Cracks can frequently occur in the skin at the back of the heel. These can be unsightly and often can be painful. They are fairly common, particularly in those who are predisposed to them due to the risk factors being present. These types of splits in the skin around the heel happen when the skin is thicker and dry. As the fat pad that is underneath the heel expands out sideways when walking places a strain on the skin that it can not take, so the skin just tears or splits. The using of open back sandals also contributes to the condition. Various medical disorders could also lead to the dryness of the skin and a number of different biomechanical issues contribute to the thickening of the skin.
After a split occurs, it will have to be taken care of as it can act as a portal for an infection to get in. Firstly, an antiseptic should be used to prevent that if the crack is open. It is then necessary to get rid of the thick callus around the periphery of the heel. This can be carried out by a competent podiatrist for those who have access to one. If not, you’ll need to use something such as a foot file, pumice stone or emery board and get to work on removing the thick skin. This may take a lots of work. When that thickened skin is removed, then it’s important to use lotions and ointments to make the skin elastic and adaptable so it doesn’t have the tendency to split. Urea based ointments are typically better for that. Once this original problem is dealt with, then preventative measures have to be put in place to continue with or else the problem probably will happen again. Regular use of a foot file or similar is advised to keep the thick skin down and frequent use of a urea based cream is crucial to help make the skin resistant to cracking and stop the dryness. Staying away from open back footwear is also encouraged
