I’ve been having cracked heels for several years now. I’ve tried almost every cracked heel cream in the market including Vaseline petroleum jelly but none really works. Each time I show the hubs my cracked heel, he would suggest bringing me to see a skin specialist. But being a procrastinator, I have yet to make an effort to see a skin specialist. I’m the type who will only make a trip to the clinic/hospital if there are issues concerning life and death for me and my kids. My feet? It’s only hard skin, callouses and peeling / flaky skin, not much pain unless my itchy fingers start peeling the skin…. and I think I can bear with it coz who would stare at my heels anyway? LOL!

During Baby’s 3-week stay in the hospital recently, my cracked heels’ condition improved and the skin was quite soft. During my stay in the hospital, I only wet my feet a couple of times a day, unlike now. My feet are wet all the time now coz I have 3 toddlers to mind and it’s impossible to keep my feet dry. I can only surmise now that if I keep my feet dry all the time, the skin would remain soft and not start to peel.

Perhaps I should really make it a point to seek medical help for my feet coz they look gross and hideous, like a grandma’s feet, with dry and wrinkled skin….

Macro shot of my upper foot and toe. Notice the unsightly flaky skin?

Macro shot of the cracked heel…

I did a Google search on home remedies for cracked heel and here’s what I found from www.home-remedies-for-you.com :

-Apply any shortening or hydrogenated vegetable oil after washing the feet clean on dry and cracked areas of the feet. After applying a thick coat of shortening on the feet, wear a pair of thick socks. Leaving this application overnight can surely provide positive results in few days.

-Apply the pulp of a ripe banana on the dry or cracked area of the heel. Leave it on for 10 minutes and rinse it clean.

-Soak the feet in lemon juice for about 10minutes. Follow this therapy on a weekly basis until one finds a change.

-A daily regime of cleaning and moisturizing is a good cure for dry or cracked heels. At the end of the day soak the feet in warm soapy water for about 15 minutes. Rinse feet and pat dry. Make a healing mixture comprising of: one teaspoon Vaseline and the juice of one lemon. Rub this mixture onto the cracked heels and other required areas of the feet till it is thoroughly absorbed. This can be done daily until visible results are obtained.

-A regular application of a mixture of glycerin and rosewater is known to soothe and cure cracked heels.

-Another result oriented solution is to melt paraffin wax and mix it well with little mustard oil. Apply on the dry or cracked area of the heels. Rinse it off in the morning. A continuous application for 10 to15 days can achieve desirable results.

Diet for Cracked Heels

Consume a diet rich in calcium, iron, zinc and omega-3 fats

Cracked heels are caused by deficiency of vitamins, minerals, zinc and omega 3 fatty acids. Therefore it is essential to have a diet rich in vitamins, minerals and zinc. Omega-3 fatty acids are not naturally produced by the body, therefore it has to be ingested from food or supplements.

Here is list of essential foods that one can include in a regular meal and help curb deficiencies that may cause cracked heels:

-Vitamins (Vitamin E) rich foods include: vegetable oils, green vegetables, cereals, wheat germ, whole-grain products and nuts.
-Minerals (Calcium and Iron) rich foods include :
1) Calcium: milk, cheese, yogurt, goat’s milk, fortified soya milk, mineral water, ice cream, tinned fish, juices, cereals and broccoli are excellent sources of calcium. Dairy products such as milk and yogurt are also considered as one of the best sources of calcium.
2) Iron: Meat, chicken and fish are good sources of iron. Iron is also available in cereals, eggs, vegetables and beans; however it is not as easily absorbed into the body as the iron from meat, chicken and fish.
3) Zinc rich foods include: Oysters, chicken, crab, kidney beans, yogurt, brown rice, spaghetti.
4) Omega-3 fatty acids are largely found in: Purslane herb, cold water fish, and flaxseed oil or flax seeds.
Here are some simple suggestions towards caring for the feet effortlessly:

-Keep feet clean and dirt free
-Exercise the feet regularly
-Alternate hot and cold water for a feet bath to soothe the feet
-Moisturize and exfoliate the feet whenever possible
-Avoid walking bare feet as much as possible

I really think the above natural remedies and suggestions are way too burdensome for a super busy mummy like me. I’m constantly on my feet and hardly have the time to rest my feet. The only suggestion I can try is to apply a concoction of Vaseline + lemon juice on my feet and put on a pair of socks each night before I hit the sack.