Cracked heels or heel fissures are linear cuts or cracks that commonly affect the outermost layer of skin, that is, the epidermis. At times these fissures may even extend as deep as the dermis, which might make the cracks extremely painful. Cracked heels are often accompanied with peeling skin, itching in the affected parts, flaky red patches and sometimes, bleeding and discharge from the fissures of the cracked heels.
Cracked heels are common and are not harmful but may cause severe discomfort in case the fissures are deep. This may cause infection and may be an incurable situation for those suffering from other chronic afflictions like diabetes or an enervated immune system.
Cracked heels may be caused by a variety of reasons, some of which are as follows:
- High heeled or ill fitting shoes and standing for a long time are the most probable causes of cracked heels.
- Cracked heels may also be caused by unhygienic conditions.
- Another major cause of cracked heels is the deficiency of vitamins and minerals.
Fortunately there are a number of simple home remedies that can help to alleviate this problem. Some of the common home remedies for cracked heels include:
- Apply the pulp of a ripe banana on the affected part of the heels and rinse your feet after ten minutes of the application of the banana balsam.
- Soak your feet in lemon juice for 10 minutes on a weekly basis.
- You may regularly apply a mixture of rosewater and glycerin to soothe and cure cracked heels.
- You may also apply a solution of melted paraffin wax with mustard oil. Apply this homemade ointment at night and rinse in the morning so as to get the desired result.
- You must eat a balanced diet with lots of vitamins and minerals to treat cracked heels. You must include Vitamins E rich foods in your diet which includes green vegetables like spinach and lettuce, cereals, wheat germ, nuts, and whole-grains.
- You must include foods rich in minerals like calcium in your diet. The foods rich in these minerals are milk and dairy products like yogurt, cheese and goat's milk, processed fish, fresh fruit juices, broccoli and cereals
- You must include iron rich food in your diet, in order to alleviate cracked heels. Foods rich in iron include chicken, fish, eggs, vegetables, and beans.
- If these home remedies do not bring you relief it is a good idea to consult a dermatologist.
answered by G M