How to Prevent Cracked Heels
Cracked heels, or thickened skin on the heel, can be a sign of a number of health conditions. Diabetes, psoriasis and eczema are some of the most common causes. Other conditions, such as high blood pressure and nerve damage may also cause dry feet, leading to cracked heels.
If you’re prone to cracked heels, the best way to prevent them is to follow a foot care routine and use foot cream regularly. Wearing shoes that support your feet and are comfortable is also essential to preventing cracked heels.
Soaking and exfoliating your feet before you put on a pair of heels is another important step in your foot care routine. This can help remove the dead skin cells that can clog up your feet and make them look dry.
Once you’ve got the dead skin removed, slather your feet with a rich moisturizer and cover them with socks. This will seal in the moisture and keep your feet soft.
Besides moisturizer, using a foot soak in warm water with salt will help reduce the dryness and itchy feeling of cracked heels. A good foot scrub can also help exfoliate dead skin and soften the skin on your feet.
Applying a thin layer of coconut oil to your heels is a great natural solution for dry skin and cracked heels. The fat in coconut oil locks the moisture on your feet and helps to heal the cracks, says skin experts.
For those with more severe cracked heels, a podiatrist can suggest an effective treatment. They can perform a procedure called debridement, where they cut away thick, hard skin around your heels to reveal soft, smooth skin beneath it.
This is a painful process, but it can help to speed up the healing process and improve the appearance of your heels. It’s a good idea to get it done at a professional, though, because doing it yourself could cut your heels too thin and leave you with an infection or worse.
Shoe Stretcher
A shoe stretcher is a device that is designed to help you loosen still areas in your shoes, and to help them fit better. It’s a good option for those with wide feet or who find their heels sometimes need a bit of stretching to loosen up.
Breaking in New Heels
The first and most obvious method to break in a pair of heels is by wearing them around the house for a couple of hours or on and off throughout the day until you feel they’re more comfortable to wear. This is a quick and inexpensive method, but it does take some effort and isn’t always as effective on smaller feet as bigger ones.
Alternatively, you can place your new heels in sealable plastic bags filled with water and let them chill overnight. Then, you can take them out the next day and wear them around the house for a few hours before you go out.
You can also use a freezer bag to break in your shoes, as this is one of the most effective and simple ways to do it at home. Then, simply put your feet in a pair of thick socks and walk around the house for a few hours until they feel more comfortable.
