It’s not often that we think about how important our legs are. But it is they who take the maximum load of our body on themselves every day. Would you be able to do at least a tenth of the usual things, if your legs "took a vacation" at least for a day or two? How many kilometers do you walk per day, what roads and how comfortable are your shoes? Do you spend enough time taking care of your legs or remembering them only when problems arise?
Dry skin is a common occurrence, few have immunity to it. Dry skin of the feet is vulnerable and can be an ideal platform for the development of fungal infections, resulting in cracks in the heels of the legs. This is not just a cosmetic flaw. Even small cracks can transform into large, deep and poorly healing wounds in a short time. Living with such flaws is very difficult - every step becomes like walking along the edge of a razor.
Why did this happen?
There can be many reasons. The first is, of course, a way of life, the second is health. Those who work “on their feet”, athletes, people of advanced age, and those who do not pay enough attention to the care of their feet are most prone to cracking.
The skin may dry out and crack due to temperature changes, dryness and excessive moisture. From wearing tight, uncomfortable, air-tight shoes. Dust, dirt and lack of hygiene will easily do the job, with them you will quickly get cracks in the feet. Oh yes: bad habits, poor nutrition, low levels of zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, calcium and iron in the diet also contribute to an imbalance in the composition of the skin.
How to treat it?
If you notice that the skin of your heels began to resemble a gnawed corn cob, it is worth starting treatment immediately. The first thing a person does, faced with a similar problem, runs around the shops and pharmacies in search of creams and ointments, since there are a lot of them on sale. The desire to buy everything and more can be stopped by the amounts on the price tags. Disappointment in the purchase is also not uncommon. Praised creams do not always cope with the task quickly, and sometimes they do not work at all. Then it’s time to search for alternative methods that will really help eliminate cracked heels. Treatment with folk remedies has proven itself in this area as well as possible. Everyone has tested and available components for years in everyone’s house, their cost is low, you only need knowledge of what and how to use it correctly.
And if it is a disease?
If you do not belong to people from the “risk group”, carefully monitor cleanliness, wear the right shoes, but the problem appears again and again, it is worthwhile to find out what else may cause cracks in the heels. Treatment with folk remedies does not hurt to start, but first you need to make sure that this is not a symptom of a serious illness. People suffering from thyroid disease, overweight, diabetes, psoriasis, eczema, flat feet, and those who have persistent and untreated corns on their feet are also prone to drying out of their skin. Before starting treatment of heel cracks with folk remedies, you need to solve the main problem. Otherwise, the struggle will be constant and exhausting.
Time-tested treatment
The paradox is that the more medicines and care products appear on the shelves, the more we turn to the advice of our grandmothers for help. There is one reason for this - their methods have been tested by time and never fail in the fight against various ailments.
Cracks in the heels are no exception. Treatment with folk remedies will solve the problem effectively and without overpaying for advertising brands. Take some time for yourself, stock up on everything you need. And proceed to treatment when it is convenient for you. And we will try to help you and tell you about simple and affordable ways.
Oils
A natural moisturizer for the skin, contrary to misconceptions, is not water, but fats. They not only nourish it with useful elements, but also retain moisture inside. If your feet have dry skin and cracked heels, treatment with folk remedies using natural oils will be a great solution. You can use any vegetable oil: almond, olive, sesame, grape seed, coconut or ordinary sunflower. It is better to take several at once, mixing them in equal parts.
Use this method before bedtime. Take a bath and spread your legs well, thoroughly cleanse your skin, use pumice and scrub. Dry with a towel afterwards. Apply oil to the skin, massage so that it absorbs oil well. Put on warm socks and go to bed. In a few days you will notice an improvement. The skin will become more lively, dryness will be less, cracks on the heels will be reduced. Reviews of people who use oils constantly indicate that such procedures are the ideal solution for foot care.
Milk and honey
This is a great soft peeling option. Use this method if you regularly peel and crack the skin on your legs. Honey and milk will not only gently cleanse it, but also nourish it. After such a procedure, you can additionally moisten your feet with oil before bedtime. This will allow you to quickly cure existing cracks.
Pour 2 cups of milk and a glass of natural honey into the bath and mix well. Dip your feet for 15 minutes in this mixture. Massage your skin well in the milk formula (the longer the better). Then rinse with warm water.
Rice flour scrub
The scrub can be easily prepared at home, it will soften and remove dead skin and help prevent dryness and cracking in the future. Use a cleansing paste after thoroughly steaming your feet. Repeat the procedure several times a week, and the result will not be long in coming. The skin of the legs will become soft, the cracks on the heels will disappear. Treatment with folk remedies (see the photo of the process of making rice scrub below) does not require large time and material costs.
To enrich the scrub, you can safely add several tablespoons of vegetable oil (almond or olive) to it.
Lemon
Hold your feet in a warm bath of lemon juice. It is important that the water is warm and not hot, otherwise the skin will dry out even more. Treat your feet with a pumice stone. Then rinse with warm water and dry with a towel.
Paraffin
If the condition is absolutely deplorable, a deep crack on the heel has formed, and every touch causes pain, use paraffin.
- Melt the paraffin in a water bath or in a double boiler, add a couple of tablespoons of mustard or coconut oil.
- Let it cool slightly, a film should form on the surface. Immerse your feet in the mixture, then take out 10-15 seconds, and then lower again. Repeat this several times. Several layers of paraffin should form on the feet.
- Wrap your legs in a plastic bag for half an hour. Then remove it and remove paraffin and keratinized skin.
- Repeat the procedure once or twice a week.
Make sure that the paraffin is sufficiently cooled and that you will not get burns. Do not use the method if you are diabetic or have poor circulation.
Glycerin and rose water
Glycerin is an excellent moisturizer, you can buy it at any pharmacy, and it costs a penny. If you mix it with pink water and use it regularly, the skin will become soft and soft, you will forget about cracks forever. The procedure is best done at night.
Mix ¼ glycerin and ¾ rose water, add the juice of half a lemon. Pour a teaspoon of salt in a bath of warm water, hold your feet in it for 15–20 minutes. Pumice your feet where necessary. After dry your skin and apply the prepared mixture of glycerin. Repeat this every night before going to bed. The lotion will help not only eliminate the problem, but also protect the skin from possible further cracking.
Petroleum jelly
Another great option for foot care. Lubricate the skin of the feet with Vaseline, easily massaging after each bath and cleansing. So you get gentle, smooth and well-groomed feet.
Here is such a simple treatment for our great-grandmothers from a crack on the heels with folk remedies. The feedback of those who use similar methods suggests that they can be safely trusted. Simple tips will not only help get rid of painful wounds. Make it a rule to take care of your skin daily, monitor the condition of your legs and take care of them properly. This is the only way you can always wear beautiful open heeled shoes and feel confident in any situation.