Dry cracked heels are usually due to lack of moisture in the heel skin. Wearing heel-less shoes, being overweight, or rubbing the heel can aggravate this dry skin; there is pain, bleeding, and even infection. Moisturizing creams have a preventive effect. It is common in patients with diabetic neuropathy (predominantly autonomic neuropathy), and if the heel is cracked, there is a risk of infection present and immediate podiatrist help should be sought for evaluation and treatment.
What are the causes of the development?
There are a number of potential causes that are often telltale signs of physical deterioration.
1. Genetic factors: Skin types are often inherited. Some people have thick calluses and do not crack; others have no calluses at all and suddenly crack.
2, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy formation, dry skin, but also more prone to infection.
3, overweight related: heel fat pad pressure, making the skin tension is greater, easy to crack.
4, abnormal hormone levels: such as thyroid hormone or estrogen imbalance.
5 .Venous stasis dermatitis.
6, Down’s syndrome.
7, kidney disease or taking diuretics.
8.Lymphoma.
9.Psoriasis and eczema.
10.Inadequate blood supply to the lower extremities.
11.Weather related: low humidity summer or cold winter can cause dry skin.
12, certain nutrient deficiencies: water, vitamins, minerals, zinc and malnutrition, etc..
How should the diagnosis be made?
Dry, cracked and painful heels, even infections, cannot be improved with over-the-counter lotions. Dry and cracked heels are not only unsightly, but also often lead to pain and infection.
How do I treat it?
The quickest way is to have a specialist remove the dry, cracked, inactive skin from the cracked heel until it is smooth and has active tissue. In addition, the treatment needs to be directed by a doctor to the cause of the problem.
Treatments that can be done at home include.
1. Using ointment or oil twice daily. Using creams for breakfast can help you maintain skin elasticity and reduce the risk of fissures, and lip balm is fine.
2, Use a pumice stone or file to grind away hard cracked heel skin, but of course the best way is to get help from a podiatrist and trim it regularly.
3.If there is bleeding, then use antibiotics to prevent infection and keep the wound clean.
4.Wear well-fitting, quality shoes.
5.Drink more water to keep the skin moist.
6.Shoe insoles made of silicone can help moisturize and prevent skin cracking.