Cracked, split feet (sexy)

[GAL8]

If the above seductive title hasn't scared you, the following will.

Oh. My. God.

My feet, I've always struggled with dry hard skin on them DESPITE using every lotion & potion available but this is new level. The last 6 months + they've been splitting. On the heel, on the outer sides. The cuts even make walking painful. I've spent a lot of money on creams that don't seem to do much. I've just ordered some Flexitol as a last resort. Is there ANYONE out there who has ever had this issue? Or am I turning in to some sort of Troll & need to find myself a bridge...

I think you need to file the dead dry skin too. I ordered this thing from Amazon - bit like a cheese grater - it does a really good job but you mustn't press too hard. Flexitol is good after you have filed the heel.

@MrsPatrickDempsey Thank you, the issue is when I file them that seems to open up the cuts again! So it just puts me off! Think I'll make a Chiropodist appointment, what a delight that will be for all involved! 🤦‍♀️🙈

I used the grater things too for years. Was given this for Christmas and it has been a game changer! lloydspharmacy.com/products/lloydspharmacy-foot-pedi

Thank you @Erdelyi - I also have one of these but currently can't use it or my feet will just bleed. I just need to get them in to a position where the cracks have heeled totally before attempting to file them.. I think!

Flexitol is amazing - a few nights of putting it on and wearing socks over the top will make a huge difference.

Flexitol works for me, and I thought nothing would. Rub it in last thing every single night, and your heels will recover.

Also wearing closed shoes seems to be less drying than sandals.

I get very cracked skin that bleeds. It's the hard dry skin causing pressure to the unhard skin underneath that causes it to crack.

Moisture isn't enough. You need to file it back. I've had success using the footner type socks. But chiropodist will sort you out!

A good cream is this one: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07YM3SBSP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_F63QC2G8P563T39AX0T3?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Someone told me about body shop drop of youth face peel a while ago.. sounds bizarre but it's amazing at tackling dry dead ski on feet. It's not cheap at £16 but I decided to try it... it's amazing!! Have a bath, then use foot file, then when feet are thoroughly dry out a few drops onto your fingers and then rub it well all over the soles of your feet. It's like it eats the dead skin or something! It just rubs off! After about 1 minute rinse feet thoroughly, dry and moisturise. Has made a massive difference to my feet.

www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/face/exfoliators-peels/drops-of-youth-liquid-peel/p/p039000

I used to get this. It's very painful. I solved it by moisturising my feet daily. They don't seem to care what kind of cream, anything works. Body butter, vaseline... anything as long as the skin is kept supple.

I have the same issue. The only cream that works is Dermatonics Once. I was recommended this by a chiropodist years ago and it'll start making a difference in a couple of days

Have you tried footbed or baby feet? Doing these regularly and maintaining deep moisturising treatments.
Athletes foot treatments also work surprisingly well

Mine get like this sometimes. I use a corn & callous knife (basically a razor blade in a holder!) to slice off the really tough bits - do often go a bit deep and end up bleeding but it’s the only way to get it down to a sensible level quickly! I find the graters just leave it rough.

Then DP gives me foot rubs with flexitol 2-3 times a week and I use a foot massager to try and keep the circulation flowing as I’m sure that doesn’t help. Have recently got a hot tub and that has helped keep my skin much softer, including my feet, so if you have hard water maybe look at salt baths or something to help keep dry skin at bay.

Hope you get it sorted - it’s so debilitating when every step hurts!

I've had the same problem. I have found using a File A Foot from The Bodyshop and Profoot Cracked Heel Cream from Tesco has made a huge difference.

www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/body/accessories-tools/file-a-foot/p/p000172

Flexitol heel balm is amazing and really does work wonders but if your feet are that bad and sore definitely visit a chiropodist first. Once you get your feet better, then keep up using flexitol and filing to stop them getting as sore again.

Urea cream was my holy grail, as suggested by my Practice Nurse, but the flexitol 5% is rather weak - use it for starters though.

I now use a 30% Urea cream from amazon ('yes yes' or something like that), but have found I also have psoriasis on my feet (great, it just gets everywhere, uurgh!), so use a prescription cream for that.

Oh, and as another poster suggested, slap on a moisturising cream like aveeno, or similar on top of this and wear socks so you don't rub it off if you can.

I have the same and tried everything. Even Flexitol didn't work great.

Then somebody recommended I try Margaret Dabbs. I had never heard of them. The foot hygiene cream and cracked heel balm are amazing. Nothing works like this stuff. I had a crack on my heel and I kid you not it went within 5 days. Feet are so soft now as I use the hygiene cream every few days now.

Had dry cracked painful feet for years til I found a brilliant podiatrist who scalpels off the really hard bits and I try and keep on top of things in between. The amount of dead skin he gets off is phenomenal - much more than I can ever get. Over lockdown have bought my own scalpels and soak in warm water before scraping and mega moisturising with anything overnight. I'd defo recommend finding a decent podiatrist first tho.. good luck!

Thank you so much everyone for all your suggestions! Glad to know I'm not alone!

Foot files don't really work. Can't remember the exact science behind it off top of my head, but over time they just make the problem worse

Margaret Dabbs is excellent. I'd see a podiatrist for a proper medi pedicure and then keep on top of it at home. I use the exfoliating foot scrub, the foot cream and the oil in the range and never need to use a file now

I have this problem, chiropodist recommended a newtons chiropody sponge - less than a fiver so thought I'd give it a go. It's small, rectangular, black and you use is with plenty of soap having soaked the feet. It's a game changer in my opinion.

This one sorted mine out when Flexitol failed

www.amazon.co.uk/Eylleaf-Cream-Intensive-Moisturiser-Cracked/dp/B07DZJQBSN?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

I’d use it for a week to start healing the cracks then use this (below) to file it. It looks scary to use on feet but it works like a charm. Use weekly when you’ve got them smooth.

[] www.amazon.co.uk/FOLAI-Foot-File-Stainless-Professional/dp/B08FFWVPJ5/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?hvlocphy=1006764&hvnetw=g&keywords=amazon+foot+file&hvadid=259153117819&qid=1626021740&dchild=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8sjp_rrb8QIVisLtCh0YkQ5GEAAYASAAEgKWBPD_BwE&hydadcr=25010_1815446&hvdev=m&hvqmt=e&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=kwd-337306761994&adgrpid=56928197681&hvrand=7274879522229129159&sr=8-5]]

Honestly I had cracks for years that would split open and bleed but my feet are totally smooth now and have never cracked again. I had tried everything.

So great to hear that others were also apparently lizards in their past lives 😂 🦎
I can only recommend what has already been said…Flexitol, podiatrist and Margaret Dabbs. Peggy Sage’s footcare products are very good too.

Definitely Flexitol, but you need to make sure you get the Flexitol Heel Balm as that has a stronger concentration of urea. It's 22% in the Heel Balm. I have similar and it sorts them out quickly if you use morning and night and file as well.

Mine used to be terrible and even the Flexitol wasn’t really helping. I was diagnosed with severe anaemia and since I sorted that, they have been much better, which is random but great. I now use the peeling foot socks/masks a couple of times a year (from Home Bargains🤣) and that, combined with an occasional moisturising sock thing keeps them lovely and soft. It’s incredible, as they were truly awful and painful before.

I had best results with the O'Keeffe's healthy feet and also weirdly with my Korean face cloth that I'd bought after a recommendation here for something for exfoliating my face.
I also find some eczema creams very good for when I don't want to scrub / scrape and just want to soften. elave do a good moisturiser.