Most of the time when you think of dry and cracked feet you think of your heels.
That’s always been my problem. The rest of my feet are nice and smooth, but my heels are always dry and cracked.
Figuring out how to get my feet back to a nice soft, healthy look hasn’t been easy.
Following are the best natural home remedies to treat your dry, cracked heels and feet.
What Causes Dry, Cracked Feet?
Some of the causes of dry, cracked feet are:
- Poorly fitted shoes
- Age
- Athletes foot
- Diabetes
- Psoriasis
- Thyroid disease
Even household heat that sucks the moisture of the air can be a cause of dry, cracked feet.
Signs That It’s Time To Treat Your Feet
Symptoms of dry, cracked heels and feet can include, but are not limited to:
- Red and dry patches of skin
- Peeling and cracked skin
- Itchy skin
None of these are pleasant. In fact, each can be quite uncomfortable.
One of the biggest problems when you have dry and cracked feet is wanting to pull off pieces of dead skin that are loose. The downside to this is the fact that the dead skin is attached to live skin, and when pulled, it on can pull down to the quick causing you to bleed.
Furthermore, if the area isn’t properly cared for it can get infected.
Home Remedies For Dry, Cracked Feet
Because I’m not a big fan of chemical medications — whether they are internal or external — I prefer to use natural cures when it comes to controlling the dry, cracked skin on my feet.
Here are some natural remedies that you can try to make your feet look and feel softer and more healthy:
- Use a pumice stone on your feet to file away dead, dry skin. This will also cut down on the temptation to pull any loose bits off , which could cause bleeding.
- Wear comfortable, not tight, shoes. Tight shoes can cause friction on feet and exacerbate an already nasty problem. I’m not suggesting your shoes should be loose, because that can also cause problems. But you don’t want your shoes so tight that they pinch either.
- Put shortening or hydrogenated oil on your feet, cover them with thick socks and leave on overnight. You should see some positive results in a few days.
- Eat a diet rich in calcium, zinc, iron and omega-3 fats. A diet that is lacking in zinc and omega-3 fats in particular can make dry, cracked feet and heels even worse.
- Soak your feet in lemon juice for 10 minutes once a week. Follow this regime until you see a positive change.
- Having a daily routine of cleaning and moisturizing your feet will help to clear up dry and cracked feet. You should wash your feet for about 15 minutes at the end of each day and then pat them dry. Then, rub a mixture of 1 teaspoon of Vaseline with some lemon juice into your feet until it is completely absorbed. You can use this mixture daily until you see results.
- Coat your feet in raw honey and cover with thick socks before going to bed at night. This not only softens your feet, but helps heal fissures as well.
Oh, and another good one, as described in the video below: diaper rash cream!
I’ve personally tried many of these natural cures and they do work, particularly the one where you use shortening at night. Strangely enough, that one works really well. Plus, it’s a very cheap cure!
If you have dry, cracked feet there are plenty of natural remedies here to try. If one doesn’t work for you, then by all means try another. Eventually you’ll discover the best one for you.
One thing to keep in mind is that if your feet really hurt when you put pressure on them, you may have a deep heel fissure, and possibly even an infection. When nothing seems to improve the situation it’s time to go to your doctor. Natural home remedies are wonderful, but sometimes a condition becomes so bad that only your doctor can help you to cure it.
More About Dry Feet
My favorite things to write about are topics that have to do with weather, pregnancy, weddings, saving money, living green, and my life with dogs. When I’m not writing, I love to spend time with my husband, read, create 3D artwork and Native American beadwork.
