Foot Health in Winter – Cracked Heels
Winter is near! Are you looking after your feet this season? It is common during the cooler months for your skin to dry out and can be at high risk of cracking. Cracked heels can not only be painful but for certain people can lead to high risk of infection and other complications.
Risk Factors include:
- Genetic predisposition
- Weight – being overweight can increase risk due to added pressure requiring increased elasticity in the skin
- Medical conditions – people with conditions including diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, Raynaud’s, lymphoma, thyroid problems, Down syndrome, kidney disease, venous issues, dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis conditions are at increased risk.
- Medications – there are many medications that can add to skin dryness
- Inappropriate footwear – too loose or open footwear
- Environmental – barefoot walking, exposure to extremes of temperature, exposure to heat.
Assessment and treatment from your Podiatrist is the best place to start, as we can identify the causative factors as well as educate you on appropriate footwear and home management techniques to prevent recurrence.
A highly effective in clinic treatment is parrafin wax therapy. This treatment is applied after removal of the dead skin by your Podiatrist. The wax includes 4 hydrating oils and is warmed to a soothing temperature and is applied for 20 minutes. This is powerful way to rehydrate your skin and is also very relaxing.
We also highly recommend following your treatment with the use of a podiatrist recommended cream. At ProMed we use a practitioner’s only range of urea-based creams that are highly effective in reducing dry skin development as well resolving cracking of the skin. There are different percentages of urea-based creams including 15%, 25% and 30%. Your Podiatrist will recommend the appropriate cream to address your skin type and in consideration of any medical conditions.
Skin dryness can be managed, and cracks can be prevented – you need to have the right assessment and individualised skin care plan from your ProMed Podiatrist.
Get in touch with us and we’ll provide you with an individualised skin care plan to take you to softer, silkier feet!