10 Amazing Home Remedies to Heal Cracked Heels
When your feet lack moisture, you get cracked heels. That’s a fairly common condition, but it could be painful and also bleed at times.
But the good news is we have many natural remedies for the problem. Dry cracked feet are surely not a pretty sight. Moreover, it also creates discomfort at times and can be quite painful too.
Your feet tend to be drier when compared to the skin on the rest of the body, as the feet lack oil glands. This leads to crackled feet.
Cracked Heels and Causes
- Pollution
- Lack of moisture
- Health problems: diabetes; eczema; psoriasis; thyroid problems
- Corns or calluses
- Nutrition related deficiency
- Negligence towards foot care
- Standing for prolonged periods on hard floors
- Wrong type of shoes
Treating Cracked Heels
Sometimes, the cracks get deep and form heel fissures, resulting in painful cracked heels.
According to the NPD Group for Preventive Foot Health, their assessment showed that 20% of adults in the US, around 44 million, have cracked feet.
The good news is that you can purchase some good foot creams, available to treat cracked heels. In addition, you have several natural solutions, for which you don’t have to spend a fortune.
These are Some of the Popular, Natural Remedies for Cracked Heels.
-
Lemon and Glycerin
- Salt – one tablespoon
- A half cup of lemon juice
- Glycerin – 2 tbsps.
- Rose water – 2 tsps.
- Warm water
- Scrubber
Method:
- Add everything to the warm water (not the scrubber, of course)
- Place the heels or the entire foot in water. Keep it there for nearly half an hour
- Scrub the heels and the side of the feet with a pumice stone for a cracked heel remedy
-
Essential Oils for Cracked Heels
- Use concentrated botanical oils as a remedy for cracked heels:
- Peppermint oil
- Lavender Oil
- Lemon Oil
- Eucalyptus oil
- Mixed oils
- Dilute any of these oils with vegetable oil/olive oil, in case of sensitive skin
Method:
- Dip the feet for a few minutes in warm water
- Use a scrubber/pumice stone to exfoliate or eliminate dead skin cells
- Massage the cracked heel using a little essential oil
- Wear a pair of soft foot heel socks and let the oil remain on the foot overnight, as a cure for cracked heels
-
Rice Flour for Dry Heels
- Rice flour – 1/3 cup (a little coarse)
- Honey – 2 tsps.
- One tsp of Vinegar (Apple cider)
- 2 to 3 drops olive oil
Method:
- Mix all of the above
- Wash your feet and dip in warm water, say for a few minutes
- Apply the paste/scrub to the feet, for foot treatment
- Leave it for around 20 minutes
- Wash your feet
- Do it every day to heal cracked heels
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-
Fruit Mask
- Fruits such as banana or avocado are a great option for cracked feet issues; You can also use papaya or pineapple.
Method:
- Mash the fruit/fruits and mix them to form a paste
- Apple the paste to the affected area
- Let it stay for about twenty minutes
- Wash your feet using warm water
-
Oatmeal and Jojoba Oil
- One tablespoon of oatmeal
- Jojoba oil – 2 to 3 drops for making paste
Method:
- Mix both to fix problem of cracked heels
- Apply to heel cracks gently
- Let it remain for about half an hour
- Wash the feet
- Do it everyday to prevent cracked heels
-
Vinegar
- Vinegar 1/4th of a cup (use white vinegar)
- Essential oils; other options are Shea butter/cocoa butter, as a medicine for cracked heels
Method:
- Add white vinegar to water
- Place your feet in it for a few minutes
- Scrub the feet
- Wash with water
- Apply any option of essential oil
- Wear socks on the feet and let the oil remain on the feet throughout the night
Caution: Don’t keep feet in water for more than 5 minutes. Never apply vinegar directly to the cracked heels, as it could lead to further drying up.
-
Aloe Vera
It is very useful for those with cracked feet arising due to diabetes. Diabetic feet gives rise to germs residing in the cracked foot, causing further problems. The basil leaves are antimicrobial, offering a great solution for cracked heels.
- Aloe Vera – 2 tbsps.
- Turmeric powder – 2 to 3 pinches
- Holy basil leaves – one full tsp
- Camphor powder, about 1 teaspoonful
Method:
- Mash the basil leaves
- Mix all the above
- Apply on the affected area and let it remain for about half an hour
- Wash area with water
-
Paraffin Wax
It offers good relief for painful cracks and for deep cracks in heels.
- One block of paraffin wax
- Mustard oil (you can also use coconut oil) – 2 tbsps.
- Plastic cover
Method:
- Melt the paraffin wax (use the double boiler method.)
- Add the mustard oil or the coconut oil for cracked heels
- Let the mix cool till it forms a layer on the top
- Dip your feet in the mix for about 10 seconds then remove it
- Repeat the above step several times till many layers of wax are created on your feet
- Cover the feet in plastic and relax for half an hour
- Take off the plastic. Next, take off the wax
- Repeat treatment once a week
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-
Scrubbing
Scrubbing removes the dead cells on the skin and offers relief to cracked heels.
- Warm water
- Soap
- Pumice stone
- Moisturizer/cracked heel cream
Method:
- Mix soap liquid in warm water
- Place affected area in water for some time
- Scrub area with pumice stone and exfoliate the skin
- Rinse the feet
- Apply foot cream
- Wear socks and let the cream remain throughout the night
- Follow the routine daily
-
Epsom Salt
It increases circulation; it also removes the toxins and improves skin health.
- Epsom salt – a half cup
- Tepid water
- Scrub/Pumice
- Moisturizer/Foot cream/Petroleum jelly
Procedure:
- Mix Epsom salt and water
- Place feet in water for some time
- Scrub using pumice stone
- Put the feet back in the water for a few minutes
- Clean feet and apply cream or petroleum jelly or Vaseline on feet overnight
As you see, cracked heels could be caused by any number of factors. The results of the above natural treatment might not be obvious right away. Don’t despair. Keep at it for a few weeks and you’ll see the difference. Try the various solutions and zero in on the one that suits you. Follow regular foot care tips.
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Make changes to your daily diet as well. Make sure that you get enough Vitamin A; Vitamin E, Vitamin C; Zinc; Omega fatty acids.
Last but not least, drink a lot of water for skin hydration. So what are you waiting for, get cracking!!!