Causes and treatment of cracked heels at home. Preparations, ointments, hydrogen peroxide, aspirin, folk remedies

Cracked heels not only spoil the appearance of the foot, but also bring discomfort when walking and other loads. To forget about the aching pain, first you need to study the basic the reasons and proceed to treatment.

Types of cracked heels

When the firmness and elasticity of the skin decreases, small notches appear on the feet, which soon develop into cracks of various sizes.

They are classified into two types:

• Superficial (epidermal) cracks. Formed on the upper layer of the skin, that is, within the epidermis. They do not have serious consequences and heal on their own without leaving scars. They appear as small cracks on dry skin;
• Deep (epidermal-dermal) cracks... They develop mainly in the upper dermal layers, which is why they are more dangerous and require high-quality treatment. They are accompanied by severe aching pain, especially when walking, and may bleed. This type is dangerous because it is easy to get a secondary infection through deep cracks due to infection and viruses entering the wounds.

Reasons for the appearance

Cracked heels (causes and treatment will be described later in the article) are formed due to the influence of various factors. Therefore, before choosing a method of dealing with pathology, it is necessary to understand what is the cause of the skin disease.

Factors can be classified into 2 types:

• external;
• internal.

External factors

• Personal hygiene. Like the rest of the body, the feet need careful care using a variety of cosmetics. Since the feet are in shoes without air access for most of the day and withstand heavy loads, they need to be provided with proper care (foot baths, various scrubs, peeling and exfoliating agents). It is also important not to forget about moisture, since cracks appear precisely due to a lack of moisture in the epidermis;
• Climate. Cracked heels are a common negative effect after being at sea. The structure of sand and small stones negatively affects the top layer of the skin of the feet, which makes it coarse. The same effect is produced by sea water and sunlight. Therefore, even on vacation in hot countries, it is recommended to use moisturizers and spa treatments;

• Excessive skin care. Due to the fear of cracked heels, there is a danger of harming the skin with frequent use of cosmetics or frequent exfoliating procedures. Also, do not cut off the hardened skin with a razor blade or nail scissors.
• Inconvenient shoes. Poor quality shoes without special insoles lead to gradual serration in the heels. So that this does not contribute to further deterioration, it is imperative to change shoes and conduct a course of treatment.

Internal factors

• sdiseases of the digestive system (ulcer, gastritis);
• allergic reactions;
• deficiency of vitamins A, E and B;
• malfunctioning of the thyroid gland;
• painful skin lesions in diabetes mellitus;
• liver problems;
• excess weight;
• deformation of the feet;
• excessive load on the legs;
• dry skin.

Pharmacy remedies for the treatment of cracks

Cracked heels (causes and treatment interconnected with each other) are eliminated by drugs available at any pharmacy.

List of drugs:

• Aspirin... To prepare a healing infusion, you need to take 10 aspirin tablets, 5-6 drops of iodine and a glass of vodka. The mixture obtained after mixing is stored in the refrigerator. She needs to lubricate the affected areas of her heels every day after taking a shower. Treatment with Aspirin takes about a week;
• Special adhesive with added cyanoacrylate. This product is designed to safely bind cracked heels and has been approved by doctors. Before use, you must thoroughly wash your feet with soap and blot with a clean towel. Then, using a special dispenser on the package, spread the glue along the entire length of the cracks and leave to dry. During treatment with such glue, it is not advisable to use other drugs. After 6-7 days, you need to start taking special baths and gradually erase the keratinized layers of the skin of the feet with a pumice stone. It is important not to forget to do this often and little by little, so as not to injure the heel again. To enhance the effect and speed up the healing process, it is recommended to use regenerating creams with acids - lactic (very mild and effective) or salicylic, and apply a deep moisturizing cream at night;
• Hilfix cream. It is not glue, but it also has a film effect that promotes faster healing of cracks. The cream is a thick paste-like paste designed to be applied directly to the cracks themselves. Hilfix creates a protective film, which creates even greater contact of the affected areas with the agent and promotes rapid healing;
• Hydrogen peroxide... 4 tbsp. l. add antiseptic to a basin with 4 liters. mild hot water and stir. Next, place your feet in the water so that it completely covers the feet. The effectiveness of treatment with hydrogen peroxide is that it warms up the skin in 10 minutes, which is impossible to achieve if you use hot water without impurities. After a couple of minutes, use a pumice stone to carefully remove the hardened skin. Then rinse your feet in clean water, dry thoroughly with a towel. The final stage is to lubricate the heels with a moisturizer;
• Petrolatum. Not only copes with cracked heels, but also saturates the rough skin with moisture, removing the need to use other medications. Vaseline should be used after taking a steaming foot bath, while applying to the affected areas and glue them with a plaster. This promotes faster healing. The product is completely absorbed into the skin;
• Glycerol. An effective remedy in the fight against dryness of the upper layers of the skin, including cracked heels. It is necessary to mix glycerin, lemon juice and water in equal proportions. Apply every day to clean skin of the feet for about 1.5 weeks;
• Floralisin creams. They are one of the most affordable methods of treating cracks due to their price and at the same time decent quality. The most popular - "Dawn" and "Power of the Forest", cost about 70-80 rubles. If these creams were not found in the pharmacy, any other with floralisin in its composition will do. Such products effectively heal cracks, relieve inflammation and moisturize the skin.

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Baths

Cracked heels, regardless the reasons, are very diverse, but in all cases they are accompanied by severe discomfort and pain, which do not interfere with life and require an early treatment.

In addition to medications aimed at regenerating and softening rough skin, foot baths are also good helpers. They prepare the skin of the feet for further treatment, and also speed it up.

Effective recipes:

• Sea salt. Take 0.5 cups of salt on a basin of warm water and wait until it dissolves. It is necessary to take a bath for 10 minutes, then gently rub your feet with a pumice stone and repeat the procedure. If the cracks are superficial, then you need to do a salt bath no more than 3 times a week. Otherwise, daily for 2 weeks;

  

• Herbal baths. It is necessary to choose herbs that have healing and soothing properties. The most accessible are chamomile, sage, St. John's wort. To prepare the bath, you need to take 3-4 tbsp. l. medicinal plants, pour 2 liters of boiling water and let it brew. After that, strain and lower your legs into the healing broth for 25 minutes;
• Potato starch. Softens dead skin of the feet and heals wounds. You need 1 tbsp. l. mix with 1 liter of warm water and steam feet for 30 minutes, adding boiling water as needed;
• Soda... You need to take 2 tbsp. l, diluted in 1 l of water, and also add a few drops of essential oil. In this case, you do not need to add hot water, you should soar your feet for 20-25 minutes until the water in the basin cools down. After such baths, one should not forget about moisturizing and use a fat cream;
• Wine. This drink, despite the alcohol in its composition, is replete with beneficial qualities that will help heal cracked heels. To prepare a bath, you need to take water and wine in a 3: 1 ratio. You need to take it no more than 20 minutes. It is important to remember about preparation for this procedure: you need to wash your feet, treat your heels with a pumice stone, and only then start taking a bath. After that, dry your feet with a towel and put on warm, preferably woolen socks.

Masks and trays for cracked heels:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP-DWWcDghw

Compresses and masks

Cracked heels (causes and treatment discussed earlier), even at an early stage of development, they begin to deliver inconvenience, because of which it becomes difficult for a person to walk. That is why the problem should not be postponed. At the first sign of discomfort, alternative therapy will help.

Compresses and masks that can be easily done at home are effective:

• Onion. You need to take 1 medium onion, grate until you get gruel, and then apply on clean heels. To achieve the maximum effect, the feet should be wrapped in a plastic bag, and put on warm socks on top and left overnight;
• Milk apple. It is necessary to boil 2-3 medium apples, cut into cubes, in 300 ml of milk until a gruel is formed. Then apply it on the heels and tie the feet with gauze, leaving for 20 minutes;
• Aloe. From ordinary cream and minced aloe, you can make an effective mask for the heels. Mix these ingredients in a 1: 9 ratio, apply to problem areas and leave for 4-5 hours;
• Zucchini mask. To 2 st. l. grated zucchini, add 1 tbsp. l. olive oil or vegetable oil and mix thoroughly. The resulting mass is more convenient to spread out on gauze bandages and cover the heels with them, leaving for 20 minutes;
• Apricot mask. It is made according to the principle of the previous remedy: several chopped apricots must be mixed with 1 tbsp. l. olive oil and then heat the mixture. Apply to heels for 20-25 minutes;
• Linen mask. An effective remedy is flaxseeds boiled to a thick jelly. For 2 tsp. flax you need to take 1 tsp. honey and mix thoroughly. Keep the mixture on the affected areas for 20 minutes.

Home-made ointments

Healing ointments prepared at home have a beneficial effect on the rapid regeneration of cracks, in particular due to their natural composition.

Uncomplicated recipes to help with treatment:

• Propolis ointment. To cook it at home, you need to finely chop one medium onion and fry in vegetable oil (1 tbsp.) Until golden.Then strain into a saucepan, add a small piece of propolis and 100 g of wax to the oil. After boiling, it is advisable to pour the liquid into a convenient container, since in the end the ointment will acquire the consistency of a balm. They need to lubricate their heels every night before bed;

• Wax with oil. By 1 tsp. wax you need to add 1 tsp. cocoa butter and place in a microwave oven for 10 sec. (if the wax did not have time to completely dissolve, then repeat), and then add a couple of drops of apricot kernel oil or calendula to this mixture. Such an ointment perfectly heals both small notches on the heels and cracks, and also saturates the skin of the feet with moisture;
• Egg ointment. You will need 1 yolk, 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. vinegar. Mix all components thoroughly and apply to heels overnight. After that, wrap your legs with a plastic bag and put on socks made of thick fabric.

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Mechanical treatments

Cracked heels may be disturbing even at very early stages of development, and the reasons be diverse - that's why it's worth starting as early as possible treatment.

Mechanical methods have the advantage that they can prevent the occurrence of deep cracks, and otherwise improve their condition.

Peeling can be carried out using special devices and is aimed at removing the upper stratum corneum. After steaming the feet, the skin becomes softer and more pliable for peeling. But it is worth remembering that it should be done no more than 1 time a week, so as not to harm the epidermis.

There are different types of peels:

• Scrub... Due to solid particles in the composition, the top layer of the skin is well exfoliated and polished. After applying it, you should definitely use a moisturizer. The scrub can be purchased at any supermarket, pharmacy, or you can make it yourself;

• Pumice. It is important to pay attention to the material from which it is made - it is better to make a choice in favor of naturalness. It is necessary to use pumice only after steaming the skin, while not affecting healthy areas;
• Pedicure grater. A device similar to a pumice stone, but designed for the entire foot and has a holder. It is also necessary to use a grater after a warm bath and do not allow the legs to dry completely, otherwise the epidermis will be damaged again.

Essential oils

Aromatic products can gently and gently heal and soothe cracked heels, as well as moisturize the skin of the feet without the use of additional creams.

Using oils, you can do massages, baths and even homemade cream:

• Massage. For a healing foot massage, you need to take 2 types of oil: sesame or coconut (for moisturizing and softening the skin) and lavender, lemon, and so on (for quick healing and disinfection). Regular evening massage not only speeds up the treatment process, but also relieves fatigue;
• Baths... The addition of essential oils to the bath prevents the development of deeper cracks and tightens existing ones. Tea tree oil, coconut oil, and lavender oil are best, as they have antifungal and healing properties. 3 drops of oil are enough for one basin;
• Homemade cream. Such a cream should be based on avocado, calendula, coconut or olive oil, and then add oils with healing properties to them. If you have an ordinary oily cream without fragrances at hand, then you can also take it as a base.

Nutritional treatment

In addition to treating the feet themselves, it is recommended to start healing from the inside, namely, switch to a healthy diet.

So that the body does not need essential vitamins, it is necessary to include in your diet a sufficient amount of vegetables, fruits, meat and fish products, healthy cereals and cereals. To this you also need to add a complex of vitamins.

One of the most important points in the fight against dehydration (which causes cracks) is to take in clean water every day. An adult needs to drink 2 liters of water per day so that the body safely maintains water balance and nourishes the skin.

Any cracked heels cause great inconvenience when walking and many activities, constantly reminding of themselves with aching pain. They appear over several reasonsbut there is a way for everyone treatment.

Applying pharmacy preparations, as well as recipes for compresses and baths, you can help the skin return a healthy look at home.x, without too much trouble and expense.

Article design: Svetlana Ovsyanikova

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How to get rid of cracked heels: causes and treatment: