If you had painful dry, cracked heels last summer, chances are you'll be at risk of the same thing happening this summer. Now is the time to put a prevention plan in place! Below are three simple things you can do to reduce your risk of developing cracked heels this summer.
1. Moisturise your heels
You have probably noticed that your skin is prone to becoming dry in summer. Dry skin on your heels will be less tolerant of the stress we apply to it, which can result in cracks forming. There is a simple solution. Moisturise your heels! It is best to start doing this daily before the skin on your heels becomes dry. Some people can get away with moisturising their heels in summer only, and other people need to do it all year round. Regardless of which category you fall into, it's time to get the ball rolling!
2. Wear comfortable open-heel shoes that fit well
Open heel shoes allow the heels to spread out more when you're standing. When your skin has adequate moisture and elasticity, this is not a problem. Dry skin is less likely to tolerate this and is prone to cracking. Combine dry skin with wearing open heel shoes that are too narrow for your heels (i.e. your heels hang over the edges) and you will be well on your way to developing cracked heels. Make sure you spend most of your time in open-heel shoes that fit well, particularly when standing for long periods.
3. Remove thick skin before it gets too thick
Like dry skin, thick skin is less elastic and will be less tolerant of the stress we apply to it. An area of thickened skin is called a callus. Most people are prone to developing thick skin on their heels because the heel is the part of the foot that contacts the ground first when walking. When you combine dry and thick skin, you have a significantly greater risk of developing a crack. Thick skin is much easier to manage if you attend to it as soon as it starts to develop. Below are a couple of products that you can try. They will be more effective if you use them after having a shower.
File not cutting the mustard? Contact us or book an appointment online today so that we can safely and painlessly remove the thick skin for you.
Author: Shaun Bergin