Cracked skin on the foot is a very unpleasant and painful phenomenon, especially in older people. In addition to discomfort, skin cracks on the foot are fraught with the development of inflammation, because... there is a high probability of contamination and infection of the wound.
What are skin cracks and what causes them? Cracks are the name given to this type of dermatitis when the top layer of skin ruptures in the form of slit-like wounds or erosions, resulting from excessive dryness, coarsening and loss of elasticity of this area of the skin. Cracks can be superficial, when only the epidermal layer is damaged, and deep, when the tear penetrates deeper layers of the skin.
The skin on the soles of the feet is subjected to the greatest loads, since when walking vertically, the weight from the spine is redistributed to the legs and down to the feet, as a result, all our weight presses on the skin of the feet. At the same time, the fat layer in this area is distributed to the sides under the weight and force of pressure, and the skin keeps it intact, constantly stretching and contracting. That is why, in order to withstand such loads, it has special elasticity, resilience and sufficient thickness, providing it with the necessary strength. But under the influence of certain reasons, the skin on the feet can become excessively thick, dry, rough and lose its elasticity; as a result, the skin does not stretch under load, but bursts, forming cracks. In other cases, the skin may become too thin, become dry and inelastic, which also leads to tears – cracks.
The reasons alone for the formation of cracks in the skin of the feet are usually not enough; predisposing factors must always be present, which include:
In most cases, no special diagnostics are required and it is quite sufficient to clarify the presence of existing diseases, lifestyle, working conditions, foot care tactics and visual inspection of the wound. Usually, based on this, a specialist can select tactics for treating cracks and subsequent care for the skin of the feet. If a pyococcal infection is suspected, a smear of the contents of the wound may be taken for further examination to determine the pathogen and its sensitivity to antibiotics. If allergic dermatitis is suspected, a skin test is prescribed to identify the allergen.
To prevent skin cracks on the foot, you must follow the following recommendations.
What to do if cracks have already appeared? In addition to normal care, the following procedures must be performed. Cracks must be treated with aniline dyes (brilliant). Small cracks can be sealed with medical glue BF-6. And be sure to lubricate the skin on your feet with a special softening cream. In the presence of a secondary infection, ointments with an antibiotic or nystatin are used.
Taking a course of multivitamin preparations, which must include vitamins A, E, PP and the minerals magnesium, zinc and polyunsaturated acids, is almost always recommended for any peeling and roughening of the skin, including the formation of cracks. This is due to the fact that patients with dermatitis almost always suffer from vitamin deficiency.
The Guardian balm can provide effective assistance when cracks appear on the skin of the feet. It combines the softening properties of the cream and has both a healing and anti-inflammatory effect. Apply Guardian Balm to pre-cleansed skin and you will quickly feel relief.
The active components and oils included in the balm have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, and also help restore damaged skin, increase the regenerative and barrier functions of the skin. Balm “Keeper” will help soothe pain, eliminate dry skin, accelerate the healing of cracks and help prevent their appearance.
Unfortunately, cracks in the feet are a very common phenomenon; almost everyone has encountered it. The heels suffer from this problem more than other areas. However, this disease is curable if you pay enough attention to your feet.
The greatest load, as you know, falls on the legs, or rather, on the feet. They are the ones who have to bear the entire weight of a person, and often also heavy bags and packages. Therefore, nature made the skin of the legs stronger, thicker, but at the same time elastic, and also provided it with a small layer of fat. When walking, the latter spreads to the sides, and the skin holds the layer in place. However, as a result of some reason, the epidermis ceases to cope with the load, thickens, becomes rough and loses elasticity. And under stress, the skin bursts, which is how cracks form on the feet.
Possible reasons why cracks appear on the feet:
If you are already affected by this problem, it can be cured. The most important thing here is timely detection of the disease, as well as finding out the reasons that caused it. There are many folk methods, as well as medications. Sometimes the question arises why treatment does not help. The fact is that there is no point in treating a disease without eliminating the causes and without removing risk factors. It will come back.
First aid, the simplest treatment if cracks appear on the feet is BF medical glue. The crack needs to be filled with a product. This will prevent infection and also prevent the crack from getting larger. Minor damage will heal in a few days. After another 5-7 days you can peel. Then you can steam your feet and gently clean the skin with a pumice stone. At the same time, you should not strive to remove the stratum corneum at one time, so as not to cause compensatory growth of the epidermis. After the procedure, you need to apply a moisturizing and softening cream.
Further treatment will depend on the reasons that caused the appearance of cracks in the feet. So, if the cause is climate, then timely use of moisturizing creams is sufficient. When affected by a fungus, it is imperative to treat the disease. To do this, you can use special creams or make masks and wraps. Otherwise, the treatment will not be effective.
If there is a deficiency of vitamins and fatty acids, it is necessary to compensate for their deficiency. One of the popular folk remedies in this case is olive oil. It is recommended to drink it on an empty stomach, 1 tbsp. l. But you should not use oil if you have gallstones, as it has a choleretic effect.
If the cracks are small, a pedicure may be an effective treatment.
Be sure to use creams that have a wound healing effect. Moreover, the cream must be applied regularly, 2-3 times a day.
Traditional methods of treatment are also very popular. For example, potatoes. Its tinder and the resulting pulp are applied to the heels and feet for several hours or overnight. After such a mask, the skin becomes soft, rough areas are easy to clean off. After the procedure, it is useful to lubricate the heels with castor or vegetable oil.
If your heels are cracking, it is recommended to make honey cakes. To do this, mix honey and flour in a ratio of 1:2. Divide into 2 equal parts. The feet are steamed for 15 minutes and then cakes are applied to the heels, wrapped in plastic bags and secured with an elastic or regular bandage. The procedure must be repeated for 5-7 days. Then the skin on your feet will become soft and elastic.
If the skin on your feet has become rough and cracked, then this treatment method will help: mix water and apple cider vinegar in equal quantities, soak a cloth in the mixture and wrap your feet overnight. Put plastic bags and socks on top. By morning, the skin will steam, become soft, and will be easy to clean with a pumice stone. After the procedure, your feet should be lubricated with nourishing cream.
You can also treat mother-in-law with woodlice. You need to put it in your socks and walk around like that all day. This makes the skin softer. You can do this every day.
If the skin of the heels is very cracked, then you can make masks with glycerin. To do this, first the feet are steamed. Then mix glycerin and ammonia in equal quantities. Lubricate the soles with the product. Then they will not crack and peel. You can also use vinegar instead of ammonia.
Those over 35 years old need to think about maintaining the health of the skin on their feet and preventing the appearance of cracks, since at this age hormonal changes begin and metabolic processes slow down. The risk group includes all people who are overweight, regardless of age. Women often develop cracks in their feet due to constant wearing of high-heeled shoes. Flat feet are also one of the reasons why heels crack. Heavy physical activity, work on your feet, and playing sports, especially at a professional level, increase the risk of cracks in your feet.
Simple preventive measures will prevent your feet from cracking:
Preventive measures are simple and easy to implement. They will help to avoid such an unpleasant phenomenon as the formation of cracked heels. If you take timely measures, problems with your feet will not arise.