In the past month we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of patients presenting with cracked and fissured heels. It is certainly no surprise given the Queensland climate! Cracked heels are usually the result of wearing open, strappy shoes and the stifling heat. Both of these attribute to your feet drying out faster than usual and the skin at your heels cracking.
Not only can cracked heels be unsightly, but also painful. If the skin thickens too much around the heel, deep fissures occur, and if left untreated they can sometimes bleed and be very uncomfortable. If you have a condition like diabetes, this could lead to serious infections which have actually landed more than one of our patients in hospital on intravenous antibiotics!
The patients that we see with cracked heels are always surprised at how fast we can help them too. During one standard consultation, one of our podiatrists will remove the thickened and callused skin from your heels using a combination of manual and machine debridement, and give you advice on how to prevent cracked heels occurring again. We often recommend periodic treatment, particularly over summer months when open shoes are worn the most, to keep the clinical appearance of the skin in top condition.
The best part? We stock MD Formulations Pedicreme which you can pick up at your appointment to keep your heels feeling smooth as a baby’s bottom for a long time after your visit!