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Anyone who has suffered from cracks in their fingers or toes know how uncomfortable it can be. In some cases, they cracks are downright painful. Causes of cracked hands and feet range from Excema, Psoriasis, Diabetes to allergies, old age and vitamin deficiency. Regardless, it if you suffer from regular and deep cracks in the hands or feet, it is worth checking in with the doctor before beginning a course of treatment. In some cases, the cracks could be the sign of a more serious underlying health problem that might need treatment.
Most find that these cracks are cyclical and/or seasonal and are willing to try anything to minimize them. Here are a few easy tips to help out with mild to fairly severe cracks in the skin:
- Hydrate! In many cases, dry skin can be caused by lack of moisture. Begin by hydrating the body from the inside out. Increasing your water intake can help moisturize the skin.
- Moisturize. Treat your hands and feet with kid gloves, so to speak. It is important to regularly moisturize with strong creams.
- Cover up the crack. Cover the crack with a heavy cream (Eucerin, Zim's Crack Cream), Vaseline, neosporin or some such treatment and a bandaid so that the crack heals more quickly. Putting on these heavy lotions and then wearing gloves or socks overnight can help to soak the skin, allowing the moisture to seep in.
Some people swear by super glue as it seals the crack and keeps it from cracking more. There are even some products on the market these days that mimic super glue but are marketed as liquid bandaids.
- Limit exposure to drying substances. Surprisingly, many household substances are very drying to the skin. Assess what you might be exposing your skin to on a semi-regular basis.
- Try to avoid washing the dishes in strong dishsoap. If possible, always wear gloves when cleaning the dishes, doing yardwork or cleaning the house. Also, certain body soaps (such as anti-bacterial soaps) contain drying ingredients.
- Take note of what shampoo/conditioner you use. Many shampoos are actually drying and can be quite abrasive on the hands. Try soap alternatives like Cetaphil or some natural soap cleaners.
- Elminate the use of nail polish remover and nail polish for a few months and see if they problem is remedied.
- Limit the amount of time you spend in a hot shower as this can further dry the skin and make the cracking worse.
- Avoid hot tubs and swimming pools as this will suck the moisture out of your skin and add to the dryness.
- Use a humidifier. Those who live in dry climates are more prone to cracked skin. This is especially intensified in the winter when there is dry heating. Using a humidifier in the house, especially in the bedroom at night will help to put some moisture back in the body.
- Maintain a healthy diet. As with any imbalance in the body, eating a healthy balanced diet is essential. Try to stay away from bad fats , refined foods and sugars, and too much caffeine. All of these can cause the body to work harder than it needs to; thus leading to an imbalance in any of the organs (such as the skin, which is the body's largest organ.)
