Cracked, dry heels? 5 simple solutions for silky soft feet in an instant

1. Soak your feet The skin around cracked heels is often thicker and drier than the rest of your skin, and can actually split when you apply pressure. One way to alliviate this is to soak your feet in lukewarm, soapy water for up to 20 minutes. If your feet are very dry and/or cracked, give your feet a nice soak every day. You can purchase a foot spa, simply use a wash bowl or sit with your feet in the bath. Use enough water to cover your feet, and if you wish, add a tablespoon of salt (this can be plain salt or Epsom salt). Adding an extra moisturizer, like almond oil, can also help keep your skin soft and help soften skin that is already hard. You can also add in a few drops of essential oil, such as, for instace, lavender. Gently pat your feet dry. 2. Gently exfoliate your feet Using a loofah or pumice stone, gently exfoliate your feet once you have finished soaking them. You should always avoid scrubbing your feet when they are dry, as this can actually increase the risk of damaging your skin and nicking it, something which can cause an infection. 3. Apply Flexitol Heel Balm Applying a thick moisturizer to the affected area is important, as this will help treat the dry, hard skin and soften it. Flexitol Heel Balm is a clinically proven, 25 percent urea based formulation, which gets to work moisturising cracked heels immediately. Flexitol’s active ingredient, urea, occurs naturally in the skin and helps to increase the amount of moisture that the skin can hold, whilst simultaneously decreasing the amount of water lost from the skin's surface. To see a noticeable difference to dry and cracked heels, use Flexitol Heel Balm twice a day, morning and night, until healthy skin is restored. 4. Try with honey Good aul' honey may work as a natural remedy for cracked heels. According to a 2012 review, honey has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, and research shows that it can help heal and cleanse wounds, and moisturize the skin. You can use honey as a foot scrub after a soak, or apply it as a foot mask overnight. 5. Up your intake of Omega 3 and zinc (and eat healthy in general) The old saying about being what we eat also extends all the way to the soles of our feet. Cracked and dry heels are often generated by lack of nutritional vitamins, minerals, zinc and omega 3 oily acids. Thus it is important to get a diet plan full of nutritional vitamins, minerals and zinc. Foods that are high in zinc includes: Oysters, chicken, crab, various types of beans, yogurt, brown rice, and spaghetti. Omega-3 oily acids are present incold water sea food, and also flaxseed oil or even flax seed products. As well as this, for an even better hit of nutrients for your skin all over, make sure you include plenty of foods rich in vitamin E, calcium and iron.