What happens when feet are very dry?
The skin appears dull, flaky and scaly, feels rough and itchy and fine lines in the skin become visible when very dry. When the skin on the feet is very dry, it can be accompanied by itching, which can be severe and interfere with sleep and other daily activities. Repeated rubbing and scratching can produce areas of thickened, rough skin that can cause painful cracks in the skin. Rough, dry, cracked heels can be caused by varying factors such as environmental conditions, poor foot care, prolonged pressure on the heel, decreased sebum production with age or as a side effect of diabetes. Dry feet are characterized by:
- Heels that are visibly scaly & coarse
- Skin that is rough, dry to touch
- Cracks & fissures
How to treat dry and cracked feet?
The best treatment for dry and cracked feet is to moisturize. However using the right type of moisturizer is crucial to seeing results and eventually healing the skin. Use a product specifically for feet with ingredients like urea and lanolin. These ingredients help the skin to hold water and seal in the moisture. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. If you are diabetic, taking extra care of your feet by moisturizing daily can prevent ulcers and impede foot amputations.
Quick facts on diabetes
Data from the National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2014 (released June 10, 2014) - See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/statistics/#sthash.FgT3BzNR.dpuf
- In 2012, 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population, had diabetes
- The percentage of Americans age 65 and older remains high, at 25.9%, or 11.8 million seniors (diagnosed and undiagnosed)
- Diabetes remains the 7th leading cause of death in the United States in 2010, with 69,071 death certificates listing it as the underlying cause of death, and a total of 234,051 death certificates listing diabetes as an underlying or contributing cause of death
- In 2010, about 73,000 non-traumatic lower-limb amputations were performed in adults aged 20 years or older with diagnosed diabetes. About 60% of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations among people aged 20 years or older occur in people with diagnosed diabetes.