How to fix dry, cracked heels?

After 15 years  of esthetics, I've been asked just about everything.  Estheticians and hairstylists are like barbers and bartenders. Everyone wants to talk to you about something, sometimes not always pertaining to esthetics.   I'll do my best to answer them with integrity and try to educate you at the same time when it comes to esthetics and footcare.


Why does hair grow there?  What causes bunions? Why do I have yellow nails? What's the difference between a corn and a callous? Why do my boyfriend's work boots smell like 10 year old cheese? What is that?! Why?! So many questions!


The fact is, I usually have more questions about your problem to give you the best solution and if I feel it's not in my scope of practice, I'll direct you to someone else. The more information you provide me with, the better I can answer you. 


Today I will be covering a question from a friend in Los Angeles, as she wrote: 

Q:"My feet are super dry, especially my heels...Dry, cracking....disaster....super dry feet...what's the best product after I use the Credo* and scrapper to remove corns and dead skin??"

First she is asking me about the best product. There's many out footcare products on the market, I work with a line called Gehwol, established over a century ago. Other products might be a bit unconventional but they do the trick and might become staples in your home for other stuff, like Bag Balm, Epsom salts and white vinegar.

Second, at this point she is almost done with her home pedicure and she has already removed the excess dry and dead skin, the last step is moisturizing the foot. The skin is more receptive to the cream you'll apply at this time because the cream doesn't have a barrier of dead skin cells to be absorbed through the skin. 



The best solution for cracked heels is to moisturize with a foot cream, apply a thick salve, an ointment that seals the moisturizer into the skin, put white cotton socks on and go to bed with them.  The white cotton sock has many purposes, first it's a natural material, second it will prevent losing the product everywhere else but your feet and third you won't be slipping and sliding everywhere. Do this for a couple of nights in a row and you will see a major difference and I highly recommend doing it till the cracks of your heels seal. 


I've kept this answer as simple as I could, there's so many factors to discuss in this question itself. Let me know if you have any questions or comments, next I think I will cover how to make a simple home pedicure. 


....what's a Credo?

Credo

*Last but not least, the Credo, if you don't know how to use it, put it down. Ask a professional to show you the proper way of using this tool. The difference between someone that knows how to use it, one will inflict pain and the other relieve it.  I'm not too fond of having this tool sold to the general public either.  It is a double sided blade and they are not meant to be used more than once a session. The duller they get, the more prone you are to injure yourself with this type of instrument.  I will cover tools of the trade in another article, for now this is what a Credo knife is all about.  Be careful ladies and gents! 

If your health is compromised or you have diabetes, this tool should not be used by yourself. Consult your doctor about getting regular footcare by a certified footcare nurse. I strongly advise it. Diabetes is not to be taken lightly.