Ugly Cracked Heels

Understanding Ugly Cracked Heels

Cracked heels can range from a cosmetic problem to a painful condition. In most cases, it can lead to deep cuts that can hurt. The feet flex, so the excessive skin is often painful and the thickened skin becomes just like driving around with a pebble in your shoe. Right on the bottom of the heels is the heel fat pad. This pad is very important to your foot health.

As we walk, each heel pad helps support one half of the weight of your body. Cracked heels can occur when this fat pad expands sideways, splitting the skin around the edge of the heel. The most common cause of cracked heels is wearing back open sandals. Young skin is usually elastic and supple and has good capacity to stretch. Cracked heels are almost always caused by one element; dry skin.

In a normal foot the heel is surrounded by a rim of fat called the heel fat pad. If the skin becomes dry and thickened the fat pad expands and splits the skin surrounding the heel. Sometimes it can be a fine line in what caused the dry skin. On occasions an uncommon skin rash, often mistaken for just dry skin, can be the cause.

The following skin conditions may cause dry skin around your heels:

• People with certain skin types are more prone to dry skin
• Prolonged standing at work or home especially on hard floors
• Being Overweight
• Open back on the shoes/sandals
• Biomechanical problems with your feet (abnormal walking)

Ordinary foot skin gets too dry because it’s V-shaped in nature and it doesn’t have oil glands. Usually the long sole under your feet has an ample supply of oil glands. When you grow older, the active glands of these glands on your feet get retired. Your rough cracked heels have traditional conditions because they don’t get restored with oil as before.