Heel fissures are cracks in the skin of the heel most commonly caused by overly dry skin and/or obesity. Walking around with your feet partially or completely exposed can also lead to heel fissures – open back shoes are the principal culprits of this affliction.
Symptoms
More specifically, dry skin is the main cause of heel fissures. However, the dry skin that can cause heel fissures can be caused by one or more of several factors including: genetics, dry climate, decreased sweat activity, diabetes, malnutrion, athlete’s foot and much more.
Heel fissures can become increasingly more unsafe if they go untreated and become deeper or infected. If this is the case, the pain could also worsen. Not to mention, they are not particularly asthetic either.
Treatment
Treatment for heel fissues is usually pretty simple. Doing everything that you can to prevent dry skin on your feet as well as wearing shoes that fit properly is a great start; that alone can work sometimes. However, if that’s not the case, then a topical and/or oral medication may be prescribed to be used daily. Another effective way to treat a heel fissure is to treat any condition you know led to it such as diabetes or athlete’s foot – attacking the problem from the source. If that also doesn’t work, debriding the heel might possibly be necessary or, in extremely rare cases, cosmetic surgery might be neeeded.
In general, heel fissues are more of an annoyance than a serious issue for most people who have them. However, for those with chronic health issues like bad circulation or diabetes, heel fissues can possibly develop into a serious complication and should be monitored closely.
If you are experiencing pain from heel fissures or have questions or concerns regarding them, you should schedule an appointment with Mayfair Foot Care today!