Cracks on the heels are a problem, getting rid of it is quite difficult. This is not only a cosmetic defect, but a serious prerequisite for the development of severe pathology in the body.
Cracks are the entrance gate of infection, through which many germs easily penetrate. Even small incisions on the skin and cracks require compulsory treatment, since early in the development of the disease to cope with the problem is much easier.
Such a nuisance is known to many, but not everyone knows the causes of cracks on the heels. This is exactly what we will talk about.
Healthy heels should be smooth, soft and pinkish. To keep the heels this way, special care is required. When it is absent, first there are corns, warts, calluses, and eventually - cracks on the heels.
The skin around the cracks is quite rough, when walking there is pain. In order to get rid of this trouble it takes a lot of patience and endurance.
For the therapy of cracks are used as traditional medicines prescribed by a dermatologist, as well as folk remedies, which are very effective and, not worse than drugs, cope with this problem.
This pathology also causes inconveniences of an aesthetic nature - cracks do not allow to wear open shoes in the summer. They are formed gradually: first appear defects on the skin, similar to incisions, thin and almost not noticeable. Over time, they thicken, deepen, inflame and cause unbearable pain when walking.
Causes of cracking on heels
Why do cracks appear on the heels? The reasons for their occurrence are quite a lot: from quick and easily eliminated by cream lubrication, to more serious causes requiring medical attention. Let's consider some of them.
Exogenous causes
- The main reason for the appearance of cracks on the heels is the fungus. Fungal infection can enter the body from the outside: in the pool, in the pedicure room, in the sauna or in the bath. Spores of fungi penetrate through the injured skin, go into vegetative forms and actively multiply in the body with reduced immunity, impaired blood circulation and the presence of bacterial infection.
- Inadequate nutrition leads to the development of avitaminosis in the body, which is the most common cause of cracking. Especially dangerous is the lack of vitamin A.
Retinol is a source of beauty and health of the skin.
With a deficiency of this vitamin, the epidermis of the skin loses moisture and elasticity. At the same time, the skin splits on the fingers, hands and feet. The causes of lack of retinol: inadequate intake from food;deficiency of zinc and vitamin E, which provide assimilation of retinol;associated diseases - gastritis, kidney pathology;dysfunction of the endocrine system. -
Improper care leads to cracks in the heels, namely excessive friction of the skin during pedicure, the use of razors that cleanse the horny layer, the wrong choice of cosmetic emollients. - If the hygiene of the feet is only in the usual washing them, the skin on the legs will eventually harden, cracks will appear. Proper care should include the following procedures: peeling, foot baths, the use of moisturizing and nourishing creams.
- Excessive care for your feet. Frequent peeling does not allow the skin to fully recover, which leads to its thinning and the appearance of cracks in it.
- Provokes the appearance of this problem wearing tight and uncomfortable shoes, as well as socks and pantyhose from artificial materials that have poor air permeability. Since the legs in synthetic socks and shoes made of artificial materials do not breathe, the skin on the heels quickly becomes dry and cracks are formed.
You should wear only comfortable, non-traumatic shoes and cotton socks.
Open sandals and slippers contribute to the contamination of the heels with dust and dirt. - Prolonged circulation leads to edema of the legs, a violation of blood circulation and deterioration of the skin of the heels.
- Seasonal reasons. In summer, the cause of cracks on the heels is the wearing of open shoes: slippers or slates. From the blows on their sole appear on the heels of the first microtrauma, the stratum corneum begins to thicken, the skin is stratified and a chronic injury is formed - a crack.
In addition, provoking factors - air dryness, high temperature, urban dust - injure the skin of the heels.Beach, heat, sea water, sand, ultraviolet dry and damage the skin, and not only on the heels.
In winter, wearing tight boots and warm socks creates a microbial environment with air deficiency and high humidity. At the same time, the skin of the feet dries, and the fungi and bacteria actively multiply, so cracks form.
Endogenous causes of
- One of the internal causes of cracks on the heels is dysfunction of the endocrine system - diabetes mellitus or thyroid disease, for example, hypothyroidism.
Why are cracks in the heels of diabetic patients so dangerous? This is associated with the risk of a complication such as diabetic foot, leading to limb amputation. - In the pathogenesis of this pathology, heredity takes the leading place. If the parents have heels with cracks, then most likely their children will have the same problem.
- Deep cracks on the heels can be a concomitant disease in people with gastritis, skin diseases, beriberi.
- Overdrying of the skin, resulting from the increased formation of the cells of the stratum corneum, which is observed in people who walk around barefoot for a long time. The increased dryness of the skin is accompanied by loss of its elasticity and various damages to the skin.
The cause of cracks on the heels can be uneven skin tension: in summer the skin stretches well, and in winter, on the contrary, it dries and cracks. - Metabolic disorders, namely obesity. This is due to the heavy load on the heels.
Detection of cracks and similar problems with the skin on the heels requires an early identification of the causes of these changes. To do this, you should seek help from a dermatologist, who will determine the presence or absence of a fungal infection and prescribe the right treatment. And the people's means will become good assistants in this process. Many useful tips can be obtained from the article: Apple, honey and various lubricants - And there will be no more cracks on the heels!