07 Jun Dry and cracked heels?
Dry and cracked heels? With Winter fast approaching many people will start to notice their skin becoming dry. Many parts of the body can be affected, but to a podiatrist the most common complaints are callouses and dry, cracked skin on the feet – namely the heels.
As we grow older, our feet can develop patches of thick, dead skin called calluses. Calluses are especially common on the heels, because they take a lot of pressure as we walk. That pressure, combined with older skin that’s often thin and dry, makes us susceptible to a common and potentially debilitating condition called cracked heels.
Calluses form as a result of friction. “Sometimes it’s caused by the way your foot strikes the floor, and sometimes it’s due to loose shoes like sandals, which cause your feet to move around and rub against the shoe. With all of that friction, the body protects itself by forming thicker skin on the heels.
Painful cracked calluses on the heels make it hard to walk and increase the risk for infection, since cracks open the door for bacteria to enter the body.
If infected, cracked heels can turn into foot wounds, which can be hard to heal. This is especially true in people with diabetes or peripheral artery disease (PAD) who have poor circulation in their legs and feet.
It’s hard to prevent calluses completely, but you can keep them from growing and causing problems by seeing your Podiatrist regularly.
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