Dry or Cracked Heels? Get Relief With These Tips
Dry and cracked skin on your feet, especially your heels, is very common, with some studies reporting that at least 20% of adults experience this. For most people, it isn’t a serious problem, but it can be uncomfortable and occasionally lead to infection. We’ve got tips that can help.
Causes of Dry Skin on your Feet
Factors that can affect the skin on your feet include long hot showers and harsh soaps that strip your skin of its natural oils. Combine this with cold temperatures and/or low humidity, and the result is winter dry skin. In addition, dry skin on your feet does become more common with age.
Obesity, wearing improperly fitting shoes, standing for long hours, and walking barefoot can worsen the condition and create skin cracks/fissures. If you have fissures, watch for redness, swelling, and pain, which could be signs of infection.
In some cases, there may be an underlying medical condition, including diabetes, thyroid disorders, psoriasis, eczema, and athlete's foot (tinea pedis).
Tips for Prevention
Staying hydrated by drinking enough fluids can help but probably won’t be enough on its own.
Wash skin gently (do not scrub) with lukewarm water and use a gentle soap like Dove or Vanicream.
Moisturize your feet twice a day, especially after showers when your skin is still damp.
Moisturize first with a lotion, let it sink in, and then seal it with an occlusive ointment such as Vaseline Healing Jelly or Aquaphor Healing Ointment.
Consider a method known as “soak and smear.” Apply petrolatum-based ointment on clean, damp feet and wear cotton socks overnight. Even the driest feet will respond to this.
For thicker scaliness, applying 40% Urea Cream to damp skin daily can be helpful, though some irritation may occur if the cream touches cracked skin.
Exfoliating creams can help—but foot files should be used with caution to avoid excess trauma.
For fresh fissures, closing the gap and then applying a liquid bandage can help.
If you don’t see improvement with these tips, schedule an appointment with us.
Any questions? Consult one of our board-certified dermatologists. Please contact SSDP to schedule an appointment with any of our physicians.
