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How to Heal and Prevent Cracked Heels

dry heel
The weather is getting cooler and the air is drier with much less humidity than in the summer. That means our skin, including the heels of our feet, is beginning to get dry. It's time to take action to heal any cracks in our heels so they don't get worse and prevent new cracks.

Some people get dry cracked heels in the summer even though it is warm and humid from wearing flip flops. The feet slide around in flip flops causing the skin to thicken. The foot creates a callous to protect itself from the friction created when the foot slides around in a shoe. 
sexy peep toe pump
A well fitting shoe, aka sensible shoes that I rarely wear!, helps to prevent the formation of callous by reducing the amount your foot slides around in the shoe. Wearing socks also provides the foot with protection from friction. Many of my clients see actually an improvement in the callouses and heel cracks in the fall and winter even though the air is cold and dry due to wearing socks and better fitting shoes.

Here are some tips to help heal your heels:

Antibiotic Ointment
Apply an antibiotic ointment to heel cracks that are red and sore. Cover them loosely with a bandage.

Clean your Feet
Don't neglect your feet in the shower. A wash cloth with a bit of shower gel rubbed on the feet not only feels great, it give your feet a gentle exfoliation. Dry the feet well after showering and apply moisturizer.

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!
Slather your feet with creams and lotions twice a day to keep the skin in good condition and heal cracks. CeraVe make a nice foot cream that contains salicylic acid to help exfoliate dead skin cells and hyaluronic acid to add moisture and help the skin retain moisture.

Wear Socks to Bed
That old remedy still works. Apply a thick layer of foot cream or petroleum jelly, put socks on and go to bed. Coconut oil also works well at night. You can start with coconut oil and layer petroleum jelly on top to create a seal over the coconut oil.

Get a Pedicure
Callous are filed, scrubbed and reduced during a pedicure making it less likely to get cracks in your heels. Also, the skin gets a super moisturizing treatment especially if the pedicure includes a paraffin treatment.

Give yourself a Mini Pedi
Give yourself a mini pedicure at home between professional pedicures.
1. Soak your feet in a foot bath of water and about 1/4 cup Epsom salts for 10-5 minutes for healing and softening.
2. Next give the feet a good scrubbing with a foot file, a pumice stone or a sugar scrub.
click here for my peppermint coconut sugar scrub recipe.
3. Put your feet back in the water to rinse them.
4. Pat them dry and apply foot cream.

Wear Socks
Wear socks, as I mentioned earlier, to reduce friction on the feet. Also, wearing socks around the house instead of going bare footed helps keep the feet protected and more moisturized.

Wear well Fitting Shoes
Shoes that fit properly also reduce the amount of friction on the feet.


A little foot TLC will heal and make the feet feel wonderful.

        Have a Beautiful Day! 
xo
Licensed Cosmetologist, Esthetician, Makeup Artist

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