Dry feet and cracked heel are a common summer skin fatality because the combination of dehydration, lower air humidity environmental factors and summer footwear choices can lead to the feet becoming especially dry which can causes cracked skin.
Dermatologist Dr Eva Melegh gives her top five tips on how to avoid developing dry and cracked feet this summer.
Dry Feet Fatality 1 – Sandy Feet
There is often nothing that reminds us of summer more than the feeling of bare feet on sand. However unfortunately bare foot frolics in the sand can be one of the fastest ways to develop dry and cracked summer feet.
If the sand is warm from the sun, which is often the case in summer, then it can make things even worse.
The combination of the abrasiveness and dryness of the sand, the heat and often the salt from the sea all quickly draw moisture out from the soles of the feet. Hot sand can actually cause mild burns to the soles of the feet leasing to dryness and cracking. Walking barefoot anywhere where the ground is hot, such as o concrete or wooden decking that has heated up in the sun can cause mild burns to the soles of the feet and lead to dryness.
Dry Feet Fatality 2 – Summer Sandals & Flip Flops
Although we all love sandals and flip flops in the hot weather, in fact if you suffer from dry feet, dry heels or cracked heels wearing any footwear for long periods of time or for long walks that leaves parts of the foot exposed during hot weather is best avoided, especially any footwear that leaves heel or toes exposed.
Synthetic insoles are also not ideal as they don’t breathe and create more chaffing and friction. Investing in a pair of leather and padded insoles can make a huge difference for preventing dry summer feet.
Thin cotton and silk mix socks are also an excellent preventative for dry feet as they reduce both sweat and friction, which are two of the main triggers for foot eczema flares.
Thoroughly moisturising feet before putting them into socks is what can make the biggest difference to improving cracked heels and summer dry feet. I recommend using a salve on dry feet rather than a moisturiser as salves are more intensive, thicker and stay on the skin for longer.
Hydrosil & Turmeric Butter Milk Salve is ideal for dry feet and cracked heels as the turmeric butter is an intensely moisturising formula as well as anti-inflammatory and the donkey milk, which is the most hypoallergenic milk of all milks so ideal for skin prone to eczema, is an ancient remedy and has been used since Egyptian times for softening dry and cracked skin.
Repeating the foot salving process in the morning and at night and wearing thin cotton socks overnight can also help prevent overnight foot dryness.
Dry Feet Fatality 3 – Grassy Feet
Larking around on the grass with bare feet is one of the joys of summer. However, if you have sensitive skin and especially if you suffer from allergies, running around on grass can cause skin reactions of the soles and side of the feet which can leading to inflammation, itching and dryness.
Summer foot contact dermatitis is very common due to feet being in contact with grass and foliage that can trigger contact skin allergies.
Dry Feet Fatality 4 – Chlorine Feet
Chlorine from pools contains chemical agents that serve to quickly dry out skin, especially feet. Things get even worse when entering and exiting swimming pools via hot tiles or concrete around the pool’s edges.
Wearing flip flops or sliders up to the pool’s edge before getting in can help reduce any burning from hot pool tiles. Putting on some kind of waterproof barrier protection such as Vaseline before swimming in pools can also help protect feet from the drying effect of chlorine.
Shower feet of thoroughly with clean cool water on exiting the pool and once they have dried re moisturise feet with a rich moisturising salve and preferably slip then into a pair of silk or cotton socks for a while to let the salve really sink in.
Dry Feet Fatality 5 – Sunburned Feet
Feet are often forgotten in the applying of sun creams. But they are as important as everywhere else on the body as the skin on the feet is not only thinner but is often not used to sun exposure, so the feet burn very easily.
When lying on your front to sunbath, remember the soles of your feet are exposed directly to the sun, which means they will burn quickly and easily. So preferably cover your feet or remember to apply sun cream to the bottoms of your feet as well as the tops.
Dry Feet Rescue Regime
- Do a foot soak once a day before bed with oil infused warm water. Or with oat water or milk of you can get some. Soak your feet in warm water or warm oat milk with a few drops of natural oil like rosehip oil for about 20 minutes.
- Use a loafer on soaked feet to gentle exfoliate away dead or flaking skin.
- Next, use a mild foot file or pumice stone to slough off dead skin on rough areas namely the heels and along the sides of the feet. Don’t scrub too hard, do circular gentle movements.
- Finish off by drying the feet, especially between the toes and then applying a rich un-perfumed salve in a generous layer to the whole foot.
- Put freshly salved feet into thin cotton socks and then wear slippers or house sliders to walk around the house.
