Cracks develop in skin which has hardened and thickened around the edges of the heels. Eventually this callused skin splits, resulting in a cracked heel. If the skin becomes too thick and too hard, the cracks will deepen, become very painful and may bleed. Any split of the skin which bleeds is at risk of becoming infected.
Causes
The most common cause of cracked heels is the wearing of open backed shoes, such as thongs, sling backs of high heels. Patients who are overweight or wear bare feet may also suffer from this painful condition. Some conditions such as diabetes mellitus will cause the skin to become dry.
Treatment
The hard skin can be debrided (trimmed) by one of our podiatrists. It is painless and most patients enjoy relief soon after. Treatment is extremely effective, as shown by the ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures above.
We may also recommend the use of one of our specialist moisturisers. If your heels have become infected, we will treat the infection and dress the wound appropriately. Our professional podiatrists will then determine the cause of your condition and suggest methods to prevent it from returning.
Melbourne Podiatrist offers quality treatment for common skin conditions for residents in Brunswick, Sandringham, Bentleigh, Hampton, Essendon, Coburg & Mentone. If you would like more information, please call our Brunswick Foot Clinic on (03) 9387 8555 or Sandringham Foot Clinic (03) 9555 6555 or click below to book online.
