Cracked feet and heel fissures are a common problem for many people and it is caused by a lack of moisture in the skin. Whilst dry skin on the feet is hardly a big medical problem in itself, it can be embarrassing, especially in the summer, when you want to wear open shoes and sandals.
It can sometimes lead to infections and then cracked feet can become very painful and make it difficult to walk, but cracked feet can easily be treated with some basic home remedies. Here are ten of those natural home remedies for cracked heels and dry feet that you might find useful.
1. Honey
Honey is a natural moisturiser and it also contains antibacterial agents that will fight any infection. The best way to use honey on your dry, cracked feet is to add a cup of honey to a bowl of warm water and mix it well in. Then, soak your feet in the warm mixture for twenty minutes and the honey will soothe cracked skin and put some of the moisture back into it.
2. Coconut oil
Coconut oil is another fabulous ingredient that can be used in home remedies for cracked heels. It will provide deep down moisture that will soon have your feet healed up and looking smooth again. Before you go to bed, soak your feet in warm water and gently scrub them with a loofah to remove excess dead skin. Dry your feet thoroughly and then massage coconut oil into the skin, put on a pair of clean socks over the top, and leave them in overnight.
3. Shea butter and lemon juice
Shea butter is much underrated these days, but it has so many practical beauty uses. Soak your feet in warm water and give them a gentle scrub, pat them dry and massage in some shea butter, mixed in with some fresh lemon juice. Put on a pair of socks and leave it on your feet overnight. Shea butter may not be the most glamorous of beauty products, but you wait and see the amazing effect it will have on cracked feet!
4. Banana and coconut mask
Bananas are loaded with enzymes that help to promote the growth of healthy new skin cells, and coconut oil is a superb skin moisturiser. Another one of wonderful home remedies for cracked heels and dry feet is to simply mash up one banana with two tablespoons of coconut oil and massage the mixture onto dry skin. Let it sit for twenty minutes and then wash it off with warm water.
5. Epsom salt foot bath
Epsom salts are great for helping to heal dry skin. Add a third of a cup full of Epsom salt to warm water in a bowl, then soak your feet for twenty minutes. Pat your feet dry and then massage in some coconut oil or olive oil, to moisturise.
6. Paraffin wax
Paraffin wax works as a natural emolument and is especially effective on cracked heals. Heat up equal parts of paraffin wax and coconut oil until it has melted, and leave it cool a bit before you massage it onto your feet. This is another treatment that works better if you leave it on overnight. Follow this procedure for a few nights and the cracks in your skin will soon be healed.
7. Lemon and sea salt foot scrub
If you have a build-up of dead, dry skin on your feet, then you will need a foot scrub to remove it. One of very effective home remedies for cracked heels and dry feet is to mix four tablespoons of sea salt with the juice of one lemon, add 3 tablespoons of sweet almond oil and gently scrub at the dry skin with this mixture. Lemon juice has a natural acidity that will help to exfoliate your skin and sweet almond oil will make it smooth and soft again.
8. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is another wonderful natural ingredient that you can use in home remedies for cracked heels; apple cider vinegar will soften up feet and make it easier to remove dead, hard skin. Soak your feet for fifteen minutes in a bowl containing warm water and half a cup of vinegar, and the acetic acid in the vinegar will soften hard skin, making it much easier to remove with a pumice stone. Whenever you are removing hard skin, though, don’t scrub too hard, or you will make your feet sore and remember to moisturise afterwards.
9. Oatmeal mask
Oatmeal is brimming with nutrients that your dry, cracked skin will absolutely love. Make up a paste with a tablespoon of oatmeal powder and some jojoba, massage it into your skin and leave it on for about half an hour. If you repeat this every other day, it will soon heal up all the cracks in your skin.
10. Olive oil
Olive oil can be used in a number of different ways to heal cracked feet. You can use it as the base oil in any of our recipes for masks and scrubs we have already mentioned, and you can use it as an emergency treatment too. A few dabs of olive applied to dry skin at any time of the day will soften the skin and make the cracks far less painful.