Cracked Heels, Dry Skin, And Heel Fissures
Cracked heels are a common problem and are sometimes referred to as “heel fissures.” Cracked heels usually show a buildup of dry skin, and are made more complicated if the skin around the edge of the heel is calloused (thick). For many people, this is a nuisance and for others, a cosmetic problem. However, when cracks or fissures become deep enough, it can be quite painful to walk or stand on and the skin may bleed. In severe cases the fissures may result in an infection.
How are Cracked Heels Treated?
Attempts at home surgery using scissors or a razor to remove dead skin should be avoided at all costs. This can cause serious injury and may lead to serious foot and leg infections. There is a particular risk of this in diabetic patients, and serious infections can lead to amputation or even death. It is highly recommended that you consult us in regards to an appropriate treatment for your cracked heels.
The first step in treating the heels involves properly debriding and thinning the dry skin to eliminate or substantially reduce the cracks. Next, we focus on the daily application of a specific antifungal preparation for the best results based on your skin condition and type (rough, dry, moist, calloused, cracked, etc.). The last but not the least part of your treatment will involve evaluating your indoor and outdoor shoes. The types and materials of the shoes you wear can have an impact on the dryness of your feet. We will make recommendations to ensure your future shoe habit and selections will contribute to restoring smooth, soft and healthy skin all around the heels.
At Ottawa Foot Clinic, we have highly-skilled, meticulous foot technicians working in the setting of a world-class clinic of podiatric medicine. Each is under the supervision of foot doctors of podiatric medicine, chiropodists, and foot specialists who have experience in dealing with cracked heels and fungal skin infections.
We also provide help in determining and treating the cause of your heel problem and assist in its prevention, and remove any hard or dead skin using proper and sterile autoclaved instruments in a clean and aseptic environment. We will recommend appropriate footwear and prescribe foot preparations, creams or foams specific to your skin condition. We can also help prevent fungal skin and fungal nail recurrence as well as its spread to family members through cross contamination.Thanks to our advanced foot care and medical-grade pedicure approaches and products, most of our patients are getting fast relief and cracked skin repair in just 2-6 weeks!
If you are having problems with dryness and cracking along your heels or the bottoms of your feet, please do not hesitate to give us a call at (613) 595-9700. You can also request an appointment through our online form, should you wish.