We use our feet constantly. The skin of our heels and soles is adapted to that. Therefore they have the thickest layer of skin of the whole body.
Rough, dry and cracked heels may have various causes. Among the most common are unsuitable shoes, inappropriate care, increased loading of the feet, changing shoes between seasons, walking barefoot, decreased production of sebum and poor hydration that worsens with age.
Lack of hydration leads to rough, dry, scaly skin. Over the time, the skin becomes coarse with an ever increasing number of fine lines. If we neglect our feet for a long time, painful cracks and fissures may appear. These are not just an aesthetic problem. They limit our ability to move and carry out daily activities and may become an entrance for infection. Given the thickness of the skin on the heels, the treatment is difficult and takes a long time.
Patients with diabetes should pay an increased attention to their feet. Any cracks and fissures are even more difficult to cure due to impaired blood circulation and neuropathy. There is a risk of infection and ulceration that further complicate the treatment. This condition is known as the diabetic foot syndrome.
Active sportsmen should also keep their feet in an excellent condition all the time. Small lesions, increased sweating of the soles and tight shoes in combination with rough, cracked skin may lead to a number of complications including mycoses requiring treatment – the so-called athletic foot syndrome.
