Help!!! (Foot Care Advice)

[Mistress Aura]

Okay, this is an emergency, so I've come to those I trust-- I need everybody's absolute BEST recommendation for repairing my poor foot...

Speak to me, ped experts--

It's been very, very dry here for the past few weeks, and unbeknownst to me, my left heel developed an arid zone that my pedicurist apparently chose to overlook (note to self: no tip next time! )--and it cracked! And not just a little one, either, it went fast and is like a small, excruciatingly painful canyon. I'm inexperienced with this malady, so it's horrifying me... (And worse still, if I let that foot bear weight, it splits again--imagine pressing down on a ripe tomato. )

Pleasepleaseplease--what is the best and quickest way to alleviate the condition?? Recipes, products, prayers, anything--I cannot stand this!!

Luv yas!

Mistress Aura

 

[isabeau]

hmm i'm no expert, but i would consider soaking the heel often, and then lotioning it with some type of lotion that won't hurt the cracked heel...or hmm maybe vasoline? sorry you are having this problem love...does your furnace have a humidifier built in? if not, you should set out bowls of water, to help keep the air moist..

 

[subZer0]

It's the same with exzcema (I have never been able to spell that bloddy word, sorry); what I do is fill the crack with very good quality moisturising cream - maybe neutrogena? Very concentrated. Then cover it up and try to keep off it. That maybe not possible, so I'm sorry. Just keep it clean and moisturised. Alternatively, you could use a certain substance that mimics skin; I have used it when I had blisters during my military training. It's a bit like putty, but a bandage can be worn over a dressing, over the putty, and you can carry on. Hope this helps.

 

[steph]

Bad, bad pedicurist! You NEVER neglect the heels!

Get thee to the local drug/grocery store, whathaveyou and into the foot car aisle. Sub mentioned Neutrogena (good call.) Also, Gold Bond is among several companies that make a very good "extremely dry/damaged" lotion, just for feet. Make sure you're good and clean, then slather it on and cover w/bandage during the day. Do take off bandage when you hit the sheets though (but put on more lotion)~you want the wound to breathe some. Oh and make sure sheets, etc. are clean, if that puppy's splitting on you, you don't want to risk infection. Good luck and leave your $150 with my receptionist on your way out please.
XOXO

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

If you have any seepage from the wound, I'd start out using garlic oil. Yes, I DID say garlic. It's a potent natural antibiotic to help you avoid infection. When Drew or I has trouble with dry or cracked skin, we just puncture a garlic capsule. You can get gel caps in most grocery or drug stores. Spread the oil over the area and cover it before going to bed. We usually find that things start to clear within a couple of days of doing this at night time. During any time you're able to just sit and relax, barefoot is best. Oxygen is a great healer.

Once it's closed up enough to not have to worry about possible infection, using the lotions, etc. that were recommended is a good call. Using vitamin E both topically and internally is also helpful. If you don't do pedicures often, it would be a good idea to keep ahead of things by using lotions and a pumice stone on a regular basis. It will help you to avoid it getting to that point in the future. (Don't pumice the area until it's completely healed though.)

Also, drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated and give you body something to work with. Cranberry juice (real cranberry juice, not the watered down blends) is also good. Caffinated drinks and alcohol dehydrate you. So, they should be kept to a minimum until things clear.

Hope this helps a bit!

 

[kilitiinko1]

Sorry to hear of your plight...

As I am on my feet all day at work,my feet are not in the best of shape and I am constantly battling callous build up and cracking,just as you describe.As Isabeau suggested,I put a GENEROUS dollop of petroleum jelly/vasoline on the affected area,prior to putting on clean socks.This provides almost instant relief,and allows me to get through my workday.

Of course,afterwards,wash and dry your foot,apply liberal amounts of lotion and let the foot get some air.After the crack has healed,by all means,take necessary steps to soften/remove/treat the callous to prevent repeated problems.And definitely be on the look-out for infection!

Good luck,Mistress Aura! I hope you recover quickly!

 

[Mastertank1]

Ah, first, before anything else;

Rinse the crack out with bacitracin liquid or bactine, then pack the insode of the crack with neosporin or triple antiseptic ointment!
THEN put the recommended lotions on the surface of the entire dry area and follow all the other advice.
If the fluid coming out of the crack is or becomes tinged with red, even pale pink, GO TO A DOCTOR AND GET A TETANUS SHOT just for safety. Please. It doesn't have to be a podiatrist or a dermatologist; your primary care physician can handle the matter just fine, and you'll get to them quicker.
If it already seems to be infected, hit an emergency room for that shot!
Mitch

 

[TickleWolf]

Clean it well and apply lots of Bacitracin ointment or Cortaid with a bandage for during the day and again at night after showering. As you see it starting to heal in a couple of days keep putting the ointment on during the day, but switch to a lotion like Aveeno at night. Apply liberally and rub in, then apply some more. Put sweat socks on while you sleep. It will get better fast.
Unless you have a reason to, I wouldn't worry about a tetanus shot. I once stepped on a dirty nail at work that went straight through my shoe and into my foot & my doctor told me that you can only get tetanus from metal that's been exposed out in the country, like a farm or field, not in the city. And I didn't. But call yours and see what he says if it'll give you peace of mind.

 

[Mistress Aura]

Knew I Could Count On You--

Thank you all so much! You've given me a wealth of information--I'll do ALL of it, if I have to (except the tentanus shot, I'm good on that one, MasterT )...

Love you guys--

Mistress Aura

 

[areenactor]

Okay, this is an emergency, so I've come to those I trust-- I need everybody's absolute BEST recommendation for repairing my poor foot...

Speak to me, ped experts--

It's been very, very dry here for the past few weeks, and unbeknownst to me, my left heel developed an arid zone that my pedicurist apparently chose to overlook (note to self: no tip next time! )--and it cracked! And not just a little one, either, it went fast and is like a small, excruciatingly painful canyon. I'm inexperienced with this malady, so it's horrifying me... (And worse still, if I let that foot bear weight, it splits again--imagine pressing down on a ripe tomato. )

Pleasepleaseplease--what is the best and quickest way to alleviate the condition?? Recipes, products, prayers, anything--I cannot stand this!!

Luv yas!

Mistress Aura

ok a couple ideas; go see a podiatrist! he can cut away what is just old dead caloused skin, and treat it. you'll heal nicely, and quuickly.
next, if you're afraid of the dr rout, take several asprins, grind them up, add just enough water to make a paste, put the paste on the affected area, and cover with a bandage loosly, or leave uncovered but with foot up, so paste doesn't fall off. this will amaze you!
next, before bed apply a good quality moisturizing lotion, heavily, put on socks, and sleep over night. the results are pretty good.
either way you choose to go, good luck.
p.s. a am a nurse, and learned these tricks.

 

[Mastertank1]

Just a heads up;

Oh, I didn't mind him, Izz. I seriously considered advising him to go right ahead and kiss my "crusty ass heel"--and to pack a lunch, as it's a day job--but...I decided I would choose simply to ignore him.

!!!

If there's a Rite Aid near you, they're running a special on Callex brand ointment for dry, cracked heels.

As for Maniac; perhaps 'crusty ass heel' is self descriptive on his part?

 

[Knox The Hatter]

Mrs. Knox has this problem with cracking, and yes, it's indeed unpleasant. She uses something called Miracle Foot Repair. It's a cream. It's a formula that contains over 60% aloe. It does get results.

It's something that you have to be diligent about, because the problem will always come back.

I've tried the garlic oil that Ann suggested, by the way, on my hands. Not a bad way to go...

 

[steph]

OK gang, just returned from Bath & Body Works~there's a new intensive heel repair cream coming soon...And there's coupons right now~so go stock up!
XOXO

 

[Tkltime]

It's possible that you're suffering from a form of eczema as stated before by someone else in this thread. If that's your problem, it could have been brought on by any number of things. Eczema is caused by a reaction of your immune system to outside stimuli (i.e. some chemical or environmental substance that you're sensitive to), including the lotions that your pedicurist uses!

I wouldn't assume that this is eczema unless it becomes a chronic problem though. If it happens to you again, you might want to keep a diary of anything you've used topically, or anything you've come into contact with that is new, or that you don't use often.

There are a lot of good topical creams and oils that will help heal the dry skin, but if you have eczema, nothing beats a good topical steroid to heal things up. You'd have to see your primary care physician to get a prescription for anything powerful enough to work.

As far as over the counter preparations are concerned, I have always favored Aquaphor ointment for anything that's bad enough to crack open and bleed (I've had the same problem with my hands in the past).

Someone mentioned using crushed up aspirin on your feet, which I'm sure probably works really well for helping remove dry skin, however I wouldn't use that in this case.

Aspirin is acetylsalicyclic acid which in addition to it's more well known properties is a keratolitic. (It dissolves keratin which is what skin is chiefly composed of) It is also a potent platelet inhibitor, which means if you use it on a healing wound that may crack open and bleed again, you run the risk of uncontrolled bleeding.

I hope you are able to resolve your problem soon. My advice would be to visit your doctor and at least let him take a look at it. I've lost count of the times I've had a relatively minor condition turn serious because one of my patients elected to try and treat something themselves that really needed professional care.

Be well

 

[Mistress Aura]

Thank You, Thank You!!!

I knew I was coming to the right place--thank you all so much for your kind and helpful responses. Even you, Maniac--you just made me that much more determined to get it fixed faster because you p*ssed me off. LOL

It's well on the road to repair now, thanks to all of you--no more pain and barely a crease left over. Since the open part healed up some, I have been positively coating/slathering both feet with vaseline and wearing spa socks to bed every single night; I told Bill my goal was to do that for 6 months, no matter what, and adding clover honey to the mix in a couple weeks...he suggested a year to be a cute smart*ss, but I may take him up on it. My peds will be like a baby's butt by next spring! D*mn it!!

Thanks again--love you all!

Mistress Aura