Are Your Dry, Cracked Heels A Hold Over From Winter? Try This

30 seconds

Dry and cold weather, prolonged standing and walking, and some types of footwear such as flip flops and other open-heeled shoes can all create cracks (also known as “fissures”) in the skin of your heels. These simple, protective steps can help prevent further damage and promote healing:

1. Exfoliate. Use a wet pumice stone in the shower and gently rub your heels and calluses. This will help reduce the thickness of the calluses and allow lotions to better penetrate these areas. If there is still quite a bit of thick skin left, consider a warm water soak prior to exfoliating.
2. Moisturize. Moisturizers can help resolve most small fissures, but if you have serious cracks, look for a product designed for feet and heels that has glycolic and/or salicylic acids, which may provide deeper penetration of the skin as well as help breakdown the thicker parts. Slather it on before bed, and then cover your feet with a pair of cotton socks.
3. Choose appropriate footwear. Open-backed shoes such as flip-flops allow the skin in the heel area to expand and crack. Opt for closed-back shoes at least until your feet heal.

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