Cracked Heels? Here’s How You Can Repair Them by Using Shahnaz Husain Tips

During winter, the feet can become really dry and need special care. Give yourself weekly foot treatments at home to revitalize the skin. Soaking the feet in warm water helps to soften the skin and re

During winter, the feet can become really dry and need special care. Give yourself weekly foot treatments at home to revitalize the skin. Soaking the feet in warm water helps to soften the skin and remove dead skin. For daily foot and heel care, apply pure almond oil on the feet daily before your bath and massage it into the skin. After your bath, apply a cream while the skin is still damp. This helps to seal in moisture. Or, take 2 tablespoons sunflower oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 3 tablespoons coarse sugar. Mix together till it becomes a paste. Apply and rub into the skin of the feet. Rinse off after 15 minutes. These treatments keep the feet soft and smooth.

Among winter problems, cracked heels are quite common. The cold dry weather not only causes loss of moisture, but also hampers proper blood circulation to the feet. The skin of the feet suffers as a result. The skin on the heels is harder and thicker than most other parts of the body. Loss of moisture causes the living cells to change into dead horny cells. Therefore, there is a build-up of dead cells. If the lack of moisture proceeds unchecked, cracks develop on the heels and may even extend beyond the dead cells, causing pain.

Follow a daily treatment for cracked heels for one week. At night, before retiring, soak the feet in hot water for about 20 minutes. Add some coarse salt and shampoo to the water, before soaking the feet. Hot water helps to soften the dead skin on the heels. With the help of a pumice stone or a heel scrubber, rub the heels gently, in order to remove the dead cells. Avoid metal scrubbers. After washing the feet, massage them with cream, rubbing it into the skin. A cream containing lemon and turmeric would be ideal. Bandage the heels with clean cloth. Then wear cotton socks and go to sleep. This way, the cream will remain on the heels and not get on to the bedclothes. Keeping the heels smeared with cream all night will soften the skin and replenish moisture loss. Repeat this every night for one week.

Special preparations for the heels are also available, which may have an antiseptic effect too and prevent any infections. If there is any pain or bleeding, consult a doctor.