Do you struggle with cracked heels? You are not alone and you may think that your cracked heels are a result of dehydration. However, that is not always the case. You could be drinking plenty of water and still find that your heels are cracked. Therefore, there are other reasons that are coming into play that are resulting in your heels cracking which may come as a surprise to you.
Fortunately, there are remedies for the causes of cracked heals as long as you utilize what is suggested as far as dealing with them. Let’s start with the first obvious cause.
Your Weight Can Be The Reason That Your Heels Are Cracked
You do realize that your feet are what takes the brunt of your body weight. Therefore, if you are overweight, the fat pads in your feet which are underneath your heels end up with more pressure. Therefore, your heels have no choice but to expand horizontally in order to keep supporting that extra weight. Even if you put moisturizer on your heels, it may help a little but you will see it does not take care of the problem.
The best solution is to make sure that you know your ideal weight and work on getting to it. Also, you will want to get your blood sugar checked if you have cracked heels as it is quite common for diabetics.
Your Diet Could Be To Blame
If you are at a decent weight but you are still dealing with cracked heals, then you will want to check your diet. If you are lacking important nutrients, then you can increase the chances of ending up with cracked heels. If you are deficient in vitamins A, B3, C, E, omega 3 fatty acids, and zinc, then you will end up with cracked heels. You need those nutrients to keep your heels smooth.
Therefore, eat more fatty fish such as salmon, and eat leafy greens, fruits such as apples, berries, and citrus, as well as carrots, tomatoes, nuts, eggs, whole-grains, and avocado.
How Long Are You Standing And Are You Wearing The Right Type Of Shoes?
If you are standing for long periods then you will end up increasing your chances of ending up with cracked heels. You are adding a lot of pressure to your feet for standing for hours, and that will ruin any smoothness you work on attaining on your heels. The remedy is to sit when you can when you don’t need to stand. Therefore, take breaks as often as you can by sitting if you are in a job where you are standing for long periods. You need to do that as you will become fatigued quickly anyway.
It will be worse as well if you are wearing shoes that are not the right fit or are wearing sandals or flip flops for long periods. You may end up wearing shoes that will cause your heels to expand horizontally as sandals or flip flops cause. Therefore, you will want to limit how often you wear open-back shoes and you will want to wear closed-heel shoes that are the correct fit if you do have to spend a lot of time on your feet.
Are You A Woman In Menopause?
Menopause is another cause for cracked heels due to the hormonal imbalances and may end up with a condition called acquired keratoderma as it will end up leading to you ending up with cracked heels. You will find that there are other parts of the body that are cracked as well. The solution for this issue is by applying lotion that contains estrogen on your heels and other parts of the body that are cracked.
Monitor The Heat And Length Of Your Showers And Baths
If you are taking baths or showers that are hot and for long periods, you will find that you end up with cracked feet as the hot water will strip away the natural oils from your skin. Especially if you are taking them for a long time. Especially if you are using harsh soaps. Soak in a tub or take a shower with warm water instead, and don’t take either for more than 20 minutes. When you get out of the tub or shower, then you will want to add some moisturizer.
Cracked heels are annoying to deal with. However, you have to determine the cause of why you have them. This way, you can apply the recommended solution so you will end up with smooth and comfortable heels instead.