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cracked heels. Problem with cracked heels

Written by Gavin Kordish

Topic: Health EducationPublished February 12, 2012
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Problem with cracked heels? Well, cracked heels are a problem and they can get much worse if not taken care of right away. It's best to start treating cracked heels as soon as possible, since they are much easier to treat when no crack is deep. Let's take a look at things you need to know if your feet develop cracked heels.  rnCracked heels start as dry skin, of course, so the way to prevent them is to ensure that your skin stays moist. This can be difficult if you live in a dry climate and do not like having to wear shoes. But wearing shoes can be a big help in preventing cracked heels, as there will be much less wear on the skin of the feet. Thus, even if you have dry skin on your feet, you will be less likely to be building callouses on those feet, and a large crack can only develop if there is a large callous. So if you can not avoid dry skin, be sure to wear shoes so that you don't develop the callouses that lead to cracked heels.  rnOf course, if you can avoid getting dry skin, then you should never have to deal with cracked heels, either. There are a number of ways to avoid getting dry skin, and the first is to drink plenty of water. Drinking water is good for your health for many reasons, and preventing cracked heels is just one of them. Skin that is well hydrated will not dry out as quickly as skin without enough moisture. Skin moisture starts from the inside, by providing all the skin cells with the water they need to stay healthy. So, drinking water should be the first line of defense in a battle with cracked heels.  rnProviding skin moisture from the outside will also help keep dry skin from forming, or help to heal dry skin before a crack can develop. There are many moisturing creams on the market these days. You may need to try several before finding what is best for your skin. But don't overlook a simple solution: olive oil can be very effective at preventing dry skin. To prevent the oil from getting all over, you might want to apply it just before bed, and wear socks over your feet while you sleep. This will give the oil or moisturizer plenty of time to work into the skin. The deeper it goes into your skin, the longer it can last and the more chance it has to heal your dry skin problem.  rnIf you develop a bad case of cracked heels, you may have to see a dr to heal them. A dr can take more serious measures than we can do at home, including using a scalpel to cut off a thick callous. Reducing the size of the callous will reduce the size of any crack that is in it, and give any moisturizers more chance to work their way down to the healthy foot skin.

crack, shoes, dr, cracked

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