening effect on the skin of the feet, followed by peeling of the skin on the heels.

The concentration of salicylic acid in the drug ranges from 1 to 10%. Do not allow the drug to come into contact with mucous membranes. The ointment can not only eliminate cracks in the heels, but also reliably protects against their subsequent occurrence.

Other medical products

In the event that the occurrence of cracked heels is caused by one of the list of concomitant diseases, such as disturbances in the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, diabetes mellitus, hormonal imbalances, it is necessary to ensure the use of certain medications, the action of which is aimed at eliminating the consequences of the disease.

If cracked heels are caused by fungal infections, their elimination is ensured by the use of topical antimicotic agents, such as Mycoterbin, Terbizil and Nizoral creams. In some cases, the problem is caused by a violation of the circulatory process; in such cases, it is recommended to use means to bring the veins into the necessary tone, such as Venoruton and Troxevasin.

In other cases, it is recommended to use topical preparations that have a calming effect, maintain the elasticity of the skin, moisturize the skin, soften damage and heal cracks. If the cracks in the heels are deep enough, they should be treated with ointments that contain antibiotics.

Vitamins for cracked heels

Lack of sufficient vitamins in the human body can also be one of the causes of cracked heels. To eliminate this cause, vitamins should be included in the nutritional diet, for which it is recommended to eat greens in sufficient quantities, and add variety to the nutritional menu with fresh vegetables and fruits. It is recommended to take vitamins for cracked heels as part of vitamin complexes; special dietary supplements are also recommended, which are taken for several months. In some cases, the desired result can be achieved by using special creams with vitamin supplements.

Calluses on the heels and cracks are often caused by a lack of vitamin A in the body. In order to have enough of it, it is recommended to eat pork and beef liver, carrots, butter, as well as beets and apricots.

Plaster for cracked heels

Before using a patch for cracked heels, disinfect the cracks and then cover the wounds with the patch. This will prevent various infections from entering the wound. The Compid patch is recommended as an effective remedy for calluses and cracks. There are several advantages of its use:

• cracks in the skin of the heels are protected from infection;
• the patch remains on the skin for a sufficiently long period of time;
• a special breathable formula ensures the fastest healing of cracked heels;
• When there is severe pain in the heels, it decreases almost instantly.

It is recommended to keep the patch on the skin until the wound is completely healed. After the wound is completely protected from all external influences, you can think about the cause of the cracks; perhaps it’s all about the need to moisturize the skin or eliminate a fungal infection.

Socks for cracked heels

If sufficiently deep cracks appear on the heels, it is recommended to lubricate the heels with a special cream to moisturize the skin, and then put silicone socks on the feet. They provide good skin hydration, relieve dryness, and enhance the effect of lavender oil, which softens dead skin areas.

Socks for cracked heels can be quite effective; they can provide good results after just three uses within a week. This saves time and effort, but if you wear socks for cracked heels every night for two weeks, you can forget about their appearance for a long time.

Cracked heels can be treated at home; there are a sufficient number of treatment options for this.

Mask for cracked heels

It is recommended to use maxi for cracked heels, prepared from aloe juice and apple pulp. It should be applied in a thick layer to the heels, after which the mask should be covered with cling film for half an hour. After removing the mask, it is recommended to treat the heels with foot cream. Excellent results are obtained by using a mask prepared from one egg yolk, with the addition of a tablespoon of starch, as well as lemon juice squeezed from half a lemon. The mixture prepared in this way should be applied to the heels in a continuous thick layer, left for half an hour, then rinsed off and lubricated the heels with a mixture of vegetable lemon essence and olive oil overnight.

At home, you can prepare a heel mask from banana and honey, if you mix them in arbitrary volumes. The presence of honey in the mask will help soften the skin on the heels and eliminate minor cracks and irritations.

Baths for cracked heels

Baths have long been successfully used as a remedy for cracked heels and are a very effective method of treating them, as they have good antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. Ultimately, the success of using baths is determined by certain components that are used in baths to treat cracks. The systematic use of baths for medicinal purposes guarantees the achievement of maximum results.

• St. John's wort and sage;
• calendula and oak bark;
• elecampane, string and chamomile.

When preparing a bath, a tablespoon of dry prepared raw materials is used for one liter of water. The grass is poured in, after which it is placed on the fire and boiled for half an hour. Then the resulting decoction is diluted with cold water and a bath is then formed in which you can hold your feet. The procedure takes from half an hour to forty minutes. After completing the procedure, your feet should be wiped dry with a towel.

Compress for cracked heels

Before going to bed, it is recommended to steam your feet in a bowl of water with a teaspoon of soda for twenty minutes. After this, onions, previously chopped and wrapped in cotton cloth, should be applied to the heels. It is recommended to bandage this fabric, wrap it in film or paper. The compress is kept for one night, after which it is removed, the heel is washed and lubricated with cream, and pre-wiped with pumice. It is recommended to apply such a compress to cracked heels at least three times a week.

Folk remedies for cracked heels

There are enough proven folk remedies for treating cracked heels.

Glycerin for cracked heels

Glycerin is useful as a treatment for cracked heels due to its ability to extract water molecules from the air. By absorbing moisture from the atmosphere, glycerin moisturizes the skin of the heels, disinfects the feet, and prevents the spread of harmful bacteria. The result is healing of small wounds and cracks in the skin. High-quality and effective glycerin must be almost completely purified and made from natural ingredients.

Glycerin is effective in combination with vinegar or vinegar essence. Depending on how deep the cracks in the heels are, the duration of treatment courses is selected. After each procedure, the heels are treated with a nourishing cream. Glycerin is not used in its pure form; the addition of vinegar or other components is required.

Cracked heels: treatment with hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is widely used as a treatment for cracked heels. I can recommend this recipe for its use.

Hydrogen peroxide is used in a volume of 200 milliliters, as well as water in a volume of 1200 milliliters. A solution of hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 3% is added to the water, after which the liquid is thoroughly mixed. A bath is prepared from this composition, in which you should soak your feet for five minutes. Then the soles of the feet and heels can be cleaned using pumice or a brush of sufficient hardness. After this, to soften the skin, you should treat your feet with a cream using glycerin.

Aspirin for cracked heels

Aspirin is an inexpensive and accessible treatment that is found in almost every medicine cabinet. It softens dead skin areas well, which makes it useful for treating cracked heels at home.

Ten aspirin tablets should be ground into powder, then filled with vodka in a volume of 150 grams. Add two teaspoons of an alcohol solution of iodine. After two days of infusion, the composition can be used to treat cracked heels.

The heel should be treated with the solution twice a day; it is applied for half an hour, after which it is washed off with warm water. You should not apply the solution at night, as this can damage the skin of your feet.

Wax for cracked heels

There is a home recipe for using wax as a treatment for cracked heels. The wax is melted in a water bath, after which a little licorice root is added to it. Thorough mixing is carried out. The warm composition is applied to the skin of the foot in a dense, thick layer. The mask is kept on the heel for a quarter of an hour. Then the maxa is removed and the surface is treated with spermaceti cream.

Oil for cracked heels

The use of various oils gives a good effect in the treatment of cracked heels. The use of castor, flaxseed, sunflower and almond oil is recommended. All of these oils can effectively moisturize the skin, heal wounds, and also have good antimicrobial properties. You can lubricate problem areas of the skin with oils, and also use them as a means to prepare compresses.

Honey for cracked heels

To treat cracked heels, it is recommended to use fresh linden honey. It should be rubbed into problem areas at night, and then washed off in the morning with warm water. To secure the honey overnight, place a plastic bag or sock on the foot. In the morning, after washing off the honey, the heel is treated with moisturizing cream. The total duration of treatment takes no more than a week.

Bow for cracked heels

Onions have properties that are widely used not only in medicine, but also in cosmetology. Onion juice has been successfully used to treat cracked heels, eliminating pain and healing cracks.

The onion compress is placed on the heel for two parts, after which it is removed and the feet are washed in warm water. Immediately after washing, the heels are treated with pumice and lubricated with a high-fat moisturizer.

Aloe for cracked heels

Fresh aloe leaves can be successfully used to treat cracked heels. A freshly cut leaf should be washed well, dried and the spines should be cut off. The aloe leaf should be applied to the cracked heel with the inner mucous side, and then bandaged thoroughly. Thanks to its good wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties, aloe juice can quickly and effectively heal cracked heels.

Cracked heels are a very unpleasant and painful phenomenon that falls into the category dermatitis (skin diseases ). The crack is a partial breakdown of the integrity of the skin on the heel. They can be either an independent pathology, with the development of further complications, or a manifestation of any disease.

Cracked heels are a very common phenomenon. Women are most susceptible to this pathology, but it is also observed among men. It is generally accepted that cracked heels appear only with age. However, this is not true; they can appear even in young people. The incidence of this problem depends on the presence of concomitant pathologies. More than 90 percent of people suffering from diabetes or anemia are susceptible to this pathology. Banal hypovitaminosis causes cracked heels in every second person.

Cracked heels cause severe inconvenience, so some people are ready to take drastic measures. One such method is to repair cracks using construction adhesive ( super glue). Thus, some ordinary people recommend gluing cracks with super glue, claiming that this method is safe and effective.

The skin consists of epidermis and dermis. Due to its structural characteristics, the skin of the foot is also called thick skin. The difference between thick skin and thin skin ( all parts of the body except the feet and palms) is the thickness of the epidermis ( top layer of skin). The epidermis of the foot consists of five layers of skin, which equals 70 to 100 layers of cells.

Structure of the epidermis of the foot:

• basal layer;
• layer of spinous cells;
• granular layer;
• shiny or radiant layer;
• stratum corneum.

The main cells of the epidermis are called keratinocytes because they contain the protein keratin. Keratin, being the main protein of the skin, performs a protective function.

Basal layer

It is the innermost layer and performs the regeneration function ( skin restoration). New epidermal cells are formed in it as old cells from the surface layer gradually die off. The complete process of epidermis renewal occurs in 28 days. However, with age or certain diseases ( anemia) this process is slowing down. The epidermis is not renewed with new and high-quality cells, and the skin of the feet, taking on the greatest load, is damaged.

Spine cell layer

This layer consists of 10 layers of cells. In this layer, some stages of growth of keratinocytes migrating from the basal layer occur. These layers are connected using certain structures ( desmosomes), which look like spikes ( hence the name).

Granular layer

Consists of 4 - 5 layers of keratinocytes in which proteins are synthesized ( keratin, filaggrin). Keratinocytes are connected to each other by a kind of cementing substance, thus creating a waterproof barrier in the epidermis. This barrier further prevents the skin from drying out. As this layer thins, the skin dries out and cracks form.
In this layer, a complex substance is formed - keratohyalin, which under a microscope looks like granules or grains ( which is how it got its name). This substance is a precursor to keratin and performs skin protective functions.

Shiny layer

Consists of 3 - 5 layers of flat keratinocytes. In this layer, keratohyalin granules merge and form a light-refracting mass. This mass, essentially consisting of keratin and hyaline, is found only in the epidermis of the feet and palms.

Stratum corneum

It is the most superficial and thickest layer. Its thickness on the foot is more than 600 microns. Consists of keratinocytes that have completed differentiation, which are called horny scales. These scales are connected to each other by a cementing substance that is rich in fat. Thanks to these fats, the scales form a dense, normally waterproof layer.

However, thanks to certain enzymes, this layer is split in the superficial layers. As a result, the horny scales begin to be rejected. Thus, there is a constant renewal of the epidermis, which consists in the rejection of superficial horny scales and the formation of new ones.

Changes in skin cells on the heels while walking

While walking, the foot, and along with it the skin, takes on the entire load of the body. The skin is subject to pressure and friction while walking. At the same time, skin cells constantly change their shape - they stretch and contract. The cells at the edges of the foot are subject to the greatest changes. When you place your feet on the ground, they stretch, and when you lift them, they compress.


At the same time, in order to increase the area of ​​the foot and evenly distribute the load along its edges, the cells of the superficial stratum corneum begin to grow rapidly. This phenomenon is called hyperkeratosis and often underlies the formation of cracks. Because the thicker the stratum corneum, the less elastic it is, which means that when walking, those cells of the foot that are constantly stretched will be injured and destroyed.

Normally, the process of formation of new cells and removal of old ones is in balance and controlled by the body. However, for certain reasons, epidermal cells may be more vulnerable and damaged more quickly.

There are the following reasons for the formation of cracked heels:

• diabetes;
• Iron-deficiency anemia;
• hypovitaminosis, in particular vitamins A and E;
• fungal infection;
• dermatitis.

Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is one of the main pathologies accompanied by cracked heels. The difference between cracked feet in diabetes is that they are not accompanied by a feeling of pain or discomfort.

The cause of the development of cracks is diabetic angiopathy ( vascular damage). In this case, a person’s blood circulation in the vessels is disrupted and, first of all, the vessels of the legs are affected. Blood, as you know, is a source of not only oxygen, but also nutrients for tissues. Therefore, trophic changes occur in tissues where blood circulation is impaired. Elasticity is lost, and most importantly, the skin of the feet ( and whole body) becomes dehydrated. The lack of moisture in the stratum corneum causes a violation of the integrity of its structure, that is, the formation of cracks.

In diabetes mellitus, a complicating factor is diabetic polyneuropathy ( peripheral nerve damage). It is the reason for the absence of pain. This seemingly relieving factor provokes the deepening of cracks and their expansion. Since a person does not feel pain, the cracks increase and become infected.

Iron-deficiency anemia

The cause of cracked heels is sideropenic syndrome due to iron deficiency anemia. This syndrome is caused by iron deficiency in tissues and, as a consequence, degenerative changes in the skin. Since iron in tissues is used for the synthesis of various proteins and enzymes, its deficiency or absence leads to disruption of the structure and division of cells.
Iron deficiency is most acutely felt in epithelial cells and epidermal cells, since these are the most rapidly renewing tissues of the body.

Iron deficiency in the epidermis is manifested by the following symptoms:

• dry skin;
• peeling of the skin;
• formation of cracks.

Hypovitaminosis

A lack of vitamins A and E in the body leads to various dystrophic and inflammatory changes in the skin. Vitamin E is also called a skin protector because it protects cell membranes from damage. Even a slight decrease in it leads to dehydration of skin cells. Along with water, the elasticity of the skin is also lost. Dry and inelastic skin of the feet cannot withstand the load that is placed on it. Under the load of weight, the skin bursts and cracks form in it.

Vitamin A, in turn, takes part in skin renewal processes. It synthesizes enzymes that prevent premature keratinization of the epidermis. However, with hypovitaminosis A, the process of keratinization ceases to be under control, and increased keratinization of the skin, that is, hyperkeratosis, is observed. The skin is dry and rough. The inelastic skin of the feet is injured and cracks form in it.

Fungal infection

Cracks in the heels can not only become an entry point for fungal penetration, but also be a consequence of a fungal infection. The most common source of cracks in the legs are fungal infections such as rubrophytosis and epidermophytosis. These are the most common lesions of the skin of the feet. The fungus, developing on the surface of the foot, stimulates an enhanced process of keratinization. As a result, the skin becomes thickened due to multiple keratinized layers. As is already known, the thicker the stratum corneum, the less elastic it is. Inelastic epidermal cells are more easily injured when walking.

A fungal infection disrupts the integrity of the layers of the epidermis, as a result of which the surface layer of the skin becomes permeable to moisture and the penetration of a secondary infection. This further complicates the crack situation.

Dermatitis

Foot dermatitis can also cause cracked heels. The reason for this is the same loss of elasticity and dry skin. With dermatitis, the skin becomes dry, irritated, and more susceptible to injury. Due to the presence of the inflammatory process, the skin becomes very susceptible to the slightest injury. A minor abrasion or scratch on the foot leads to the development of microcracks, which eventually turn into cracks. The cracks are constantly inflamed, painful and become a gateway for numerous infections.

Factors such as standing for long periods of time, obesity, and poor hygiene are risk factors for the development of cracked heels. People who are overweight are at greatest risk, since the feet bear the entire burden, and along with them the skin. If you add to this a long stay on your feet, then cracked heels will not take long to appear.
Neglect of hygiene rules, tight and uncomfortable shoes are factors that, together with the main reasons, contribute to the formation of cracks in the feet.

How to get rid of cracked heels?

Eliminating the causes of skin disorders

Cracked heels are rarely an independent pathology. Basically, they indicate the presence of immune, metabolic or endocrine disorders in the body. Therefore, the treatment of cracked heels begins with eliminating the causes that led to their appearance. To find out the cause, you need to see your family doctor and undergo some tests.


Laboratory and instrumental studies to identify the causes of cracked heels:

• glucose tolerance test;
• Dopplerography of the vessels of the lower limb;
• microscopy of tissue from the lesion.

General blood analysis
A complete blood count can detect one of the most common causes of cracked heels - anemia.

Iron deficiency anemia is characterized by:

• a decrease in hemoglobin concentration of less than 120 grams per liter;
• decrease in the number of red blood cells less than 3.5 x 9 12
• color index is less than 0.9;
• red blood cells of various sizes are observed ( anisocytosis), red blood cells of smaller diameter ( microcytosis).

A hematologist can confirm or rule out anemia. For a more detailed picture, he may ask some questions, a positive answer to which will indicate in favor of anemia.

For example:

• “Has the patient developed unusual food cravings? For example, an irresistible desire to eat chalk, soil, clay?
• “Do you have any preferences for salty, spicy foods?”
• “Does he have any significant weakness?”
• “Does the patient have rapid heartbeats or shortness of breath when walking?”

Iron deficiency anemia is also characterized by weakness, rapid heartbeat and sometimes perverted taste preferences ( to chalk, earth).

Iron deficiency anemia is treated with iron supplements. The duration of taking these medications depends on the degree of anemia and the individual characteristics of each organism. The dose also depends on the degree of hemoglobin reduction and is selected individually.

List of the most common iron supplements:

• totem;
• sorbifer;
• ferrum lek;
• hemopher.

Biochemical blood test and glucose tolerance test
A biochemical blood test can reveal different stages of diabetes. As a rule, the test is taken on an empty stomach.

Indicators of biochemical blood analysis for diabetes mellitus:

• fasting glucose more than 5.5 mmol per liter;
• after eating, the glucose level is more than 8.0 mmol per liter.

After a biochemical analysis, an endocrinologist may recommend a sugar load test or a glucose tolerance test. The essence of the test is that after taking a biochemical blood test on an empty stomach, the patient is given a glass of water with 75 grams of dissolved sugar to drink. After this, the patient's glucose level is determined every half hour.

Blood glucose levels two hours after a glucose load:

• less than 7 mmol/liter - regarded as normal;
• from 7 to 11 mmol/liter - regarded as prediabetes;
• more than 11 mmol/liter - diabetes mellitus.

To clarify the diagnosis, the endocrinologist may ask some questions.

For example:

• “Does the patient feel constantly thirsty?”
• “Is your skin dry?”
• “Does he urinate frequently?”

If a person often feels thirsty, and the skin is dry and irritated, then he may have diabetes.

For diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemic agents are prescribed that inhibit the formation of glucose in the liver, thereby reducing its level in tissues and blood. As a rule, drugs are prescribed before meals or during the meal itself. The dose of drugs is selected based on glucose levels and the presence of diabetes complications ( damage to the kidneys and blood vessels of the eye).

Hypoglycemic agents for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

• metformin;
• glibenclamide ( synonym - Maninil);
• glipizide.

Also a mandatory element in the treatment of diabetes is following a diet, which consists of limited consumption of carbohydrates ( white bread, baking, sugar).

Dopplerography of the vessels of the lower limb
If the doctor suspects that the cause of the cracks is poor blood supply to the lower extremities, then he may direct the patient to undergo Doppler ultrasound of the vessels of the legs. This diagnostic method evaluates the condition of the vessels of the lower extremities and also determines the speed of blood flow in these vessels.
With angiopathy, a decrease in blood flow is observed, the walls of the vessels may be thickened, narrowed, or the blood supply in them may be completely disrupted. Treatment for poor circulation depends on the cause of the disease.

Drugs that improve blood circulation in blood vessels:

• venoruton;
• beat.

Microscopy method
The microscopy method is a publicly available study of fungal infections. Scales from the lesion are treated with a special solution and then examined under a microscope. If a fungus was found in the test material, the dermatologist recommends antifungal treatment.

Antifungals used in the treatment of fungal foot infections:

• terbizil cream;
• mycoterbine cream;
• Nizoral cream.

How to take care of your feet to avoid complications?

Ointments for the treatment of cracks

A drug	Mechanism of action	Method of use
ointment Balzamed (contains provitamin B5, vitamin E, vitamin A, glycerin and lactic acid)	The ointment has a moisturizing and nourishing effect on the skin of the feet, preventing the formation of cracks, redness, and irritation. Vitamins A and E increase skin resistance to infections and damage	The ointment is applied effortlessly to the area of ​​cracks using massaging movements. The drug should be used daily, after water procedures
Radevit ointment (containsvitamin E, vitamin A, vitaminD2, emulsion wax and glycerin)	The cream stimulates skin regeneration and has an anti-inflammatory and disinfectant effect. Vitamins E, A and D2 promote rapid restoration of damaged tissues	Radevit is applied in a thin layer twice a day. Before using the ointment, the skin should be treated with an antiseptic
Lamisil cream	The cream fights infection, prevents and destroys fungus. Promotes rapid healing of cracks and restoration of affected tissues	Apply a small amount of cream to problem areas once a day. Before using the cream, feet should be washed with warm water and dried with a towel.
BioAstin antifungal cream (contains flax oil, sage extract, mint extract, clove essential oil, tea tree essential oil, urea and allantoin)	The cream has an antifungal effect, fights infections, protects the skin from pathogenic microflora. The oils contained in the cream have a softening effect. Extracts and extracts from plants promote rapid healing of cracks	Apply the ointment to the cleansed skin of the heels with massaging movements.
gel Zazhivin (includestea tree essential oil, milk thistle oil; vitaminFand sage extract)	The gel promotes rapid healing of cracked heels, has a wound-healing and bactericidal effect	The cream should be applied before bedtime with massaging movements on pre-washed feet.
foot cream for cracked heels Ambulance (contains petroleum jelly, wax, glycerin, allantoin, olive oil, vitaminsFAndE)	The cream has a healing and bactericidal effect. The herbal extracts included in the composition accelerate the healing of cracks. Oils and wax soften and nourish the skin of the feet. Vitamins activate the restoration of damaged skin	The cream is applied to the affected areas. Before applying the cream, the skin of the feet should be steamed and treated with pumice. Secure the crack on top with adhesive tape, tightening its edges. Wear cotton socks
Dardia Lipo Balm (contains urea, microcrystalline wax, paraffin, petrolatum and corn starch)	Urea in the cream combats dryness, effectively softening rough skin. Wax and paraffin normalize the water balance of the skin. The cream has a restorative effect, promotes the rapid healing of cracks	Apply with circular massaging movements. Use as a nourishing cream twice daily

Traditional methods for treating cracked heels

To treat cracked heels, traditional medicine suggests:

• compresses;
• baths;
• ointments.

Compresses
Compresses for the treatment of cracked heels moisturize and nourish the skin of the feet. The composition prepared in accordance with the recipe is applied to the affected areas, after which the feet are wrapped in plastic wrap. To enhance the effect, you should wear warm socks, and after removing the product, lubricate your heels with a rich cream.

The following compresses are used in the treatment of cracked heels:

• onion compress;
• compress of apples and milk;
• potato compress;
• aloe compress;
• oil compresses.

Onion compress
A compress based on onions has excellent bactericidal properties. The procedure should be repeated at least three times.

To prepare the compress you will need:

• two medium-sized onions;
• one teaspoon of soda;
• two liters of warm water;
• cling film;
• clean cloth;
• bandage.

Before applying the compress, your feet should be steamed by holding them in warm water with soda. Next, the onion pulp wrapped in cloth should be applied to the heels, wrapped in film and bandaged. Leave the mixture overnight and wash off in the morning with warm soapy water. After removing the onion, the feet should be treated with pumice and lubricated with rich cream.

Apple and milk compress
The vitamins and microelements contained in milk and apples nourish the skin of the feet and promote the speedy healing of cracks.

In order to prepare an apple-milk compress, you should prepare:

• apples - two medium-sized pieces;
• milk - 200 grams of low fat content;
• baking soda - one teaspoon;
• Wheat flour ( of necessity).

Cut the apples into small cubes along with the peel, add milk and soda and place on low heat in an enamel bowl. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes until it becomes a paste. If the mass turns out to be too liquid, you should add one to two teaspoons of wheat flour. After cooling the composition slightly, apply it in a thick layer ( 0.6 - 1 cm) on the heels, placing a gauze bandage on top. You should keep it until the compress is warm. You can extend the effect of the procedure by wrapping the gauze on top with cling film or parchment. You should make an apple-lactine compress at least once a week until a positive result occurs.

Potato compress
Potato compresses have a wound-healing antibacterial effect on cracked heels. The procedure should be carried out daily for ten days.
To prepare the composition, take three raw potatoes. The vegetable should be grated on a fine grater and the paste should be applied to the affected areas. You need to keep the compress for one and a half to two hours, then rinse off the composition, treat the heels with pumice and lubricate with nourishing cream.

Aloe compress
Aloe compresses have a softening effect and promote rapid restoration of cracked heels. Take a few stems of this plant, chop it finely and then soften it to a paste. Using plastic film and a bandage, the mixture should be fixed on the heels, socks should be put on top and the compress should be left overnight.

Oil compresses
Oils have a moisturizing and nourishing effect, therefore they are widely used in the fight against cracked heels. You should take cotton socks and soak them in heated oil. Put socks on pre-steamed feet and cover with cling film on top.

The following types of oils can be used as a base for a compress:

• olive;
• castor;
• almond;
• corn;
• sunflower.

Glycerin added to any of the above oils will help soften the skin and have an antimicrobial effect. When preparing an oil-glycerin mixture, the ratio should be 2:1. A few drops of fir or eucalyptus essential oil increases the effectiveness of oil compresses. They have a wound healing effect and also improve blood circulation in tissues.

Trays
Daily baths are an effective remedy for treating cracked heels. The key to the success of using this folk method is the systematic implementation of procedures.

The main ingredients for baths can be used:

• herbal infusions;
• starch;
• sea ​​salt;
• White wine.

Herbal infusions for foot baths
Herbal baths have a positive effect on cracked heels due to their anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. To carry out the procedure, you need to prepare a decoction. One tablespoon of dry plants should be poured into a liter of water, brought to a boil and kept on low heat for half an hour. Dilute the broth with water to an acceptable temperature and keep your feet in it for thirty to forty minutes. After the bath, pat your feet dry with a towel, give a light massage and lubricate with nourishing cream.

The following plants are used in the treatment of cracked heels:

• sage;
• St. John's wort;
• elecampane;
• series;
• chamomile;
• calendula;
• Oak bark.

You need to use dry herbs purchased at the pharmacy.

Bath with starch
In order to prepare a bath with starch for the feet, you will need a liter of warm water and one tablespoon of potato starch. After combining starch with water, immerse your feet in the resulting mixture for half an hour. As the composition cools, you should gradually add hot water. Next, wash your feet with warm water without soap, lubricate with nourishing cream and put on socks.
Starch baths soften rough skin on the heels and accelerate the healing of cracks. You can enhance the effect of the procedure by adding a few drops of rosemary essential oil, which has an antibacterial effect. Baths should be taken daily for eight to ten days. For deep, non-healing cracks, replace water with a decoction of herbs such as calendula, chamomile, St. John's wort ( 5 grams of each plant in dry form per liter of water).

You can supplement the starch bath by applying a special mixture to the affected areas. Take equal parts of aloe and onion juice. Combine with fish oil and enough flour to make a paste similar in consistency to yeast dough. Form the mixture into cakes and apply to the cracks, securing on top with wax paper or cling film. Wrap your feet in a bandage and put on warm socks on top. The compress should be left overnight. In the morning, rinse with warm water and treat the cracks with a strong decoction of calendula or oak bark.

Sea salt baths
The microelements contained in sea salt help improve blood circulation and restore affected areas on the feet. Baths with sea salt also have a softening and exfoliating effect. Add one hundred grams of sea salt and one tablespoon of soda to warm water. Soak your feet in the solution for fifteen minutes. Dry with a towel and wipe with a slice of lemon. Afterwards, lubricate your heels with olive or any other oil and put on warm socks.

Wine baths
Wine baths with the addition of linden have a softening effect on rough skin of the heels and promote rapid healing of cracks. To carry out this procedure, you should take two hundred milliliters of dry white wine and one tablespoon of dried linden flowers. Place the mixture on the fire and bring to a boil. Combine a liter of warm water and the resulting decoction and dip your feet in the resulting solution. After ten minutes, rub your feet with a washcloth and return them back to the water. Repeat these steps several times. After the water and wine have cooled, blot your feet and apply nourishing cream or vegetable oil.

Ointments
Ointments prepared according to folk recipes to combat cracked heels should be applied before bed, leaving overnight. To enhance the effect, wrap your feet in plastic wrap and wear warm socks. After washing off the composition, you need to treat problem areas with pumice, then apply vegetable oil, Vaseline or emollient cream.

The following products can serve as the basis for ointments:

• pork fat;
• badger fat;
• petrolatum.

Carrot and pork fat ointment
Take fresh medium-sized carrots and grate them on a fine grater. Melt one hundred grams of pork fat in a water bath. After adding carrots to the melted fat, leave the mixture on the fire for fifteen minutes. Next, strain the mixture through cheesecloth into a glass jar and cool to room temperature. The prepared ointment can be used either independently or as an additional element of care after baths and compresses. Fat softens the skin of the heels well, and the beneficial elements contained in carrots nourish the skin. The ointment should be stored in the refrigerator.

Herbal ointment based on badger fat
The badger fat contained in this ointment will make the skin of the heels more elastic and firm, thanks to the vitamins A and E that are included in its composition. Herbs have a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect, preventing the development of infection in cracked heels.

To prepare the ointment, you need the following ingredients:

• badger fat - fifty milliliters;
• dried calendula flowers - one teaspoon;
• dried celandine flowers - one teaspoon.

Badger fat and plants should be purchased at the pharmacy.
Pour boiling water over the dry herbs and keep them in the water for one minute. Place the fat in a water bath and after ten minutes add calendula flowers and celandine herbs. Keep the mixture in a water bath for thirty minutes, stirring thoroughly and avoiding boiling. Next, the hot fat needs to be strained through a sieve and poured into a glass container. The ointment should be stored in the refrigerator and heated in a water bath before use.

Vaseline-based ointment
Plantain ointment prepared with Vaseline has excellent bactericidal and wound-healing properties. Dry leaves of the plant should be ground into fine dust and mixed with a few drops of vegetable, olive or almond oil. Next, combine the composition with Vaseline in a ratio of 1:9.
You can also prepare calendula ointment using Vaseline. One tablespoon of crushed dried flowers of this plant should be mixed with four tablespoons of Vaseline. Calendula ointment stimulates tissue repair, prevents inflammatory processes and has antibacterial properties.

Mechanical treatments for cracked heels

Mechanical treatment of cracked heels consists of removing rough skin on the affected areas and further treating the wounds with special means.

Cleaning includes the following steps:

• steaming the skin;
• peeling;
• crack treatment;
• nutrition and hydration.

Steaming the skin

In order to steam the skin on the feet, you should prepare a soda-soap solution. You can prepare various baths with herbs and glycerin.

To prepare a soda-soap solution you will need:

• one litre ( four glasses) water - temperature 40 - 50 degrees Celsius;
• soda - 30 grams ( one tablespoon);
• liquid soap.

Combine all the components in a container designed for foot baths and lower your feet there. As the water cools, add boiling water. The duration of the procedure should be at least thirty minutes.

Bath with glycerin
To prepare a glycerin foot bath, combine five grams ( one teaspoon) glycerin and two liters of warm water ( 45 - 50 degrees Celsius). Place your feet in the water and keep them there for half an hour. You can enhance the effect by adding two tablespoons of 9 percent table vinegar to the solution.

Chamomile bath
Take six tablespoons of dry chamomile and pour half a liter ( two glasses) boiling water. Leave for ten minutes for the solution to infuse. Next, mix the steamed chamomile with three liters of water at room temperature. Place your feet in the water and hold them for ten to fifteen minutes.

Bath with tar soap
One hundred grams of tar soap ( half a block) grind with a grater and mix with two to three liters of warm water. To neutralize the strong odor, you can add a few drops of citrus essential oil to the solution ( lemon, orange, grapefruit). The duration of the procedure is twenty minutes. After the bath, rinse your feet with warm water and wipe dry.

Peeling

Peeling is the process of removing the surface layers of skin. You should know that activities to clean your heels of dead skin should be carried out no more than once a week.

The following products can be used for heel cleaning procedures:

• pumice;
• pedicure grater;
• scrub.

Pumice
Pumice for treating cracked heels should have medium-sized pores. Preference should be given to products of natural origin. Take a pumice stone and move in a circular motion over the rough areas, avoiding areas with healthy skin. If painful sensations occur, the procedure should be stopped.

Pedicure grater
You should start working on your heels using a pedicure sanding float from the center of the foot to the heel. During the procedure, the heels should be moistened with a damp towel.

Scrub
You can remove rough skin from your heels using a special product with abrasive particles. You can buy a scrub at a pharmacy, specialty store, or prepare it yourself.

The following products can be used as the main ingredient for the scrub:

• ground natural coffee;
• fine sea salt;
• corn flour.

Mix two tablespoons of any of the above products with liquid soap to a paste. Apply the mixture to your feet and rub into problem areas in a circular motion. The duration of the procedure is five minutes. Rinse your feet with warm water and dry with a clean towel.

Crack Treatment

Once the dead skin on your heels has been removed, you should treat the cracks with a disinfectant. Pour 3% hydrogen peroxide into the wounds. Blot the surface of the crack with a cotton pad. Next, treat the problem area with a cream that contains salicylic, glycolic or lactic acid. These products should be purchased at a pharmacy. After treatment, you should bandage your feet and put on cotton socks.

Nutrition and hydration

To nourish and moisturize dry skin on the feet, you should use creams containing the following ingredients:

• lanolin - softens the skin ( GEHWOLmed, ointment for cracks);
• Vitamin A - fights infections ( homemade foot cream recipes);
• Vitamin E - prevents skin damage ( healer cream with urea);
• vitamin B5 - promotes wound healing ( cream balsamed);

Vitamin F - makes the skin elastic ( first aid cream for cracks).

Prevention of cracked heels

What should you do to prevent cracked heels?

To prevent the formation of cracked heels, you should :

• observe the rules of personal hygiene;
• wear the right shoes;
• Provide your feet with proper care.
• Maintain a balanced diet and drinking regime.

Personal hygiene
In order to prevent the occurrence of cracked heels, you should follow the rules of personal hygiene.

Personal hygiene rules to prevent cracked heels:

• When visiting a swimming pool, bathhouse, gym, or beach, you must wear closed rubber shoes. Also, during regular visits to these institutions, it is recommended to use antifungal drugs.
• Socks, stockings and tights should be changed every day, giving preference to products made from natural fabrics. Synthetics promote increased sweating and the accumulation of sebaceous products.
• Avoid wearing other people's shoes and don't even let family members wear your shoes. Pedicures should be done only with your own tools, and when visiting specialized salons, make sure they are sterile.
• You should avoid porous rugs in the bathroom, as they provide a fertile environment for the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria.

The right shoes
To prevent cracked heels, special attention should be paid to the choice of shoes. Shoes should be comfortable, well ventilated, with medium heels. It is important to select shoes according to your foot size. Tight, uncomfortable high-heeled shoes place increased stress on the skin of the feet, resulting in cracks.

During warmer months, avoid flip-flops and flip-flops. Due to the impact of the foot on the sole, microcracks appear on the skin of the heels. When exposed to dry air and dust, small injuries can grow into deep cracks. To protect the skin of your feet from the effects of negative environmental factors, when wearing open shoes you need to use heels or thin socks. Shoes made from low-quality synthetic materials cause increased sweating and impaired heat exchange. Artificial, non-breathable materials cause damage and skin diseases, including cracked heels.

Feet care
Proper care begins with daily cleansing of your feet. You should not neglect taking care of your heels, but at the same time, you should not abuse detergents or abrasives.

Rules for daily foot toilet:

• The water should not be too hot as it can cause dry skin.
• For washing you need to use fatty soap.
• If your feet sweat excessively, you need to wash them with bactericidal agents.
• Finish washing your feet by rinsing with cold water.
• After water procedures, feet should be wiped dry with a separate towel.
• After washing, apply nourishing cream or any vegetable oil to your feet.
• several times a week, using a special washcloth or products with abrasive particles, it is necessary to clean the skin of the feet from dying skin cells.

A deeper cleaning of your feet should be done weekly. Steam your feet by soaking them in warm soapy water for thirty minutes. To enhance the effect, you can add baking soda to the solution at the rate of one tablespoon per liter of water. After this, the softened layer must be removed with a pumice stone or a special pedicure tool.

You should refrain from using the blade, as it can injure the skin. Water for steaming can be replaced with a decoction of herbs such as calendula, chamomile, St. John's wort. Steam two tablespoons of dry plants with a glass of boiling water and leave the decoction for half an hour to infuse. Such baths, in addition to the steaming effect, have a bactericidal effect and prevent the occurrence of infections.

For excessively dry feet, it is useful to make nourishing masks to prevent cracked heels. The product should be applied to problem areas and provide a thermal effect by wrapping the feet with polyethylene film. You need to wear warm socks over the film. You can purchase these masks in specialized stores, pharmacies, or prepare them yourself. When choosing cosmetics, preference should be given to brands that contain natural oils.

Ultraviolet rays have a negative effect on the skin of the feet. Therefore, before exposure to the sun, special protective agents should be applied to the feet, and after sunbathing, the skin should be moisturized. Sea water and hot sand also negatively affect the condition of the feet, after which the skin becomes dry and cracks. Special beach shoes and nourishing foot care products will help prevent cracks.

Diet and water regime
In order to prevent cracked heels, a person must receive a sufficient amount of vitamin A and other elements from food that are responsible for skin restoration.

Diet to prevent the development of cracked heels:

• beef and chicken liver, fish oil, cod liver - a source of retinol.
• wheat germ oil, sea buckthorn and soybean oil, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts - contain a large amount of tocopherol.
• carrots, sea buckthorn, sorrel, rose hips, spinach, celery, wild garlic are suppliers of carotene.

Dry skin and, as a consequence, the appearance of cracks can be caused by the predominance of low-fat foods in the diet.
Proper water regime will help prevent the occurrence of cracked heels. For good skin health, a person needs to drink at least two liters of water a day. Preference should be given to still or mineralized water, reducing the consumption of coffee and tea. A sufficient amount of moisture also improves metabolism and helps normalize weight. Extra pounds create additional stress on the skin of the feet, causing the formation of cracks.

What should you avoid to prevent cracked heels?

In order to prevent cracked heels, you need to exclude some negative factors from your lifestyle.

To prevent cracked heels, you should not:

• ignore personal hygiene rules;
• not following foot care procedures;
• ignore the use of protective and nourishing products for the feet;
• use a blade and other people's pedicure tools;
• wear tight shoes;
• give preference to synthetic socks;
• wearing high-heeled shoes for a long time;
• wear shoes made of artificial materials;
• abuse low-calorie diets;
• not providing the body with sufficient amounts of vitamins A and E;
• Drink less than two liters of fluid per day.

Rough, rough skin and cracked heels are a real problem for many people, and it becomes especially acute in the warm season, when it’s time to wear open shoes. To get your feet in order, you don’t have to spend a lot of money and time in salons; you can quickly get rid of cracked heels at home, using simple, time-tested folk recipes.

The first rule that you should take note of is to always keep your feet well-groomed; every evening, after washing, lubricate them with a nourishing cream. It can be replaced with the following composition: buy a bottle of natural glycerin, purified to 99.5%, there is always a little free space in it, fill it with vinegar essence, shake well, lubricate the rough skin on the feet with the resulting mixture overnight.

But such measures are not sufficient if the heels are already roughened and cracked. To get the skin of your feet in order, you need to carry out a whole range of measures, and the first thing you should start with is steam baths.

If you steam your feet, clean them and make masks 1-3 days a week, even the deepest cracks will disappear

Bath recipes

The following recipe will help you quickly steam your feet:

• pour 3 liters of hot water into a basin, add 1 bottle of hydrogen peroxide and a little liquid soap, dip your feet in the solution for 20 minutes, almost immediately you will feel that the rough skin is swollen, just rub your heel against your heel;
• treat your feet with pumice;
• rinse your feet with cool water and dry;
• Lubricate with cream or glycerin and vinegar.

This procedure should be performed 2-3 times a week, and alternate it with herbal baths:

• brew nettle, elecampane, chamomile, string, calendula, St. John's wort sage, you can use one of the herbs, but it is better to make a mixture;
• mix the herbal decoction with warm water in a basin and soak your feet there for half an hour;
• Clean your feet with a pumice stone, rinse and lubricate with a nutrient solution overnight.

Start the procedure by soaking your feet and removing rough skin with a pumice stone.

Compresses and masks for the night

Steaming will help remove rough skin from the heels, but it is still not enough. To cure cracks, it is necessary to nourish and soften the skin of the feet. Various oils, for example, olive, castor, tea tree, and almond, effectively help solve the problem. After the legs are steamed, cleaned and wiped dry, it is recommended to generously lubricate the feet with any of the oils, wrap them in film and put on socks. In the morning, the legs should be rinsed and lubricated with cream. Oils can be replaced with goose or pork fat.

Fruit compress

Another useful and simple recipe for how to get rid of cracked heels is compresses of fruits and vegetables, best done in the evening, 2-3 hours before bedtime. To choose from: cabbage, apple, onion, potatoes, twist in a food processor or grate to a paste. Spread the resulting mixture on your heels, apply a bandage or gauze folded in several layers on top, wrap your feet in film or plastic bags, and put on socks on top. Leave the compress for one and a half to two hours, rinse with warm water, apply a moisturizer or nourishing cream.

Celandine

Celandine will effectively help tidy up cracked heels:

• chop fresh plants;
• Apply the paste on the rough heels;
• apply gauze or a bandage, wrap your feet with film, put on socks on top;
• The compress should be kept overnight; in the morning, wash your feet thoroughly, rub with a rough washcloth, rinse and treat the soles with cream.

Aloe mask

Due to the medicinal properties of aloe, it is often used in home recipes to treat a wide variety of problems. A mask with aloe helps to quickly cope with cracked heels, preparation method:

• keep a few fleshy aloe leaves in the refrigerator for a week, then chop them, to prepare 1 mask you will need 1 tbsp;
• mix aloe pulp with 1 fresh egg white;
• Apply the mixture thickly to problem areas;
• leave for an hour and a half and rinse with cool water, treat your feet with cream.

Oatmeal help

An oatmeal mask softens dead skin and nourishes the feet; if this procedure is carried out 1-2 times a week, it will help eliminate cracked heels forever:

• cook 300-500 g of oatmeal, the cereal should swell well, add 100-150 g of vegetable oil to the porridge, cool to body temperature;
• divide the porridge into 2 parts, each of which is placed in a separate plastic bag;
• put bags of oatmeal on your legs, wrap them in a warm cloth, maybe a scarf, it is recommended to wear warm socks on top;
• Keep the mask on for 2 hours, unwind the compress, wash your feet well in warm water, clean the swollen skin with pumice, rinse your feet with warm water and apply nourishing cream.

Petrolatum

Vaseline helps soften and moisturize the skin. I regularly make masks based on Vaseline; even very deep cracks can be eliminated. Before the procedures, it is recommended to thoroughly steam your feet in a bath of hot water; for greater effect, it is recommended to add boric acid to it - 1 teaspoon per 1 glass of water. Soak your feet for half an hour, clean the dead skin with a pumice stone, rinse and dry your feet. Lubricate your heels generously with Vaseline and put on socks; in the morning the skin will noticeably soften. The procedure should be performed every other day until the problem completely disappears.

If the cracks are deep

Antibiotic ointments will help cure deep cracks in the heels; you should consult a doctor to select them. At home, you can use cream with propolis and vitamins A, E, F. Natural honey is very effective against cracks. Every evening, lubricate your steamed and treated feet with it, put on warm socks and go to bed, in the morning your heels will be soft.

Prevention

There are numerous popular tips on how to remove cracked heels; which one will be useful for you can only be learned through trial and error. But to keep your legs from spinning, take preventive measures:

• daily half-hour baths with starch, 1 tbsp. for 1 l. water will help keep the skin on your heels soft;
• A mixture of vitamins A and E, which should be lubricated on the skin at night 1-2 times a week, will save you from cracked heels;
• wear comfortable and high-quality shoes;
• To prevent the skin on your feet from becoming rough, it is important to adhere to a proper, balanced diet.

Important

Heels can crack for many reasons, including heavy loads, uncomfortable shoes, and excess weight. But often the problem lies deep inside; rough skin can be a symptom of serious diseases. Before you begin self-treatment, seek examination from specialists who will help identify the causes and give recommendations on how to eliminate them.

If you intensively care for your heels, but cracks do not go away, the reasons may lie in a number of serious diseases, you should contact a specialist