Diagnosis
The diagnosis is quite easy to make and often the affected person notices swelling and redness on the heel quite early. The skin feels very rough and dry and an excessive layer of callus has formed. Smaller to deeper cracks may already have developed.
It may be necessary to consult a doctor if the skin on the heel is very itchy and healing with ointment and care is not successful. The cause of the itching should be investigated, as it may also be caused by fungi, which then requires a specific treatment. In addition, scaling of the skin and pain can confirm the diagnosis of cracked heels.
Symptoms with cracked heels
The affected person does not initially have significant symptoms, as the development of cracked heels is a longer process caused by dryness and lack of care. At the beginning, a strong development of the cornea is noticeable. The corneal layer may initially become thicker.
Finally, skin flakes fall off more frequently. The deeper skin layers eventually become drier and drier and cracks form. The tearing of the skin can then be unpleasant and cause pain, especially under stress.
If the cracks have advanced into deeper layers of the skin, the wounds can also become bloody. These deeper open wounds can lead to a more serious inflammation. If bacteria get into the wound, the infection can develop into an ulcer that can become much larger and extend beyond the heel.
The rhagades can have different causes. If there is atopic dermatitis or a fungal infection, another symptom may be itching. A doctor should be consulted in order to initiate an appropriate therapy.
Itching can also be a sign of healing. If a more serious infection has developed, treatment by a doctor should also be consulted, as therapy with antibiotics may be necessary. The heel is a mechanically very stressed part of the body, therefore it is very unpleasant if small cracks and injuries are felt there.
It is hardly avoidable in everyday life to stress the heels. Due to the cracks in the skin, nerve endings are exposed and unprotected. Pressure, friction and other strains are therefore very painful.
It would be appropriate to protect the affected heels, but this is often not possible in everyday life. To protect the skin on the heels from mechanical friction, for example from socks and shoes, it is very useful to apply a thin bandage or special plasters. In addition, rich creams and ointments help to make the skin supple and provide it with an additional protective film.
Cracked heels can be treated very well with a chapped heel ointment from the pharmacy. It is available without prescription and should be applied twice a day to the affected areas of skin. It has a healing and moisturizing effect at the same time.
Bepanthen Wundsalbe has a similar effect and can also be obtained from the pharmacy. Ayurvedic oil massages, which are often performed with sesame oil, for example, are another good way to moisturize dry skin areas. They make the skin supple and supply it with oil and nutrients.
Products from the drugstore that contain urea and urea can also be a very good remedy and provide the necessary moisture. Rich and moisturizing creams help very well against cracked heels. They make the skin supple again and help it to regenerate itself.
Above all, creams also reduce mechanical stress, such as friction, and therefore also feel very pleasant for those affected. You can buy creams from the pharmacy of well-known brands such as Bepanthen®, Hansaplast® or Compeed®, or mix your own creams. In pharmacies you can even find special creams for cracked heels, such as “Repair&Care” by Hansaplast® or the Compeed® intensive cream for cracked heels.
However, such creams are usually not recommended for skin diseases such as neurodermatitis, psoriasis or athlete’s foot.In these cases, cortisone therapy for skin diseases or anti-fungal agents (antimycotics) prescribed by a doctor are necessary. Home remedies enjoy great popularity in the treatment of cracked heels, as they are usually simple, inexpensive and beneficial. Here are some popular home remedies for cracked heels.
- Banana-avocado cure: For this simple recipe you only need a ripe banana and an avocado. Both are mixed together until a creamy consistency is obtained. The mixture is applied to the previously cleaned and dry heels and should be left on for at least half an hour.
After the treatment, the mask can be rinsed off with a little lukewarm water. The treatment can be repeated at will.
- Oat Peeling: For this peeling, mix some oat flour with coconut oil. The consistency should be firm enough for a peeling.
With the peeling, rub each heel in circular movements for only about 10 minutes. Afterwards, the peeling can be rinsed off with lukewarm water.
- Footbath with rose water: For this footbath you add to some hot water, rose water, glycerine and lemon juice. Now bathe your feet in the water for about 20 minutes.
Afterwards, dry your feet well.
Coconut oil is often called a miracle cure for dry and chapped skin. It is contained in many skin care products that are available in both drugstores and pharmacies. But it is often also applied to the skin pure or used in home recipes.
It has a moisturizing effect and has a cooling effect on the skin. It is therefore very well suited for external care. A good way to care for cracked heels with coconut oil is to rub it in abundantly in the evening before going to bed.
In order not to spread the oil all over the bed and to protect the heel, you should put on clean cotton socks afterwards. In the morning, the feet can be washed with a little clean water. You should refrain from using aggressive soap, as it would only dry out the skin additionally.
A popular ingredient for many household remedies used for cracked heels is lemon. It depends on one’s own perception whether the lemon is perceived as pleasant. Therefore it is recommended to simply try it.
Experience has shown that deep cracks hurt more when they come into contact with acidic products, so open cracks and wounds should be treated with lemons rather cautiously. At this point, two popular household remedies containing lemon should be introduced:
- Caring solution with lemon and rose water: Mix one teaspoon of glycerin with one teaspoon of lemon and rose water. You can wash or rub your feet with this mixture.
Leave the solution to work overnight and wash your feet with warm water in the morning.
- Lemon juice and Vaseline: Mix one teaspoon of Vaseline with one teaspoon of lemon juice. Rub your previously cleaned and dry heels with the Vaseline until it is absorbed.
In homeopathy there are various remedies that can be used against cracked heels. Depending on the nature of the complaints, different remedies are used.
The remedy Antimonium crudum is recommended for cracked heels and a burning sole of the foot. As globules in the potencies D6 and D12, one should take about 5 globules 3 times daily. Dry and cracked heels should be treated with the drug Petroleum, also in the same dosage.