What causes cracked heels?

　　Autumn and winter are approaching, and the air is getting drier. Many people will find that the skin on their heels becomes rough and hard. In severe cases, cracks of varying depths will appear. There will be an obvious tingling sensation when walking, which brings a lot of inconvenience to daily life. Many people wonder: What causes cracked heels?

What causes cracked heels?

　　1. Dry and dehydrated skin

　　The cuticle of the heel skin is already thick, and the sebaceous glands are sparsely distributed, and the oil secreted is not enough to maintain skin moisture. In autumn and winter, air humidity decreases, and the skin loses moisture faster. The stratum corneum becomes dry, hard, and fragile due to lack of water, and eventually loses its elasticity and cracks.

　　2. Physical friction and pressure

　　Walking, standing or wearing ill-fitting shoes for a long time will cause the heels to continue to bear greater pressure and friction. This repeated stimulation will lead to excessive proliferation and thickening of the local stratum corneum. The thickened stratum corneum will be less elastic and prone to breakage during activity.

　　3. Fungal infection

　　Tinea pedis is a common cause of cracked heels. Fungi will destroy the barrier function of the skin, causing abnormal shedding of the stratum corneum of the skin, causing peeling, itching and other symptoms. As the disease progresses, obvious cracks will appear.

　　4. Nutritional deficiency

　　Nutrients such as vitamin A and vitamin E are important for maintaining skin health. If the intake is insufficient for a long time, it will affect the normal metabolism and repair ability of the skin, make the skin dry and rough, and increase the risk of cracking.

How to care for and improve cracked heels

　　1. Gentle cleansing and moisturizing

　　Soak your feet in warm water at 38-40℃ for 10-15 minutes every day to soften the thickened cuticle, and then gently dry them with a clean towel. Apply moisturizer containing urea, petroleum jelly or lanolin promptly. These ingredients can effectively lock in moisture and soften cuticles. After applying, you can wear cotton socks to enhance the moisturizing effect.

　　2. Reduce stimulation and protection

　　Choose loose, soft, breathable shoes to avoid adding burden to your heels with high heels or hard-soled shoes. Use shock-absorbing insoles to relieve pressure when walking or standing for long periods of time. If the crack is shallow, a special anti-crack patch can be applied to protect the wound surface.

　　3. Intervention based on the cause of the disease

　　If fungal infection is suspected, seek medical attention promptly and use antifungal ointment under the guidance of a doctor. If it is caused by nutritional deficiencies, you can adjust your diet and eat more foods rich in vitamin A and vitamin E such as carrots, spinach, and nuts.

　　Cracked heels are not a minor problem. If you identify the cause promptly and take daily care, you can effectively relieve the discomfort. Only by adhering to scientific care can the heel skin be restored to smoothness and health and avoid pain.