So you’ve been spritzing and moisturizing your face and hands all winter—even your hair is getting some extra attention to prevent the frizzies and dryness. But what about your feet? Winter can be super rough on heels, leading to cracking, dryness, and even bleeding. Ouch!
For severe conditions, be sure to check in with your doctor. But for mild cracking and itching, give some of these DIY home remedies for treating cracked heels.
- Sleep with oily feet: You don’t need anything more than a good olive oil or black seed oil to make this work for you. You’ll also need a pair of socks you don’t love very much, though. Before bed, generously apply oil to your feet and heels—really cover them in oil. Put on socks—two pairs if needed to keep the oil in. And go to sleep. This should help to bring some relief and you can do this rather frequently if needed. Just be sure to be careful getting up as your feet will be slippery even in the socks.
- Soak your feet: One cup of white vinegar in a warm bath can help to relieve discomfort from dry and cracked feet. Another option is to combine three tablespoons of baking soda with three tablespoons of salt in a small tub filled with warm water. If you don’t have a small foot tub, just fill your bathtub high enough to soak your feet. Be sure to dissolve the baking soda and salt thoroughly. You can also make this mixture into a paste for the feet—just decrease the salt by one tablespoon and add in a bit of olive oil to form a past. Gently scrub the feet. Avoid using the scrub if you have severe cracking and bleeding.
- Make a foot mask: Masks aren’t just a beauty must for face and hair—they can do wonders for feet, too. This one is super easy: mash up a ripe banana until it’s free from lumps. Generously spread over heels and feet where it’s needed and wrap foot in plastic wrap (you may want to have this part ready before you cover your feet in nanas. Leave the feet wrapped for about ten minutes before rinsing. Gently rub with pumice stone after drying.
