cracked, dry heels -- talk to me about how to make this go away.

[CalicoKat]

Every summer this is my plight. My heels are callused, they dry out & crack and it's very painful. I've got creams. I wear shoes. I wear socks with my shoes & sandals. It's just spring and already my heels are starting to get yucky. How do you keep this from happening?

[Jmac]

I hope someone has the miracle answer for this!!!

[Hillary in KS]

Have you soaked them, and then rubbed with a ped-egg?

 

This works for me, along with putting lotion and then socks on before bed.

[newlifemom]

I believe my sister learned [from experience] to use the ped egg on dry feet. She swears by it now. Me, I should try it, but I still have good heels from my last pedicure 3 weeks ago.:D

[Kathy in MD]

I'd try taking fish oil. It did wonders for my dry, cracked elbows and finger tips in winter.

[Aggie]

Try Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream.:001_smile: That is wonderful stuff! I use mine at night and in the am.

 

Or use a lotion without any water in it. Water in a lotion can actually dehydrate your skin.

 

I use one of those eggs, too. I may have to try it on my dry skin someday.

[Laurie4b]

I like stuff called Badger Healing Balm. It contains olive oil, beeswax, castor oil, aloe vera extract, & wintergreen & sweet birch oils. It helped my heals a lot. I used it before bed.

[Heather in Neverland]

The only thing that has worked for me is bi-weekly pedicures.

[elizabeth]

Likely not dry skin but a fungal infection get over the counter cream like Lotrimin etc and it will work miracles. Or not but no no harm done. If it is fungal the cream will make a difference in 48 hours

[Amy+2]

Bag Balm. (Yes, this is for udders...but also works for udder stuff!!) Sorry! Couldn't help myself!!:lol: Lather on at night and wear socks to bed. Works like a charm!;) I think most drug stores carry it.

[Sugarfoot]

I read about the PedEgg here first, and I have to say, it's been such a miracle for my poor feet! My heals are sooo dry, and they crack, and that is very painful. If I have a really painful spot, I put NuSkin over it, which is a liquid band-aid type stuff. That helps to keep water and such out of it and helps it heal.

 

My DH was so impressed by the improvement in my heels that he bought a PedEgg for himself.

 

It does work better on dry skin. I do it before I get in the shower and then put lotion on them afterwards.

 

You can buy both a PedEgg and NuSkin at Walgreen's.

 

HTH!

[Rosie_0801]

Maybe a silly question, but are you drinking enough? Coffee doesn't count :D

 

Rosie

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I use a callous shaver. I got it at Walgreens. It has a tiny double-edged razor blade locked into a safety razor thingy. You just pull it across the callous, and it shaves off super-thin layers of dead skin. It doesn't cut healthy skin, and it doesn't hurt at all. I love it!!!!! It has saved my dry, cracked, bleeding heels and toes.

 

I use creams and lotions also, but I still need to use my callous shaver once a month or so in the summer.

 

 

ETA: link to my Tweezerman Callous Shaver: http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100253&navAction=jump&navCount=0&nug=VPD&skuid=sku3459716&id=prod3460873

 

This is the Walgreens website, but they have them in the store as well.

They have extra blades available, too.

Edited May 6, 2009 by Suzanne in ABQ

[Alice]

Mine are like this too. I have found that what works best is Lanolin, but I don't like how sticky it is. What also works well is the brown A & D diaper ointment, which has Lanolin in it. If I put it on very thick at night and sleep with socks it helps a lot.

[Dianne-TX]

but it has to be ongoing because it will come back. Soak your feet to soften, use a heel file and put on Aquaphor and socks before bed. I did this until it got better and it worked. I just did it again when it started to come back. The heel file's are cheap. Ped Egg might be the same type of thing, but I don't know how much they are. But, I think the Aquaphor did the trick. That stuff is excellent! Good luck!

[MamaT]

My 9yo dd has this problem. We put Vaseline on her feet at night and then cover with socks. It's the only thing that has worked for her.

 

I'm going to have to look into getting a Ped Egg.

[LNC]

I use the Ped Egg on dry skin. I follow up with Flexitol with overnight lotion socks. I bought the Flexitol at Walmart and the socks and Bed, Bath and Beyond. The urea in the Flexitol breaks down the hardened skin. My feet are very prone to calluses and cracking and this routine keeps them really soft.

[MomLovesClassics]

Barielle foot cream, the one that has seamud. Also if possible try to rub some lotion or cream right after getting out of the shower, stand on a towel and give it a moment to soak in before walking around, and apply cream when going to bed. I found that when using Barielle (the one with seamud) I don't wake up in the night with my feet feeling dry. Also keep in mind dry cracked heels are a sign of imbalance in pelvic area (hormone etc), so be sure to massage your ankle area unless you are pregnant.And like the previous messages, essential fatty acids, preferable a female type essential oil formula that has evening primrose oil included.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Really. Desitin or whatever brand. Full of zinc and cod-liver oil. Kpzzz suggested it to me and it works whenever my heels crack. Mine usually do that in the winter.

 

P.S. The only draw back is the fishy smell.

[Jeannie in NJ]

I second Bag Balm which comes in a small green can at my local CVS. I hate to wear socks to bed so someone gave me a gift of what I call my Slug socks because that is what it feels like to wear them, like I am walking on slugs. Bt homestly they work. I only have to wear them about 1 or 2 hours at night (I make sure I will not be having to get out of bed as it is gross to walk in them) but when I take them off, my feet are so soft. I believe that it is aloe vera that is inside them. I don't know what the actual name of them is but I have seen them at Ulta.

[CalicoKat]

Maybe a silly question, but are you drinking enough? Coffee doesn't count :D

 

Rosie

:tongue_smilie: LOL, you got me. Point taken and I'll start keeping track of my 8 cups again.

[Cindy in NY]

I use Alpha Hydrox lotion from the drug store. It has taken my heels from horrible to absolutely smooth. I put it on 2 times a week after I shower. It isn't sticky so you don't need socks after and the bottle lasts forever if you only use it on your feet.

[Jennifer]

I use A&D ointment-usually found in the diaper cream section. Desitin was too stinky for me! A&D ointment all over my feet and then sleep in socks.

Jennifer

[ThelmaLou]

Ped egg and lamisilk foot cream.

[Dianne-TX]

Has anyone heard of "aloe socks"? I just heard about these recently. They are supposed to help soften feet as you wear them in your shoes just like regular socks.

[Alisa in Florida]

Barielle Foot Cream is the only thing that has ever worked for me. Dh uses it, too.

[MomLovesClassics]

Barielle Foot Cream is the only thing that has ever worked for me. Dh uses it, too.

I am all out. It is on my wish list for Mother's Day.

[lynn]

I use one of those ped eggs type files followed with heel balm cream stuff from sally hansen and cotton socks. I use Mary Kay's satin hands on my feet 1-2x's a month. I have heard but have not tried olive oil or vaseline with cotton socks on over night.

[LizzyBee]

Ped egg

 

I got mine at Walmart.

[Renai]

Really. Desitin or whatever brand. Full of zinc and cod-liver oil. Kpzzz suggested it to me and it works whenever my heels crack. Mine usually do that in the winter.

 

P.S. The only draw back is the fishy smell.

 

OT, but whatever happened to Kpzzz?

[Desert Rat]

I use Bath and Bodyworks Shea It Isn't So every night and use a file in the shower every morning. This works for both myself and my dh.

[10Newtons]

I haven't read through all the replies, but coconut oil does great for me!

[Lolly]

Mine are too bad for the Ped egg to work. :glare: Straight glycerin applied nightly, then covered with socks helps mine the most. I can't sleep with the socks on though. Way too hot! Mostly, I just keep them covered during the day. No sandals for me! Heels are way too icky to let them show.

[TXMomof4]

After your shower/bath - immediately coat your heels with olive oil and put on a pair of socks. They have some at Bath & Body works that are designed to keep in moisture. Just let your feet soak up the olive oil - my mom's feet will bleed they get so cracked and dried out and this makes them a million times better.

[shanvan]

I was using all the creams, lotions, etc, and putting on the socks until my doctor finally told me I did not have dry skin......I had athlete's foot! For years, apparently. I couldn't get rid of the ugly heels because I wasn't getting rid of the athlete's foot. Might be worth looking into for some of you.

 

Shannon

[LeslieP]

I saw Paul Begoun on Oprah once. Her cure for cracked dry feet was as follows: Get Stridex pads (or generic brand salicylic acid pads) and rub them on your dry heels at night. Follow with a rich, emollient cream and socks. She swears you'll have feet as soft as a baby's. I personally like the Ped Egg and Curel's foot cream.

[Wendi]

I use a callous shaver. I got it at Walgreens. It has a tiny double-edged razor blade locked into a safety razor thingy. You just pull it across the callous, and it shaves off super-thin layers of dead skin. It doesn't cut healthy skin, and it doesn't hurt at all. I love it!!!!! It has saved my dry, cracked, bleeding heels and toes.

 

I use creams and lotions also, but I still need to use my callous shaver once a month or so in the summer.

 

 

ETA: link to my Tweezerman Callous Shaver: http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100253&navAction=jump&navCount=0&nug=VPD&skuid=sku3459716&id=prod3460873

 

This is the Walgreens website, but they have them in the store as well.

They have extra blades available, too.

 

I got one, and I was amazed at how well it worked! (A little too well for me; I must've been a little overzealous in some spots, as I now have tender pink skin in those areas.) I have been using Flexitol foot balm, which was working well, but the callous shaver helped me get rid of some serious thick, dead spots. I'll just be more careful next time.

 

Wendi