Dry Skin and Cracked Heels 

General Information: Dry skin on any part of the body can be annoying and can cause flaking and cracking of the skin, redness due to scratching, and unsightly patches of thick/hard skin. However, when dry skin occurs on the feet, the symptoms of discomfort are magnified due to shoe wear, the stretching of the skin on the feet each time we step down, and by certain synthetic materials in the socks and shoes that dry the skin out even more. Because of the confining nature of the shoes we wear and the lack of fresh air that hits the skin of the feet due to our socks and shoes, dry feet need specialized care in order to prevent pain.

Description: For most people, dry skin is a nuisance and a cosmetic problem; however, when allowed to become excessively dry, the skin tears and cracks, producing painful ""fissures."" If treatment is not initiated early, not only can the pain become intense, but the cracks and fissures may bleed. Once bleeding occurs, the skin is prone to bacterial infections and athletes foot.

The heels of the feet seem to be the areas most prone to developing painful fissures. Cracked and fissured heels result from a combination of thick calluses around the heel and dry skin.

Even though the following discussion centers on the heels, this information applies to all areas of the feet that present with dry, hard, and cracked skin.