Complementary and alternative means of treatment are what she has resorted to so far. As per the suggestion of her friends, she has tried homeopathic measures like washing her feet and massaging them with oil and glycerin before going to bed every night. She has also gone for pedicures a couple of times. Though things are looking better, the problem is not completely solved, either. “The cracks keep reappearing and don’t go away easily,” she complains.[break]
Dr Sudeep Parajuli, dermatologist, puts cracked feet at the top of skin-related problems in Nepal. The victims are usually housewives, farmers, laborers and all those people who are constantly in touch with water, soap, cement and soil.
topsante.com
“When the skin remains in long-term contact with such objects, the protective power of the skin diminishes and it gets injured,” he explains. “The new skin that forms is rather thick, and it eventually starts to crack. This is usually a chronic situation,” he adds.
He also mentions that there may be other reasons for cracked feet. Factors like aging, nutrient deficiency, eczema, and dermatitis may also lead to cracked feet.
The easiest and the most conventional way to prevent this situation lie in keeping your feet clean, supple and moisturized. Dirty, dry and dehydrated skin is the major reason behind the appearance of cracks, according to Dr Parajuli.
Padma Ghimire, 50, shopkeeper, is a frequent victim of cracked feet. He did have a family history of cracked feet as his sister, who’s also in her fifties, had been a regular victim during monsoons and winters. But last year, when he took a test, he found out that he was diabetic.
Dr Parajuli takes that as a normal case. He shares that not just diabetes but many neurological and thyroid-related diseases can cause cracked feet. In women, he adds, menopause might be a cause behind cracked feet. Some children, he also shares, are born with cracked and fissured skin. “It can be a little tricky at times,” he comments.
Although they are common occurrences, there are times, he opines, when a person has to take his or her cracked feet seriously. It’s not just a matter of unattractiveness, feeling uncomfortable, blood and discharge seeping out, and the painful sensation when serious skin infections are involved.
Fungal infections of skin can also cause cracked feet. These have to be treated carefully. Regular medication must be taken if necessary so that they don’t turn more serious and problematic in the future.
Everybody likes to have nice, soft and supple feet. One can accomplish that by taking proper care of them. But when things start looking too severe and chronic and beyond the limitations of regular and normal skin care routine, the same cracked feet can be an indicator of something much more serious. And that should be taken care of as soon as possible.
Related story
Celebrating the joy of brands: Brand Nepal 2021
