Table of contents:
- What causes chapped feet?
- Eczema
- Water fleas
- Tips for treating chapped feet
- 1. Wash your feet more often
- 2. Dry your feet
- 3. Use a moisturizer
- 4. Cut toenails carefully
- 5. Shop for shoes during the day
- Tips for choosing footwear for chapped feet
- Limit the use of high heels
- Use shoes according to activities
- Use footwear that fits properly
Caring for chapped feet needs to be considered in order to maintain your prime appearance. This condition generally appears on your heels when the skin is too dry to form open sores. If you have this, you will feel pain every time you stand or walk. In some cases, cracked feet can even lead to severe infections.
What causes chapped feet?
The cause of chapped feet is generally a lack of moisture. Often, the specific cause is unknown. Your feet can become very dry from very hot or cold weather.
The following are things that might be the cause of this condition:
Eczema
If the skin feels itchy, dry, and begins to scratch with peeling, you have eczema or dermatitis. This is a chronic skin disease that causes the skin to become inflamed, itchy, dry, and cracked.
This condition usually affects the scalp, forehead and face, especially the cheeks. This condition is common in people of all ages. The doctor may provide a diagnosis through a medical examination.
Water fleas
Dry skin on the feet may also be a symptom of the condition water fleas or tinea pedis. This condition occurs when your feet are damp or you wear socks for too long to sweat.
Water fleas are a fungus that can spread to family members or friends who share bath towels.
In addition, according to the Institute for Preventive, chapped feet may also be caused by several things, namely:
- Biomechanical problems that increase pressure in the heel area
- Standing too long, especially on hard floors
- Obesity, which increases pressure on the heels and causes the skin to stretch too wide
- Wearing shoes or sandals that open on the back.
Several other health conditions can cause chapped skin on your feet. One of them is europathy, which is a condition that causes diabetics to lose their ability to sweat, leaving the skin too dry.
Tips for treating chapped feet
There are various easy tips for treating chapped feet so that they return to smooth. Below is a collection of tips from the College of Podiatry compiled by the National Health Service.
1. Wash your feet more often
It is important to keep your feet clean by washing them frequently. It is recommended that you wash your feet in warm water with soap. Do not rub your feet as this will destroy the natural oils on the skin.
Avoid soaps that contain alcohol, perfume, dyes, or other chemicals that cause irritation.
2. Dry your feet
Dry your feet after washing them, especially between your fingers, where a water flea fungal infection can develop.
3. Use a moisturizer
Use a moisturizing cream to treat chapped feet. Apply it on all parts of your feet, including between the fingers.
Treating cracked skin can also be done by gently removing the hard layer of skin. You can do this with a pumice stone or foot file.
4. Cut toenails carefully
Trim your toenails with a special finger nail clipper. Cut straight across, do not tilt or go too deep. This can cause ingrown toenails.
5. Shop for shoes during the day
Shopping for shoes during the day is better for preventing chapped skin. Your feet will swell over time and the condition of your feet during the day is when your feet are the biggest.
Tips for choosing footwear for chapped feet
Choosing footwear is equally important for treating chapped feet. Here are some tips that you might find useful:
Limit the use of high heels
Only wear high heels on certain occasions. If you really want to wear these shoes, try to adjust the height of the heels.
Wearing high heels more than 5 cm in daily activities can cause damage to your feet.
Use shoes according to activities
To treat chapped feet, always wear the right shoes for your activity. So never use sandals with thin soles to climb mountains.
Use footwear that fits properly
Wearing shoes that don't fit your feet can cause itching and irritation on your skin. Without treatment, dry foot skin can thicken and open, creating cracked skin on your feet. This makes the feet susceptible to infection.
Make sure your socks fit properly, taking into account the width of your feet and ankles. If your feet have neuropathy, make sure there are no protruding stitches inside your socks that could rub and damage your skin.
