Vinegar Scrub For Dry, Rough, And Cracked Heels

Feet, are an important part of our body, aren’t they? After all, all that we are able to do in our everyday life is solely because we are standing on our two feet. Those who’ve had feet or ankle problems know how painful it is to carry out basic chores without being able to stand up on our own feet.

Have you ever noticed how frequently our heels crack? We’re sure that often times a pinching pain must have made you bend down and look at your heels only to realize that there are some cracks at the sides of your heels. Some of you might freak out while some of you might just think of it not being as big a deal it should be and ignore it. And we’re asking you not to ignore it!

What Are Cracked Heels?

If you aren’t taking good care of your feet and heels, you will begin to experience some serious wears and tear in them. And podiatrists (foot and ankle specialists) term this as fissures or splits in heels. And if these cracks surface, it can get really painful, especially if you inhabit places with hot and dry climate. If you’re suffering from cracked heels, it’s very important to treat them in a right manner. Ignoring them can lead to further deepening of the existing cracks which might result in bleeding and can also disturb the skin’s structure from within.

Preventing Cracked Heels

To prevent cracked heels we need to first understand what causes them, here’s a list to help you understand its causes (1):

• Climate which is either too dry or hot. Learn to clean and moisturize your feet if you live in such climates, every time you come back from outside.

• Severe dehydration. Therefore, make it a point to drink enough water every day.

• If there is any deficiency of minerals or vitamins. Make sure your diet includes all the essential nutrients to keep your body hale and hearty.

• If you’re overweight, then it’s your feet which is bearing all the weight. Watch your weight loss and weight gain. Eat right and follow an exercise regimen to keep yourself fit.

• Wearing footwear which is ill-suited. It’s very important to wear footwear which isn’t heavy and provides comfort to your feet. After all, it’s the foot that bears our bodyweight.

• If you’ve been wearing footwear which is open at the back. Wear footwear which is closed on all sides, try to wear shoes.

• If there is a deficiency of zinc in your body. Eat lots of whole grains, nuts, dairy, and eggs as they are rich in zinc.

• If you’re suffering from skin problems like eczema, psoriasis or hydrolysis. Treat these skin issues with utmost care. Consulting your doctor will be the most practical thing to do.

• Check your medications. It could be a result of the consumption of medicines which might be causing your skin to become dry which is causing cracked heels.

Apart from all of the aforementioned reasons, there are chances that what you do everyday could also be responsible for your cracked heels. For example, if you’re standing on your feet for longer durations in a day without footwear or wearing improper footwear, your heels are bound to crack.

How To Cure Cracked Heels:

Okay, so the first thing in this process would be to keep your heels neat and clean. Every day after you’re back home, make it a point to wash your feet. And if your feet have cracks which are bleeding or hurt a lot, then soak them in lukewarm water. You can just fill a small basin or bucket with warm water and dip your feet in it.

For better foot therapy and relief from cracked heels, we suggest that you add a tablespoon of salt to the water. You can also add a few drops of essential oils. We recommend tea tree oil because of its therapeutic, antifungal, and antiseptic properties (2). Once you’ve soaked your feet for about 15-20 minutes, try the DIY vinegar scrub that we have described below and heal them (the cracks).

Vinegar Scrub

You’ll Need:

• Salt: 2 tablespoons
• Vinegar or apple cider vinegar: ½ tablespoon
• Olive oil: ½ tablespoon

Scrub Procedure:

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. After you’ve soaked your feet in warm water, take this scrub in your hands. And gently scrub away the dead cells from the cracks of your heels by massaging it with the scrub. Be a little gentle while scrubbing if you feel it to be painful. You can scrub your entire feet with this, however, concentrate on the parts of your heels. Wash your feet and pat it dry after scrubbing. Following this moisturize your feet and wear socks while sleeping. Wearing socks will help retain the moisture of the feet.

Benefits Of Using Vinegar

The fact that vinegar can be used as a sanitizer too and also has skin softening properties, makes it an ideal ingredient for treating the rough cracked heels. It also has anti-inflammatory properties which can be used to heal the heels (3).

Next time your heels crack, you know how to heal them, don’t you? How were you treating cracked heels before reading this article? Let us know in the comments below.

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