Fix the crack

health

Do you feel too ashamed to remove your shoes in public because of cracks in your heels? While we spend a lot of time caring for our face, our feet are mostly ignored. It is this lack of care and hygiene that causes your heels to crack. For most people, cracked heels are merely an issue, but if they are deep, they can be quite painful. Cracks develop when the skin loses its moisture and it creates a strong feeling of discomfort. Also known as heel fissures, cracked heels are an indicative of lack of care given to feet and it occurs when the skin on our feet becomes dry. Standing for long hours, inappropriate footwear, avoiding sun and taking long hot baths and showers every day can also aggravate this condition. Moreover, women who don't regularly moisturise their feet with a good oil-based lotion or moisturiser, are more likely to experience heel fissures. Drinking less than eight glass of water every day and taking poor nutrition also contribute to the condition of cracked heels.

Generally speaking, cracked heels are a common health condition and can be overcome with simple home remedies. Your kitchen is a treasure trove of amazing products with medicinal value that can treat many daily ailments, including the problem of cracked heels. We have compiled a couple of home remedies to help you attain the perfect heels you have always deserved...

Apply moisturiser consistently:

Whether you're trying to prevent cracked heels or heal them, the solution is the same: stay moisturised. Use a good moisturiser at least once a day, possibly more. Moisturiser needs to be applied to the feet daily - once in the morning and once at night before bed. This will help you keep fluids in your skin. Consistency in the products you use is also important. Whether you Choose lotion or cream, applying it daily will help prevent cracked heels.

Try petroleum jelly:

If you're in need of heavy-duty hydration, occlusive products like petroleum jelly (often listed as petrolatum on the ingredients label) stay on the skin and form a protective barrier to prevent moisture loss. After applying your lotion or cream, add a thin layer of a petroleum jelly-based product, like Vaseline, to seal moisture into your cracked feet. Or, opt for a cream that already contains the ingredient, like CeraVe Healing Ointment.

D.I.Y

Rose petals for soft heels: Rose water contains antioxidants that prevent cell damage. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that may help relieve dry and irritated skin. Just take a small tub of warm water and add half a cup of milk in it. Add a handful of rose petals and 4-5 neem leaves. Mix a teaspoon of seed oil or wheat germ oil to the tub. Add a few drops of essential oil, if you have any. Soak your feet in for about 20 minutes and scrub them lightly. This procedure will not only help you in getting rid of dead skin but will also keep cracked heels at bay.

Foot Mask: Add one tablespoon of salt, two tablespoons of glycerine, and two teaspoons of rosewater to a basin filled with warm water. Soak your feet in this mixture for about 15-20 minutes. Scrub your heels and the sides of the feet with a pumice stone or a foot scrubber. For those with cracked and painful heels, this remedy will work like magic.

Nothing like vinegar: Vinegar while typically used as a cooking ingredient, is very useful in remedying dry and cracked heels. One part of white vinegar, when mixed with two parts of warm water, can be used as a soak for the feet. A pumice stone can be used to scrub the dead skin after soaking for 20-25 minutes. Mixing white vinegar with curd creates a solution that removes dead skin while filling in the cracks. White vinegar can also be mixed to warm water and sheer or cocoa butter to create a mixture that can be rubbed onto the heels. Apple cider vinegar is another type of vinegar that is useful against cracked heels, and when mixed with two parts warm water can create another soak for the feet to remedy dry skin.

Mixture of Listerine and vinegar:

• Prepare a mixture of one cup of Listerine, one cup of white vinegar, and 2 cups of water.
• Soak your feet in the mixture for 15 minutes.
• Remove your feet, and scrub them using a pumice stone to remove dead skin.
• Rinse with clean water.
• Pat dry, and moisturise.
• Repeat every day until your heels heal.

Why it works: Listerine contains thymol and alcohol, which help to fight toenail fungus, cure cracked feet, soothe skin, and treat plantar warts. The mild acids present in vinegar soften dry and dead skin, making it easy to exfoliate.

Make a scrub

• Make a scrub by mixing 3 tsp of rice flour, one tsp of honey, and 2-3 drops of apple cider vinegar. Stir well to form a thick paste.
• Soak your feet in lukewarm water for about 10 minutes, and then gently scrub using the paste to remove dead skin.
• Repeat the process 2-3 times a week.

Why it works: Rice flour exfoliates, purifies, and remineralises the skin. Honey is a natural antiseptic that helps heal cracked feet. Vinegar is a mild acid that softens dry and dead skin, making it easy to exfoliate.

Mash & rub: Banana is a good dietary sources of Vitamin A which helps in maintaining skin elasticity and also helps in keeping the skin hydrated. It is a simple remedy but it works wonder on your feet. Just, mash ripe bananas and rub the paste all over the feet and rinse with clean water after 25 minutes.