Here's a great idea to get those rough heels smooth that I use. Instead of buying costly creams, etc., to keep your heels soft, just apply some hair conditioner to your heels in the shower. Then go over the area with a pumice applicator. A thick conditioner works best. Just be careful while in the shower, since it will make your footing slippery until you rinse it off.
I also add some to my bath scrubby puff with body wash and it hydrates your entire body. Especially welcoming in the winter when skin gets dryer from indoor heat, etc.
By Gigi from Upperco, MD
This page contains the following solutions.
A major cause of dry cracked heels in women comes after menopause. Hormonal changes are a major culprit. All of our glands are changing. The oil glands slow down oil production. There isn't much you can do except for diligent care.
I suffer from dry, cracked heels. When my mother-in-law suggested A+D Ointment for my daughter's dry lips, I had an "Ah Ha" moment.
I have very dry skin on the soles of my feet and nothing did the trick. I tried slathering a thin layer of my lip balm - Smith's Rosebud Salve on them and have been using it ever since.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
My daughter is 9 years old. She has a foot itching problem at night from dry skin. Can someone give me a solution for this?
By sisira from Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Vaseline will work, apply every day or night after bath, good luck.
Vaseline was going to be my suggestion too. Not only after bath, but at bedtime. Put a good amount on her feet, then put some sort of plastic (I have used saran wrap, plastic grocery bags, zipper storage bags, whatever) over them, and socks on top of that, to hold the plastic on. (I actually just found some glove & sock-like things at the dollar store the other day which are made for this purpose.
Vicks Vapo rub! Sounds strange I know, but it works. You can even get a generic and use it. I think it's the eucalyptus oil in it that does it. I've used it for years. Just apply all over the feet and put on a pair of white socks. My husband even uses it and trust me, he won't even take aspirin when he has a headache.
Don't use anything with petroleum in it. Vick's and Vaseline are petroleum based. It goes into the skin and we have no idea how these things effect our bodies later.
I have found that using white vinegar on skin stops itching and actually helps with dry skin. Most soaps are alkaline and this causes skin to dry out. Vinegar is acidic and it helps to normalize skin's Ph. Put it on like lotion, only after rubbing it in well, have it be still kind of wet and let it air dry. It may itch as it's drying, but when it dries, it will feel better. I have really itch feet from time to time and this works well without hurting in any way. If she takes a bath, you can even put some in the water, most water is a slightly higher Ph than what feels good to our skin.
Try to read all labels of things you put on the skin. So much of what people think of as good for your skin, either seals off the skin from breathing or pollutes the body and cells. The skin is our biggest organ and it's very porous. Also, eating enough fats helps the skin be moist. Essential fatty acids are important, too.
Walmart sells really soft socks with aloe vera right in the socks! They are wonderful! I wear them to bed every night and my dry, unbearably itchy feet feel soft, smooth, and are not itchy!
And a p.s. I live in Winnipeg, so you should be able to get them there. Not the usual "best stuff is sold in the U.S. only" scenario!
You might try either Cetaphil lotion or creme on your daughter's feet. It is made without lanolin, which can cause dryness in her feet. If you go on their website you can also get acoupon.
Try using crisco shortening its a great moisturizer for the skin you can heat for a few seconds in the microwave and then apply it to the skin. It contains vitamin a and palm oil which are very good for soothing skin.
I make my own foot balm using Sweet Almond Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Yellow Beeswax, Shea Butter, Vitamin E oil and Peppermint Essential Oil. It sets up so I resembles vaseline but is better since it's all natural ingredients.
1st make sure you don't have a yeast problem. I suffered from rashes and very dry cracked skin on feet. Used a over the counter yeast infection remedy and to my surprise my dry cracking skin started getting better. I have fibromyalgia and one of side effects in yeast infection problems, so tried over the counter it worked so well talked my doctor into prescribing rx for yeast infection and now dry feet has completely cleared up.
What can I use for dry cracking heels?
By Victoria from So. CA
I get this frequently in the summer, as I go around bare foot a lot! What I have found works wonders is Bag Balm; or the bag balm creme which is known as udderly smooth; with the bag balm put quite a bit on, and then put on a pair of socks and in the morning they should be fine! The creme works well if you simply rub it in, let it soak in, which it does really fast, then rub in again etc; usually I do this at night when watching TV.
Good luck!
I recommend Watkins PetroCarbo Salve if they are in really bad shape. It is medicated.
Watkins also has special peppermint foot repair salve and cream that comes in a neat little gift package with a pair of plush socks. They call it the Heavenly Soles Foot Care Set.
You can find it at http://www.buy-vanilla-pepper.com
I think you'll find these help. I hope you have soft feet in no time!
Coleen
I wish I could remember where, but I just recently read to use diaper rash ointment or cream on your feet to help with the dry, cracking heels.
We've always used Vick's Vapo-Rub on feet though as it's really good for keeping toe nails from getting
dry and brittle for one thing, and a guard against any sort of fungus also. Rub the Vick's in really well, then put on a pair of white socks to sleep in, and the next morning, your feet will feel like new.
It definitely works to keep the nails nice too. Better than anything I've ever used before. Bag Balm is also one of the best all-time remedies for sore feet, cracked heels and britttle nails.
I can remember our doctor always wearing white socks next to his feet even in the daytime with a dark suit on. He just put a black pair on over the white ones, but next to his feet was always white socks. He said our feet sweat a lot, and the dyes in colored socks are not good for our feet. Well, he was our doctor and his word was good enough for me.
I hope this helps you. When feet are sore or are hurting, nothing else feels good either.
Pookarina
Acne astringent pads such as stridex then Eucerin or Vaseline put on socks leave on over night continuous use will result in softer younger heels and feet.
I worked for a pharmacy and heard them say kerasal was the best for that problem.
Several months ago, my feet became very dry and my heels felt like sandpaper. I started putting Avon Silicone Glove hand cream on them at night and in the morning. Now they are soft and smooth and I only use the cream at night after my shower. My feet get cold anyway so I sleep in socks and that probably helps too.
I tried using hydrocortisone, Vaseline, and baby oil, but withing hours the flakiness and/or itching begins again. What can I use that will work? It is mainly on one foot. No blisters, just a minor itch and lots of flaking especially on the underfoot, the top skin is fine.
By lblobogirl from Philadelphia, PA
I wonder whether you might have athlete's foot. You can find antifungal cream (Clotrimazole Cream USP 1%, for instance), at the pharmacy, and even the dollar stores, at times. Might be worth a try.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
The heels and balls of my feet are cracking badly and are very painful. I've tried everything I can think of and need some help because it isn't working.
For dry cracking feet that even doctors have a problem with. I have found that Blue Stuff with Emu Oil heals your feet even if they are bleeding from being cracked.
