Cracks in the skin at the back of the heel are unsightly and could be painful. These are fairly common, especially in those people who are susceptible to them. These kinds of splits in the skin around the heel occur when the skin is thicker and dry. As the fat bad under the heel bulges out sideways when walking puts strain on the skin that it may not take, so the skin just tears or splits. The wearing of open back shoes also plays a part in the problem. Some medical conditions can also lead to the dryness of the skin and a numerous biomechanical problems contribute to the thickening of the skin.
After a crack occurs, it will have to be taken care of as it may act as a portal for an infection to get in. First of all, an antiseptic ought to be used to prevent that if the crack is open. It is next necessary to get rid of the thick callus around the peripheray of the heel. This can be undertaken by a skilled podiatrist for those who have access to podiatry. Otherwise, you'll need to use something like a foot file, pumice stone or emery board and get to work on removing it. This can take a great deal of work. When that thickened skin is taken care of, then it's important to use creams and ointments to make the skin elastic and adaptable so it doesn't have the tendency to crack. Urea based creams are typically better for that. When this original condition is dealt with, then preventative approaches should be put in place to continue with otherwise the condition will in all probability the cracked heels will occur again. Periodic use of a foot file or similar is recommended to keep the thick skin down and frequent use of a urea based ointment is crucial to make the skin resistant to splitting and prevent the dryness. Keeping away from open back shoes is also suggested to hel avoid cracked heels.