Foot care allows you to maintain their functionality and is an inseparable part of cosmetic care for the whole body. From morning to evening, throughout our lives, our feet bear the weight of our body, so the skin of the feet needs special care. Without care, the skin on the heels cracks, and then it becomes painful to walk. An anti-cracked heel mask can get you back on your feet in no time.

Causes of cracked heels

The skin cracks due to:

• excessive dryness;
• endocrine disorders;
• physical irritations;
• chemical irritations.

But still, the vast majority of cracks in the soles are formed due to wearing uncomfortable shoes or poor hygienic foot care. Significant thickening of the skin of the feet due to the growth of the stratum corneum should not be allowed. Much attention should be paid to shoes; they should be soft, comfortable, not too loose or tight, and not with rubber soles. Cracks that cannot be treated at home should be shown to a dermatologist, as they may be accompanying symptom many skin diseases.

The feet should be constantly ventilated. At least try to walk barefoot at home. Stockings and shoes should be changed every day, even if you only have two pairs of shoes - this will allow them to be ventilated and prevent your feet from becoming deformed.

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Comprehensive cosmetic care for the skin of the feet

Foot care involves washing them daily with warm water and soap or shower gel. After a hot bath with soap, the feet are treated with pumice and lubricated with foot cream, preferably with vitamin A. Here are a few more useful rules:

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Foot mask recipes

The main problem of the skin of the feet is lack of fat due to a lack of sebaceous glands. Masks help normalize the fat balance, make the feet smooth, soft and thereby avoid cracked heels. If cracks have already appeared, antiseptic and medicinal products - herbs or medications - are added to the mixture for the mask.

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Therapeutic masks for painful cracks

For people with pronounced thickening of the skin on the heels and extensive advanced cracks, an old recipe will help. In a water bath, you need to heat equal parts of paraffin, beeswax and 10% salicylic acid. Heat the mixture and apply it to the skin of the heels using a cotton swab, let it dry, then apply another 2-3 layers. You need to keep this film on your feet all night (you can put on socks or bandage it), and in the morning wash your feet in a soap-soda solution and rub your heels with a pumice stone. The procedure is repeated several times (usually 2-3) until the desired effect is achieved.

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Preventive agents

Routine care, consisting of hygiene procedures and the daily application of nourishing and moisturizing foot creams, is usually quite enough to keep the skin of the feet in good condition. Masks for healthy heels are more of a luxury than a necessity, but a very pleasant luxury. If you ruined your feet at the dacha by walking barefoot on the ground, or dried out your heels on the beach until a network of small cracks appeared, in these cases masks will also come in handy.

Here are a few simple recipes that make your heels “silky.”

Nadezhda Sergeeva |

08/21/2015 | 90698

Nadezhda Sergeeva 08/21/2015 90698

Rough, dry heels do not make our legs look good. How to make your heels soft at home? Due to constant friction and stress, the skin on the heels quickly loses its smoothness, especially during the season. open shoes

. And rough, rough heels are far from an aesthetic sight. In addition, a cosmetic problem can develop into a medical one: calluses and calluses quickly form on damaged skin.

The secret to smooth heels is regular care

Make it a rule to spend a little time on your heels every evening. You don't need to do anything complicated: Don't overuse rough pumice

and under no circumstances cut off dry skin on your heels with a blade! If you clean your heels this way, there is a high risk of infection and serious problems. Do not rub steamed, wet heels with a pumice stone or an abrasive grater.

You can damage the healthy layer of skin and further increase dryness. Pamper your heels with warm baths a couple of times a week. A heel bath with soap shavings And sea ​​salt (dissolve 0.5 cups in a small amount).

hot water After the bath, enhance the effect with a heel scrub from ground coffee and vegetable oil

, mixed to a thick paste. The skin will become smooth and moisturized. Get a massage every day

To keep your heels smooth and soft, wear comfortable shoes, and in the warm season, often walk barefoot on textured surfaces.

There are many ways to make your heels soft at home. We have chosen the three most effective and simple ones.

Make your heels soft in 10 minutes

This recipe has been tested by our readers and received a large number of rave reviews. So:

1. Spread clean and dry (not steamed!) heels with cream (any emollient, maybe baby cream).

2. Wait until the cream is completely absorbed into the skin.

3. Now arm yourself with a file or a rough grater for the heels, lightly wet it with water.

4. Rub your heels with gentle and quick movements. Within a minute, you will see the dead, dry skin peel off and fall off.

5. Continue cleaning the heels; when the file dries out, moisten it with water again.

6. When you polish the skin completely, wash your feet and again apply cream to the cleaned areas.

7. Put on cotton socks and let your feet rest for a while.

If you do this procedure at night and go to bed in socks, the next morning you won’t recognize your heels! They will become pink, smooth and soft, like a baby's.

Apple cider vinegar and glycerin for heels

Vinegar for heels is a very useful remedy. It not only removes dryness and softens the skin, but also kills fungus. And in combination with glycerin, the effect is enhanced several times.

To get rid of rough heels, make a compress of apple cider vinegar and glycerin at night.

1. Prepare a mixture of 3 teaspoons of glycerin and 1 teaspoon of vinegar.

2. Soak pieces of gauze in the mixture and apply to the heels.

3. Wrap your feet in plastic and put on soft socks.

4. Leave the compress overnight, and in the morning wash your feet and apply cream to your heels.

You need 3-4 such procedures, but the result will be visible after the first application. This method helps even with shallow cracks in the heels.

Hydrogen peroxide for soft heels

A bath with hydrogen peroxide for your heels will help, even if your feet are completely neglected and the soles are very rough.

1. Take a small basin or bowl and pour 1.5 liters of hot water into it. The temperature should be such that you can tolerate it.

2. Add 4 tablespoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide and stir.

3. Submerge your feet in water and steam them for about 10 minutes, depending on the condition of your heels.

4. Use a soft pedicure brush to remove any white, dry skin from your heels.

5. Apply cream to your heels and massage thoroughly.

Hydrogen peroxide is a potent substance, so you should do this heel bath no more than once a week.

These methods will help you quickly get your feet in order. If you know other effective measures to clean your heels and make them soft at home, please share them with us.

Calluses, corns, cracks are a consequence of daily stress on the feet. Baths, massages, heel masks are comprehensive care behind the legs. When taking care of beauty, do not forget about those parts of the body that are invisible to the naked eye. Many women go for a pedicure only before traveling to the south, because on the beach everyone will see bare feet, and calluses and cracks obviously will not add to their beauty. However, this approach cannot be called correct. Regular care of the skin of your feet will save you from calluses and cracks. This can be done not only in beauty salons, but also at home.

Why do cracks appear on the heels?

The cause of rough heels and corns are both external and internal factors. Human skin always signals malfunctions internal organs or lack of vitamins and minerals. In people over 40 years of age, the elasticity of the skin decreases, which can cause painful cracks in the heels. Another reason may be a lack of vitamin A. In addition to rough feet, symptoms of a deficiency of this vitamin include acne on the face and back, dry hands and decreased immunity.

Do not rush to make a diagnosis yourself and take medications without prescription. The appearance of cracked heels can provoke uncomfortable shoes. When choosing boots, you should not give preference only to beauty; you should always remember about your health. The heels bear the maximum pressure, so try to choose shoes with arch support. Too flat a sole is harmful. Pay attention to the material from which the shoes are made. Shoes from artificial materials promotes the secretion of sweat, causing the skin to dry out and become rough.

How to save the skin of your feet?

You can carry out the procedure at home quality pedicure. Most masks and medications sold in pharmacies and stores do not give the promised effect. We offer you cheap, but effective methods getting rid of dry cracked heels at home.

The following pharmaceutical products will help get rid of rough heels and corns:

• hydrogen peroxide;
• glycerol;
• aspirin.

Other remedies that can relieve cracked feet:

• Coconut oil;
• lemon juice;
• vinegar;
• banana;
• aloe.

Hydrogen peroxide

Cleaning your feet with hydrogen peroxide is a very effective method. Peroxide is a strong oxidizing agent, so it should not be used frequently to treat feet. You can dry out your skin and lead to more serious problems. This substance effectively softens rough skin and leads to “renewal” of the legs at home. You need to use hydrogen peroxide wisely so that the procedure brings only benefit and not harm.

There are 3 ways to use hydrogen peroxide to treat cracked feet.

1. Pour warm water into the basin boiled water(40-50 °C). For 200 ml of water you will need 30 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Take a cotton swab, soak it in the solution and treat the most damaged areas of the foot. Wait 5 minutes after application and rinse with warm water. This is the most gentle method that will not help get rid of deep cracks, but is intended rather for prevention.
2. Pour maximum 1.5 liters of water into the basin high temperature that you can stand. Add 4 tbsp to water. l. peroxide. You need to steam your feet for no more than 5-7 minutes. After the dead cells have steamed, they need to be removed using a pumice stone or a special brush. A bath with hydrogen peroxide should be done in the evening. At night, it is advisable to apply a nourishing cream and wear thin cotton socks.
3. A bath with peroxide and salt helps in the most advanced situations. Pour 2 liters of warm water into a basin. Add 1 tbsp. l. sea ​​salt. Keep the legs in the salt solution for 5 minutes. After this, add 2 tbsp to the basin. l. spoons of peroxide and steam your feet for another 5 minutes. The dead skin will become loose and can be easily removed with a pumice stone. Be sure to apply cream at night. Suitable heel masks made from coconut oil or aloe vera juice.

The last suggested procedure with hydrogen peroxide is the best option treatment of deep cracks in the heels. Just 3-5 sessions are enough to restore softness to your feet at home.

After baths, do not forget to apply nourishing creams and wear socks made of natural fabric.

The second magical remedy for treating rough feet is liquid glycerin. A bottle of this product can be purchased at a pharmacy at a low price. However, make sure that the glycerin is natural and not artificial.

Masks and baths with glycerin have antiseptic properties. This product can be used safely and easily at home.

1. Mask with vinegar and glycerin. Vinegar (9%) is mixed with glycerin in equal proportions. To soften your feet, apply a mixture of glycerin and vinegar to the skin of your feet, leave for half an hour, then rinse and scrub your feet with a pumice stone.
2. If you suffer from deep, painful fissures, you need another option. Steam your feet in salt water for 20 minutes and apply pumice. Apply a mask with glycerin and vinegar to clean feet, wrap the top with cling film and put on warm socks. You can wash off the mask only after 4 hours, but the effect will be amazing. You shouldn't leave it overnight.
3. Daily mask with glycerin and vinegar essence. The bottle of glycerin purchased at the pharmacy is not completely filled. Add vinegar essence to it and stir the mixture. The resulting “lotion” is rubbed into the skin of the feet in the morning and at night. The result is noticeable within 3 days. This method is preventative.

A mixture of aspirin, iodine and vodka

Treatment problem skin on the feet with aspirin is another proven method. You need to prepare a solution for which you will need:

• a glass of vodka;
• 10 tablets of acetylsalicylic acid;
• 3 drops of iodine.

The resulting solution is used to treat problem areas on the feet in the morning and at night. This effective method will help heal even deep, painful cracks at home.

The proposed baths and masks for heels at home are easy to prepare and use. It is not necessary to spend fabulous sums to maintain natural beauty. It’s enough not to be lazy and take care of yourself using natural remedies.

Representatives of the fair half of humanity should always look attractive, efficient, and stylish. And we will talk about the feet, which bear the maximum daily load. A heel mask, foot baths, compresses, and herbal wraps will help restore health and beauty to our heels.

Features of proper heel care

The reasons for the appearance of cracks, corns, calluses are of the most diverse nature and ethology - inconvenient, tight shoes, hormonal imbalance, metabolic processes, lack of vitamins and minerals in the body, concomitant diseases. Weather, climatic phenomena, and sudden changes have not the best effect on the condition of the epidermis of the feet and heels temperature conditions. All of the above negative impact factors are the main reasons that lead to the formation of microcracks, the appearance of blisters, keratinized areas, calluses, and excessive sweating.

To maintain the health and beauty of the feet and heels, it is necessary to perform a number of cosmetic cleansing, nourishing, moisturizing procedures, which, if desired, can be carried out independently at home.

Moisturizing your heels

Moisturizing heels - necessary procedure, which prevents the appearance of corns, calluses, abrasions, and cracks. For these purposes, moisturizing creams are used, compresses are applied, and foot baths are made, which can be prepared using medicinal herbs. Having affordable and simple products on hand at home, you can prepare a nourishing, moisturizing cream or masks for heels, natural lotions. All moisturizing creams are based on vegetable and animal fats (badger, lanolin). Moisturizing creams must contain at least 25-45% natural fats. Such cosmetical tools used to moisturize and nourish the deep layers of the epidermis, help retain moisture in cellular structures, make the skin on the heels and feet soft, tender, and elastic.

Proper heel care

If there are corns, abrasions, or rough skin on the heels, under no circumstances should you cut off the rough areas of the epidermis with sharp scissors, a blade or a razor. This method can cause irritation and damage to the upper layer of the epidermis, which in turn will lead to the appearance of wounds and abrasions, which are the “gateway” for the penetration of pathogenic flora. And as a result - the inflammatory process. To eliminate rough areas, you need to steam your feet well, make foot baths with chamomile, nettle, plantain leaves, St. John's wort, lemon balm, and sage. Baths with sea salt and essential aromatic oils will give your feet a pleasant feeling. Then carefully use massage mittens, a brush, and a pumice stone to remove keratinized particles from the surface of the heels and feet. A massage will help improve blood flow and the general condition of the epidermis, after which you need to apply a moisturizing, nourishing cream or make masks for your heels.

Simple and affordable recipes for masks for heels and feet

Heel masks have a beneficial effect not only on the heels themselves, but also on the entire foot, have an antibacterial, disinfectant effect, improve blood flow, promote the healing of wounds and cracks, soften and tone the epidermis, providing nutrition to its deep layers. The main thing to remember is that heel masks prepared at home can be applied to a perfectly clean surface of the epidermis. The masks have no contraindications for use; the only thing that needs to be taken into account is individual intolerance to certain components. You should not apply masks if there are deep wounds or cracks on your heels. In this case, it is initially necessary to restore the integral structure of the epidermis.

At home, you can independently prepare vitamin, medicinal, moisturizing poppies for your heels. Vitamin-nutrient masks saturate cells with necessary biologically active components, improve oxygen access to cells, and make the skin soft, smooth, and elastic. The amount of ingredients that are their basis is measured in one or two teaspoons. For cracks, corns and other unpleasant defects, it is necessary to use therapeutic and nutritional masks based on the healing gifts of nature, natural ingredients, vegetable and animal fats, and medicinal herbs.

Fruit nourishing mask for heels

Take one ripe orange, several large strawberries, a teaspoon of lime juice. Grind the pulp of berries and citrus in a blender or chop very finely. Add a few drops of vegetable oil and a little lime juice. Distribute the resulting composition evenly over the entire surface of the feet and heels. You can put plastic bags on top or wrap your heels with food grade polyethylene. Leave for 10 minutes, then rinse with water and apply a moisturizing lotion or cream.

Potato mask

Potato masks have a wide spectrum of action and help in eliminating keratinized, dead particles, helping to restore the epidermis healthy color, promote the healing of cracks and wounds. Grate two large potatoes on the finest grater until smooth, add 1 tsp. olive, sea buckthorn, cedar, burdock, fir oil, a teaspoon of honey and apply to feet and heels. After ten minutes, wash off the mask with water. This remedy is best used after foot baths with medicinal herbs.

Foot mask with yolk, honey, olive oil, mint

Separate the yolk from the white (it is better to use village or farm eggs for cooking), beat it with a whisk or fork until smooth, add 2 tsp. heated olive oil and the same amount of honey, a few drops of lemon, dry or fresh finely chopped mint leaves. Olive oil can be replaced with any other vegetable oil - sea buckthorn, cedar, fir, sunflower, rosehip oil. Apply the mask to cleansed epidermis for 20-25 minutes.

Mask for rough, rough heels based on kefir, honey, yolk and vegetable oil

Take a bag full fat kefir, warm to room temperature, add the yolk of one egg, half a teaspoon of any vegetable oil and the same amount of honey. Mix everything well and apply an even layer over the entire surface of the foot. Wrap your feet in cellophane, wrap them up terry towel. After half an hour, rinse big amount warm water, apply nourishing cream overnight.

Mask with glycerin and vinegar essence

Buy a jar of glycerin at the pharmacy and add as much vinegar essence as you need. Shake well. Apply a thick layer of the resulting mixture to clean and dry feet and leave for about ten minutes, putting on top plastic bag. The course of treatment is a month.

Fruit masks for heels

To prepare them, you can use any berries and fruits that grow in our region - apples, strawberries, strawberries, plums, peaches. Fruit and berry masks are quite simple to prepare. It is enough to rinse the ingredients well, clean and soften the epidermis, grind the pulp until a homogeneous consistency is obtained, and spread over the entire surface of the foot and heel in an even layer. It is recommended to add a few drops of herbal, essential oil, lime, honey.

And of course, we should not forget that positive action can only be achieved through an integrated and systematic approach.

How to get rid of cracks at home

• Make a simple foot bath with warm water (not hot!) and soap. And soak your feet in it for at least 20 minutes. And don't rub your feet while soaking with the pumice stone. Simply soak your feet in water to soften the skin on your heels.

• After the bath, apply the scrub to your feet or rub them with a pumice stone. You need to remove the dead skin on your heels where the cracks have appeared. But do it carefully and do not injure your feet. After this, take a towel and dry your feet well.

You can make your own scrub at home. To do this, grind 1/2 cup of brown rice (for example, in a blender) and add 2 tablespoons of honey. Then add enough apple cider vinegar to create a paste-like consistency.

• Next, wipe your heels with mild soap and then alcohol to sterilize the skin. If you have diabetes or you suffer from a fungus, consult your doctor before performing this step.

• Now you need to moisturize your skin. Apply shea butter, Vaseline or olive oil to your heels. Avocado oil also works well, or use a regular moisturizer. Then put on thick cotton socks for a few hours to give the oil time to absorb into the skin. Also repeat this procedure before going to bed.

• As an additional care, I recommend using fresh fruit pulp or lemon juice. If after moisturizing your skin (see point above) you still have dryness, then apply lemon juice, overripe banana pulp or pineapple puree to your heels. Leave the fruit mixture on for 10 minutes and then rinse off.

What else to do when your heels are cracking

It is very important to take care of your feet so that fungus does not appear on your heels. Therefore, wash your feet with soap every day, but not too often. In this case, it is better to use moisturizing soap. After washing, always apply vegetable oil to your feet and wear warm socks on top.

You can also do the following night mask for legs:

Mix 1 tablespoon of Vaseline with lemon juice. Before applying the mixture, soak your feet for 10 minutes in warm water. Dry them with a towel and massage movements Apply to heels and feet. Cover your feet with cotton socks before going to bed. In the morning, your feet will feel much better and your skin will be softer. The mask must be applied regularly.

If all of the above methods did not help, and your heels are still cracking, then making homemade masks is useless. Better consult a doctor. Perhaps your problem is deeper and much more serious than simple dry skin.

Vitamin masks for heels

The skin on the heels needs vitamins more than other parts of the body. This is especially felt in the spring, when we consume significantly less vitamin products. Lack of vitamins A, E, group B affects the skin. The heels become rougher and small cracks form. To avoid this, make special vitamin masks from fresh fruits or vegetables once a week:

• Zucchini mask

Grate the young zucchini on a fine grater. Take two teaspoons of this gruel, add a teaspoon of olive or corn vegetable oil to it and carefully place it on gauze swabs. Apply to the heels, wrap with thin polyethylene and wrap with a towel. Keep for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water, apply nourishing cream at night.

• Apricot mask

Take 4-5 pcs. fresh berries, mash the pulp with a fork, add 5-6 drops of olive oil. Keep the finished mixture in a water bath until it warms up slightly. Place it on bandage squares and apply to your heels. Leave on for 15-20 minutes, remove, rinse your heels and apply foot cream.

• Orange mask

Grind the pulp of one orange with a knife, add half a teaspoon of olive or corn oil, apply the mixture to the heels and wrap with thin plastic and a towel. Hold for 15 minutes. You can also take halves of an orange, remove some of the pulp from them and put these “caps” on your heels and wrap them around them. Keep for about 20 minutes.

Masks to soften the skin of the heels

If you notice that the skin on your heels has become rough and has lost its elasticity, immediately start making homemade masks and applying them to your feet to soften it. Otherwise, the heels will begin to crack, and then simple cosmetic procedures no longer possible. The following masks will help soften the skin on your heels:

• Onion mask with honey

Boil the onion, mash it with a fork and add one teaspoon of flower honey. Apply to the heels, wrap in a layer of polyethylene and wrap with a towel. You can keep this mask on for up to 40 minutes, then carefully remove it, rinse your feet with warm water and lubricate it with oil. nourishing cream.

• Lemon and olive oil mask

Take three incomplete teaspoons of lemon juice or 4 teaspoons of lime juice, add 0.5 teaspoon of olive oil, rub thoroughly and lubricate the heels. Rinse off after 20 minutes.

• Masks against cracked heels

Cracked heels cause a lot of trouble. They cause pain when walking, become infected and can become infected. Therefore, at the first sign of cracks, immediately use one of these masks:

• Mask of calendula petals with butter

Melt 100 grams of butter, add petals of 20 fresh calendula flowers to it, warm well in a water bath. Then put this mixture on gauze and apply to your heels. Leave for 30 minutes and rinse with warm water

• Flaxseed mask

Boil two tablespoons of flaxseed purchased at the pharmacy until it becomes a thick jelly. Add a teaspoon of honey. Lubricate your heels and leave for 20-25 minutes. Afterwards, rinse your feet with warm water and lubricate with nourishing cream.

• Potato mask

Grate raw potatoes (take one) on a fine hand grater, add half a teaspoon of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of honey. Apply to heels and leave for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water and apply foot cream.