How to treat dry skin on heels

Many people face the problem of dry heels. Not only does this phenomenon cause a lot of discomfort, but also the appearance of the legs becomes unattractive. If you want to show off your soft and pink heels, then you need to provide them with gentle care.

Dry heels: cause

Girls love to show off their beautiful legs. On the street, on the beach, in the office, at home - anywhere. However, dry heels can significantly spoil the mood and force beauties to wear closed shoes. The reasons for this unpleasant phenomenon may be the following factors:

  1. wearing uncomfortable high-heeled shoes;
  2. lack of vitamins A and E, which affect the condition of the skin;
  3. fungal infections (in this case, in addition to dryness and cracks, there may be a change in skin color);
  4. improper foot care and neglect of personal hygiene rules;
  5. disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system.

Should you see a doctor?

Dry heels are a fairly common problem. What to do if the problem does not go away over a long period of time? Of course, consult a doctor. The fact is that if the problem of rough skin cannot be solved with the help of cosmetic procedures, then most likely the reason lies in health problems:

  1. lack of vitamins in the body (both seasonal and chronic);
  2. fungal diseases;
  3. problems with the thyroid gland;
  4. fungus or herpes;
  5. eczema;
  6. diabetes mellitus of any type.

If you have any of the above problems, then no cosmetic procedure can cure dry heels and cracked heels. You will have to undergo complex drug treatment.

Softening procedures

Dry heels are a serious problem, but it can be solved. Constant and careful skin care is important. The main thing is that at the first signs of dryness, you need to start intensive therapy, which may include the following procedures:

  1. Regularly pamper your feet with herbal baths. A combination of chamomile, calendula, string and sage helps to cope with dryness and cracks. It is worth noting that such a procedure has not only a softening, but also an anti-inflammatory effect, which will be an additional prevention of fungus.
  2. Sea salt or regular table salt is an effective remedy against cracked and peeling skin on the heels. You need to immerse your feet in a warm, concentrated solution for a quarter of an hour. If dryness has reached a critical level or there are deep cracks, then add milk to the bath.
  3. Red wine has a beneficial effect on the skin. It will not only soften your heels, but also relieve fatigue. For two liters of water you need to take 2 glasses of wine (can be replaced with grape juice). In 20 minutes you won't recognize your heels.

For the effect to be noticeable and lasting, you need to complete the procedures correctly. Feet should be wiped dry and lubricated with moisturizing creams or nourishing oils. You should also wear cotton socks.

Compresses for dry heels

Due to the fact that the load on the feet and heels is quite large, they quickly lose moisture. As a result, the skin cracks and becomes rough. To revive dry heels, you need to regularly make nourishing compresses. The following recipes work best:

  1. Onions will help you remove the top rough layer of skin. It needs to be grated on a fine grater, then mixed with a small amount of honey and milk. Apply the resulting pulp to a bandage or gauze, apply it to the heel and wrap it with polyethylene. Put on thick socks on top and leave the compress on overnight. To eliminate the unpleasant onion smell in the morning, wash your feet well with laundry soap and be sure to apply cream.
  2. Honey is a real salvation for dry skin. They need to lubricate problem areas, cover with plastic and put on warm socks. It is better if the honey compress remains overnight. After you wash your feet in the morning, be sure to apply the cream.
  3. If the skin is not too rough, then a green apple will help you solve the problem. Rub it into a puree, wrap it in a piece of bandage or gauze and apply it to your heels. You need to secure the compress with plastic bags and socks. It's better to leave it overnight.
  4. Perhaps the simplest and most effective is a cabbage compress. You just need to knead a clean sheet in your hands or beat it with a rolling pin and apply it to your heel. Secure the compress with a bandage, and the next morning remove and lubricate your feet with cream.
  5. Celandine is a healing plant that helps to cope with many problems. If you have dry heels, you can make a healing compress at home. Chop a fresh leaf (you can beat it with a rolling pin) and apply it to the problem area. As in previous cases, you need to wrap your feet in polyethylene, put on socks and leave the product on overnight.

Pumice processing

Many people face the problem of cracked or dry heels. What to do? Of course, treat them with pumice. Even though this is the most popular method, many people make mistakes. For example, it is wrong to treat your heels while taking a shower, or immediately after, while they are heavily steamed. It is better to do this about half an hour before swimming. The effect will be more pronounced if you lubricate your heels with a nourishing cream before treating with pumice.

Dry heels - treatment with pharmaceutical products

In the pharmacy you can find many products that are aimed at solving not only medical, but also cosmetic problems. So, if your heel is dry and cracking, then try using the following medications:

  1. "Five Days" is a nourishing cream with a rich composition, thanks to which your legs will simply be transformed. It has not only nutritional, but also disinfectant properties. Thus, in addition to healing cracks, fungal diseases will also be prevented.
  2. "Sea Wolf" is an effective budget remedy that fights a lot of problems (from the aggressive effects of water, sun or cold to a lack of vitamins and nutrients). The components of the cream promote rapid regeneration, and therefore your heels will be transformed in the shortest possible time.
  3. "Bepanten" is a popular remedy that helps cope with skin problems. Thanks to a component such as lanolin, the epidermis softens and cracks heal quickly.

Proven "grandmother's" remedy

Dry fives and cracked feet are a perennial problem. At the moment, in pharmacies and cosmetic stores you can find a lot of products and devices that help cope with it. What did women do in those days when only ineffective pumice was available? There is one effective recipe.

Buy a bottle of glycerin, as well as vinegar essence. This is all you need to prepare the product. The glycerin container will not be full. You need to add vinegar essence to the neck, close it tightly, and then shake vigorously.

Wash your feet well with laundry soap, steam them in a bath (you can use herbal or salt water) and rub thoroughly with a pedicure brush to remove the top layer of rough skin. Now you need to dry your skin with a towel.

Shake the bottle with glycerin and vinegar essence thoroughly, soak a cotton swab in the liquid and treat all the roughness that is on the feet, paying special attention to the heels. Next, you need to put cellophane bags and thick socks on your feet. It is best to do the procedure at night. But if you decide to do it during the day, then rest assured that the composition will be absorbed into the skin in about 40 minutes. After the procedure, you can lightly rub your heels with pumice, but this is not necessary. Wash your feet with soap and lubricate them with cream.

If your heels are in a bad state, then at first the procedure will have to be carried out daily until the skin returns to normal. After this, once a week will be enough to maintain the effect.

Preventive measures

Dry heels and cracks can cause ladies not only physical, but also aesthetic discomfort. Naturally, preventing a problem is much easier than dealing with it later. Preventive measures include the following:

  1. try to wear comfortable shoes, and also use special gel insoles;
  2. do not neglect the rules of personal hygiene - wash your feet daily using antibacterial agents;
  3. regularly use pumice stones, as well as scrubs (store-bought or homemade);
  4. before going to bed, lubricate clean feet with moisturizing creams or nourishing oils;
  5. Periodically take a course of vitamins A and E, and also include foods containing them (carrots, apples, grapes, etc.) in your diet.

conclusions

Dry skin on the heels, cracks - all this does not add beauty to your feet. Unfortunately, many women do not pay enough attention to this problem, which can lead to quite serious consequences. If you want to be on top in any situation, if you like to wear open shoes, and also if you want to become the queen of the beach, then your feet need regular and high-quality care. Do not neglect the rules of personal hygiene, monitor your health and nutrition, and regularly pamper your feet with herbal baths and natural peelings.

Why is there dry skin on the heels? Main reasons

If the skin on the feet has become dry, cracks have appeared on the heels, first of all, these are signs of a lack of vitamins, a deficiency of nutrients in the body, dehydration or illness.

Dry feet and body skin in women can be due to hormonal imbalance, and in adulthood it can be a symptom of menopause.

Whatever it is, in any case To eliminate unpleasant symptoms, you need to find out the real causes and factors that provoke them.

Among the diseases that most often lead to similar symptoms, experts identify the following diseases: fungal infections of the skin and nails, eczema, allergies, psoriasis, vitamin deficiency (lack of microelements and essential vitamins).

If the problem of dry heels interferes with your life, before doing anything at home and in order to avoid this in the future, you should definitely find out the cause of dryness and cracks.

However, not only diseases, but also some factors contribute to the appearance of problems with dry skin of the extremities and the formation of cracks. These include the following cases and phenomena unfavorable for the legs:

  1. poor quality shoes;
  2. dry indoor air;
  3. acclimatization;
  4. side effect on the action of certain medications;
  5. chlorinated water;
  6. small amount of fluid taken per day;
  7. stress, nervous tension.

What means and methods can you treat dry heels at home?

At home, medicinal baths, compresses and scrubs are considered the most effective in treating dry feet and heels. The latter are used to exfoliate dead skin and quickly regenerate a new layer of epidermis.

The following products are typically used for medicinal purposes to restore skin health.

Paraffin in the treatment of dry heels

Paraffin (a wax-like mixture) effectively combats the appearance of roughness on the heels and softens the skin well. The paraffin must be heated in a convenient way, then add a little coconut oil.

Coconut oil enhances the effect of paraffin. To eliminate dry and cracked skin, apply a mixture of paraffin and coconut oil to your heels and leave for 12 hours. The procedure should be applied within 14 days.

Coconut oil

Applying coconut oil is one of the things you can do to get rid of dry heels at home. It not only softens the skin of the feet, but also disinfects the heels, fights fungus and other infectious diseases of the feet.

Coconut oil should be used after steaming your feet in hot water. You need to thoroughly rub coconut oil on your heels before going to bed. In the morning, wash off the oil from your feet. The duration of treatment depends on the degree of the disease.

Aspirin

Mix 10 aspirin tablets with a glass of vodka and add a few drops of iodine. The mixture should be rubbed onto the heels and left for 20 minutes.

The procedure can be performed daily for a week. This period is enough to get rid of the problem. The solution must be stored in the refrigerator.

Table vinegar

Table vinegar is also used in the treatment of dry heels. ½ tsp. white vinegar should be added to 2 tbsp. water. After moistening a non-synthetic fabric with the solution, you need to wrap your feet. After 15 minutes, remove the fabric and treat your feet with pumice. Next, you should moisturize the skin of your feet with a special cream.

Therapeutic baths for the skin of the feet and heels

Baths are another way to get rid of the problem of rough feet. You can prepare foot baths using sea (table) salt, red wine, apple cider vinegar, and medicinal herbs.

Sea salt bath recipe

Sea salt is rich in silicon, iron, bromine. It helps remove dead skin on the heels, relieve tired feet, and remove unpleasant odor.

You can prepare a sea salt bath as follows: 1.5 tbsp. l. add salt to warm water and soak your feet in it for 15 minutes. Afterwards, rinse them and apply moisturizer.

The procedure time should not exceed 20 minutes, otherwise the salt will begin to corrode the skin.

Red wine bath recipe

It has long been known that red wine has beneficial properties and is widely used in beauty recipes.

The ingredients in its composition help make the skin soft. Many cosmetic products contain red wine extract.

If you have dry heels, then you need to prepare a wine bath at home. Red wine is mixed with water and the feet are placed in a basin for 20 minutes.

Then you should wipe your feet and apply cream on them. Wine baths should be done once every 7 days.

Herbal baths

Medicinal herbs are good for relieving tired legs and getting rid of dry heels. To prepare herbal baths, you can use chamomile, lemon balm, mint, lavender, calendula, wormwood and some other herbs.

The proportions of herbs may vary. They need to be filled with boiled water and left for half an hour. Feet should be kept in water for up to 20 minutes. After the procedure, dry your feet and apply moisturizer.

Apple cider vinegar

Dilute 30 ml of apple cider vinegar in water and soak your heels in the liquid for 15 minutes. After the procedure, rinse your feet and moisturize them with cream.

Soap and baking soda

14 gr. baking soda and the same amount of laundry soap shavings should be added to water at room temperature. Feet should be kept in this liquid for 15 minutes. Afterwards, rinse your feet and apply cream.

Compresses for dry heels

Another way to combat dry heels is to apply foot compresses. They can be prepared from ordinary products.

Hydrogen peroxide compress recipe

Hydrogen peroxide is an effective remedy in the fight against rough and dry skin on the heels. To prepare a compress, mix 1 part peroxide with 5 parts warm water. Moisten gauze with the solution and apply to the heels. After 2 hours, remove the gauze and apply cream to the heels.

Olive oil compress

Olive oil is a faithful assistant in the fight against dry skin. Rub the feet with oil, put on cotton socks and leave overnight. In the morning you need to wash your feet and apply cream.

Oatmeal and flaxseed oil

Oatmeal should be boiled and linseed oil added to it. Place the mixture in bags (cellophane) and put them on your feet. The top needs to be secured with socks. Keep the compress for at least 2 hours. Then rinse with warm water and apply a rich cream.

Honey and cabbage compress

Before applying the compress, soften the skin of your feet with a bath. Afterwards, apply honey to your feet. Cover them with cabbage leaves. Fix in a convenient way. The compress must be left overnight. In the morning, rinse off with warm water.

How to soften your heels and how to get rid of rough heels

Heels, like hands, need good care. Feet should be regularly moisturized using special creams. Various traditional medicine recipes help well in caring for your feet.

Before using any of these methods, you should steam your feet well. Only regular care will eliminate the problem of rough heels.

Homemade scrubs to treat dry heels

To keep the skin on your heels smooth and soft, you need to use foot scrubs from time to time. There is no need to buy them; you can prepare them at home. Scrubs remove dead skin on the feet.

Before scrubbing, you need to thoroughly steam your feet. Then rub with pumice. Next, rub your heels with salt and put on your socks. This method must be used until complete recovery, not forgetting to treat the skin of the feet and heels with medicinal ointments and herbal baths.

A homemade scrub can be made from simple products (sugar, salt, semolina, oatmeal, coffee, chocolate, orange, honey).

The table below shows recipes for scrubs to remove rough skin on the heels.

Ingredients Recipes
Sugar, coconut oil, tea, lemon juice To a cup of tea you need to add sugar, juice from half a lemon, and 2 tsp. coconut oil Stir the mixture until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. Rub it on your heels for 2 minutes, then rinse without using soap.
Rice, honey, apple cider vinegar, almond (olive) oil 2 tsp. honey, almond oil and apple cider vinegar should be mixed with a handful of ground rice. It should be a thick paste. After steaming your heels, you should thoroughly scrub your feet with the resulting mixture. Then rinse the scrub off your feet and apply a nourishing cream. The procedure can be repeated several times a week.
Coarse coffee, sea salt, olive oil 1 tsp. coffee and sea salt should be mixed with 2 tsp. olive oil. The resulting scrub should be rubbed well onto the heels after the foot bath. Then rinse off the scrub with warm water and apply cream to the heels.
Radish, olive oil, rice flour, foot cream To treat dry heels at home, you can also use a radish-based scrub. It needs to be rubbed on a coarse grater. Add 1 tsp. rice flour and fatty foot cream, 1 tbsp. l. olive oil. Mix all ingredients well. Soften your heels with a foot bath, then scrub them thoroughly with the resulting mixture. Afterwards wash your feet and dry them.
Sugar, baking soda, olive oil, honey Add 2 tsp to a cup of sugar. honey, baking soda and olive oil. The resulting mixture should be rubbed onto the heels with massage movements for several minutes. Then rinse off the scrub and apply nourishing cream to your feet.
Brown sugar, aloe juice, oatmeal, lemon juice, honey, olive oil 2 tbsp. l. oatmeal must be ground, add 2 tbsp. l. brown sugar and aloe Vera juice, and 1 tsp. honey and olive oil. The scrub is thoroughly rubbed onto the heels for several minutes, then washed off with water. The mixture can be stored in glass containers for up to 6 months.

Treating heels with pumice - how to do it correctly

After baths and compresses, you should treat your heels well with pumice. It is important to use it correctly. Regular pumice is used only after steaming the skin. Electric and fine pumice stones can be used for dry skin.

Delicate areas should never be treated with pumice. When purchasing pumice, you need to pay attention to what materials it is made from. Natural materials cause less harm to the skin of the feet.

The correct procedure for cleaning heels takes place in several stages:

  1. Steaming. First of all, you should steam your feet well in slightly hot water. You can add salt, potato starch, and herbal infusions to the water.
  2. Drying. It is best to dry your feet with a terry towel.
  3. Rubbing with pumice. Work with pumice carefully so that delicate areas of the skin are not damaged. Then wash off the layer of rough skin.
  4. Applying cream. The last step in cleaning your heels is applying a moisturizing or nourishing cream.

Treatment of dry skin on the heels with drugs from the pharmacy

Pharmacy products are good at helping to get rid of problems associated with hyperhidrosis, cracks, and rough skin on the legs.

Among the majority of drugs, one can highlight the “5 days” cream. The cream helps get rid of sweating, unpleasant odor and cracked heels. It is applied to clean and dry skin once a day. The duration of treatment is 7-10 days.

Like any pharmaceutical drug, this cream has its contraindications. The cream cannot be used if the body is sensitive to the components of which it consists.

People being treated with hormonal medications should consult their doctor.

Cream "Sea Wolf"

The cream is suitable for treating dry and rough skin. The composition contains mainly natural ingredients - seaweed, medicinal plant extracts, sea minerals, formic alcohol.

Sea Wolf cream promotes rapid healing of cracked heels. Nourishes the skin with microelements and protects against external factors for a long time. Relieves inflammation and effectively moisturizes the skin.

Cream "Bepanten"

The cream has regenerating properties. Well moisturizes the skin and heals wounds. Restores skin. Bepanten cream is used for burns, peeling, and abrasions.

If you have dry heels, you can use Bepanten cream or ointment at home. There are no special differences between them. The ointment has a thicker consistency and is used for medicinal purposes. The cream is more suitable for use in cosmetic procedures.

Proven folk remedy

In ancient times, when there were no pharmaceutical products, women used improvised means. Vinegar essence was mixed with glycerin and lubricated with it on the heels. This is a time-tested folk remedy in the fight against rough skin on the feet.

Before use, you need to steam your feet and thoroughly clean your heels with pumice stone. Then moisten cotton swabs in the mixture to treat the rough skin. Next, you should put plastic bags on your feet and secure them with thick socks.

The effect depends on the condition of the heels. For very severe roughness and cracks, the procedure should be done daily. When the skin of the legs returns to normal, use once a week is sufficient.

Cleansing kefir peeling for the skin of feet and heels

To prepare the peeling you will need kefir with a fat content of 3.2%. The liquid must be heated to a warm state. Next, add a little olive oil and fresh strawberry or peach juice.

Pour 100 ml of the mixture into cellophane bags and put them on your feet. From above you should insulate your feet with woolen socks. The procedure time is 2 hours. Afterwards, wash off the kefir from your feet and apply moisturizer.

Note! When treating dry heels at home, you should consult your doctor!

Contraindications may include factors such as the presence of varicose veins, pregnancy, high fever, diabetes mellitus, individual intolerance to components, and thrombosis.

You should also refrain from any procedures for eczema, skin allergies, and open wounds on the legs.

Homemade ointments to treat dry heels

If you experience dry heels, you can prepare ointments at home. To prepare them you will need the most common ingredients.

Recipe No. 1. Mix egg, vinegar and olive oil in an enamel bowl. The resulting ointment is applied to the heels before going to bed. In the morning, feet should be washed thoroughly with soap.

Recipe No. 2. Sour cream, honey and cottage cheese must be mixed until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. Before using the ointment, steam your heels thoroughly. Apply ointment and wait 20 minutes. Next, wash your feet and apply cream.

Recipe No. 3. This recipe requires vegetable oil, the yolk of one egg and vinegar. All ingredients are taken 1 tsp. By mixing them you can get a yellowish ointment. Heels should be smeared with this ointment before going to bed. In the morning, rinse everything thoroughly. After several times, the skin on your feet will soften.

In addition to the above procedures, it is worth eating fresh fruits and vegetables every day, as they contain a large amount of vitamins.

If there is no improvement after using home recipes, then you should consult a doctor.

Dry heels. What to do at home. How to prepare miracle cream:

A useful video on how to use simple ingredients to prepare an effective ointment to get rid of dry heels:

Smooth heels are a dream, sometimes far from reality. Our article will help you get closer to its implementation.

  1. Causes of dry skin and cracked heels
  2. Daily care rules
  3. Cosmetics against dry skin on heels
  4. Cosmetic procedures against dry heels
  5. Very dry heels: what to do at home
  6. Precautionary measures

Causes of dry skin and cracked heels

Thick, rough skin on the heels is a completely natural phenomenon. Man is an upright creature, therefore, the main load falls on the feet. It is clear that our main point of support by nature cannot be subtle and pampered. So roughness, corns, thickening and dry skin on the heels are normal, especially if you have flat feet or problems with joints and posture (and who doesn’t have them now?).

Thickening of the skin on the heels is a natural phenomenon © Getty Images

The most unpleasant thing that can happen to the skin on your heels is cracks. Even if they do not cause discomfort or pain, they should not be ignored. Cracks can serve as a signal of problems in the body. However, most likely, you yourself unwittingly started the situation.

External reasons

Tight, uncomfortable shoes. Shoes should protect the skin of the feet and minimize stress. Incorrectly selected shoes or boots, at a minimum, disrupt blood circulation and harmonious weight distribution. The consequences are calluses and corns.

Open shoes. Have you noticed that in summer the skin on your heels becomes rougher and thickens especially quickly? Sandals, sandals, and flip-flops save feet from heat and overheating, but at the same time, the skin of the feet is forced to protect itself from the outside world with double zeal. That is, build up armor.

Insufficient care. The skin on the heels tends to thicken - this is a protective reaction. If the “growths” are not exfoliated in time, cracks may form in places of highest pressure over time.

Too active care. Yes, and you can overdo it - peeling with special socks or using professional exfoliating devices on your own will excessively thin the skin. Hence the wounds and cracks. Plus, by removing too much skin, you stimulate tissue regeneration in SOS mode - the skin will grow back quickly and in greater volume

Fungal infections. If you suspect a fungal infection, run to the doctor.

Internal reasons

We will not make diagnoses, but if you are faced with uncharacteristic dry heels and cracks, then the reason may be more serious than improper care or uncomfortable shoes.

Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.

Lack of fatty acids in the diet.

Daily care rules

Taking care of your feet is generally easier than taking care of your face. But since no one sees our heels most of the time, we pay little attention to them. And in vain. To maintain them in exemplary condition, you need only three actions.

Cleanse

In the case of feet, neglecting basic hygiene rules is fraught with unpleasant consequences. But no special effort is required. Do you take a shower in the evening? Great! Use your usual gel and thoroughly soap your feet. Just remember to rinse off the foam thoroughly and dry your feet with a towel, paying special attention to the area between the toes.

A rich cream or oil will solve the problem of dry heels © Getty Images

Moisturize and nourish

Here you can get by with one product - any sufficiently fatty (but well-absorbed) body cream or a special product for the feet. The main thing is to apply it every evening.

Exfoliate

Use a body scrub twice a week to exfoliate dead skin cells.

Cosmetics against dry skin on heels

We have put together a cosmetic minimum for you that will help you quickly solve the problem of dry heels.

Cosmetic procedures against dry heels

Beauty salons usually offer two main foot treatments.

Classic pedicure - “wet” care with a bath and subsequent removal of dead skin from the heels.

Hardware pedicure carried out without the use of water, the leather is sanded and polished using special attachments.

The hardware effect is softer, which means that for very problematic heels, more sessions will be required. But the risk of injury or infection is minimized.

Very dry heels: what to do at home

Foot baths soften skin © Getty Images

Baths

Soaking will help soften rough skin on your heels and subsequently exfoliate it effectively. Fill a suitable sized container with warm water, adding a little soap and baking soda. Alternatively, you can fill the bathtub with water and soak your feet in it. Duration: 10–15 minutes. Then use a scrub.

Compresses

Olive, coconut, shea butter - any of these vegetable oils, when used regularly, gradually restores the skin of the heels. You can use them alternately or mix them. Rub the oil into the skin thoroughly and, when it is absorbed, apply an additional layer of oil.

By doing baths and peeling 2-3 times a week, you can get rid of dryness quite quickly,” says Garnier expert Marina Kamanina.