Cracks in the skin on hands or feet are annoying and cause additional pain.
Cracks happen across all mutations and catch on clothing or bedding.
CARING FOR CRACKS
Dr. C. David Hansen, MD, “Cracks in the outside layer of the skin are usually called fissures. These occur with thickening of the stratum corneum (outside layer) and skin dryness that allows a split to form. Many treatments have been mentioned including Krazy Glue, Super Glue, Dermabond, Aquaphor, Vaseline, Neosporin and many others. The key to healing is to remove as much of the thick skin as can be pared safely. Following removal apply an ointment or glue that prevents evaporation of water from the skin (this seals the crack). I usually use an ointment like Aquaphor and cover overnight with an adhesive bandage. This can be removed in the morning and an ointment reapplied. Repeat the process until the “crack” is closed. Always watch for secondary infection although this is uncommon. Once the area has healed it is helpful to use a product that prevents recurrence of fissures such as salicylic acid cream or ointment, 40% Urea or Lactic Acid. These products work to remove the thickened stratum corneum and reduce thickness of this outer skin layer. Regular use will help prevent new fissures from forming.”
PATIENT TIPS & COMMENTS FOR CRACKS
K6a patient “I don’t know if this will help, but when I was having a bad bout of cracking with psoriasis on my hands, I relied HEAVILY on Newskin. It stings like crazy, but it seals the cracks and puts a protective coating so the wound doesn’t hurt so much. My husband won’t touch it, but I would buy it by the gallon.”
K6a patient “I found that taking Krazy Glue brand super glue, and applying a small dab to the ‘cut’ then pinching the skin together with tweezers, the cut will be almost permanently glued together with no further pain and it will stay this way until the ‘cut’ is healed. I play basketball in the winter and finding this out has really helped me manage this one aspect of pain. I had always heard that super glue was originally invented as a replacement for stitches and perhaps this is actually true. At least this has worked for me.”
K16 patient “I went three years with very big splits that would bleed and tear every day. Blue Star Ointment is the only thing that healed up the cracks on my feet. I put it on my feet at least three times a day and wore two pair of socks. The splits were GONE in about one week, and wearing the socks with the ointment helped with pain at night and walking in the morning.” Blue Star Ointment Website
K16 patient “I would suggest using Aquaphor, it’s over the counter and is available at most drug stores in the U.S. This has worked wonders for me! I suggest applying Aquaphor on the entire foot with socks every night before bed. The socks will give your feet a chance to absorb the ointment. Aquaphor is routine in my evening schedule, usually right after I brush my teeth to go to bed. Ever since I have started doing this, I have not gotten any cracks!!! When I started this technique I had deep cracks and they went away within three nights of treatment.”
K6a patient “My heels are one of the most sensitive parts on my feet (and itch all the time under the calluses … but that’s another story). I, too, get deep cracks in the heels, which are extremely painful. My only solution is to keep the cracks as moist as possible. I cover the cracks with a medicinal ointment, like Neosporin (which may be unfamiliar to someone not in the USA). And then I cover the moist areas (cracks) with a gauze bandage wrap. The gauze wrap tends to keep the area soft and moist, which reduces the pain of walking on the feet while the cracks heal. I put the ointment on the cracks at night, too (unwrapped), which tend to keep the area soft. It sometimes takes days for the cracks to heal.”
K6a patient “I second exactly what [is suggested above.] A topical antibiotic such as neosporin provides the benefit of killing off any bacterial which might be hanging around – which is definitely beneficial given that the skin is compromised at a crack. I have found, however, that a petroleum based product (such as Aquaphor) honestly helps just as well to promote the healing and comfort of any cracks. Covering the areas is a must, too.”
K6a patient “Just in the last few months, I too have been suffering terribly from severe cracks in my heels. So severe that for the first time ever I literally had to take a sick day from work. It feels like there is a blow torch in my heels. Many of you know that I see a podiatrist (same doc for 28 years). We have tried a number of prescription creams recently. Here is what my physician prescribed that I have used over the last few months for the severe cracks: Voltaren Gel (diclofenac sodium topical gel) 1%, Kerol ZX (50% urea), Lidocaine Ointment USP, 5%. With all the prescription ointments, I echo the others that in the end the neosporin, bactroban and Vaseline usually work the best. I’m also trying to wear a heel cup but although it helps me keep the heels moist, it is uncomfortable.”
K6a patient “I very often have this situation especially on the heels, where I always keep cutting as much as possible and suddenly blood come up, and then I noticed that for mistake I had cut it too deeply. There is nothing to do at this point, it will be hurting for 2 or 3 days, and then as the cracks grow up again, the pain will decrease.”
K16 patient “For some reason it’s been several years since I had any significant cracks (or blisters) on my feet. But I had a lot of them when I was younger. At that time, I used Vaseline to keep the cracks soft and just tried to avoid walking, and they would soon heal by themselves. I don’t know how thick the callouses are on this person’s feet at this point, but soaking to soften and then carefully cutting the callous lower around the crack also helped me. Also, I cannot walk at all without a pair or two of soft insoles in my shoes – I like odor eaters. Maybe some padding like that will help this person, too, if walking can’t be avoided.”
K6a patient “Sores on feet get dry and painful. Vaseline or generic petroleum jelly. Put it on feet before putting on socks each morning. Use after trimming and washing sores. Addicted to Vaseline. Keeps sores from snagging on socks and prevents drying and cracking which hurts or is uncomfortable.”
K16 patient “These cracks can be very painful and add a lot of trouble to what we experience already. Here is how I use to treat them. I am now using on a very regular basis (every night before I go to bed) a cream which has 15% of Urea and a dash of “Nachtkerzenöl” (=evening primrose oil) in it. This helps keeping my skin elastic. But this is what I suggest you could try and what I used to do quite successfully for years: Put some healing cream on and into the crack and most important is to put a plaster over the crack tightly, so if you put weight on your heel the crack doesn’t constantly crack open again. You might even use these lasters without the padding on. Main thing is they stick well and don’t come off easily. Use the healing cream generously. And what a doctor explained to me and makes sense. Bathe feet in a tub with lukewarm water adding generously highly antibacterial killers like. {Note: Dr. Leachman has recommended using a little bleach in the water.} This is important because in these cracks bacteria can gather very easily and slows down the healing process or prevents it all together. Additional to that of course one can wear socks (to help keeping plasters in place). Even more important I found instead of wearing too soft inlays to wear shoes or inlays that are shock proof.”
K6a patient “Occasionally I get cracks in my heels (K6a), and can usually just cover it for a few days with New Skin (a liquid bandage) until it closes up & heals. This crack hasn’t healed in over 3 weeks & is getting bigger & bigger. It bleeds a lot, too. Of course, every time I walk & put any pressure on my heel, it tends to split open again. I’m thinking of going to my Dermatologist & asking her to suture up this crack. Has anyone had stitches or sutures used before for such a purpose?” (see photo above)
Unknown “I glue mine together with nail glue. Works an absolute treat.”
K6a patient “I used nail glue before, make sure it is non-toxic. I used gorilla glue, too. Be sure and clean the crack with peroxide before using the glue to clean out the germs.”
K6a patient “I find that when i get crack I have to stop trimming or else the crack never heals, keep a bandage on it 24/7 and make sure it doesn’t dry out.”
K16 patient “I don’t know if they can suture the crack if the skin is calluses. I have cracks in both of my heels. What you see at the bottom of the crack is your normal skin beneath the callus. The hard edge of the crack causes most of the discomfort in my case. I try to keep these cracks trimmed pretty low but at times a sudden impact when walking can cause the crack to expand. The only success I have is to put Vaseline on the crack and cover it with a band aid or two. The Vaseline helps to keep the area moist which benefits the original skin beneath and the hardness of the callus edge. Good luck with whatever way you go with this. I’m sure there will be others who will give you other options.”
K16 patient “They normally can’t stitch it up unfortunately. They would likely use surgical glue to try and help it out, but it’s just glorified super glue. There was a post not too long ago on here with someone asking about a crack in their sons heal and there was lots of good tips/ tricks on there that might be helpful to you. Best of luck!”
K16 patient “Super glue works great!”
K16 patient “Unfortunately, sutures won’t help there. Make sure it’s cleaned out really well and soak in bleach. Cut down the dry edges as much as you can — I find when the edges dry out and harden they pull the edges apart. Apply super glue, let dry then put aquaphor/Vaseline over the area. Place a bandage (try a piece of gauze secured with bandage tape wrapped around your foot) then put a sock on. Try your best not to let it dry out. Your diet can also affect wound healing. Cut back on sugar which can be inflammatory and salt that can make your feet swell. Protein is needed for wound healing so make sure you’re getting enough of that, too!”
K6a patient “Slather it in Aquaphor and bandage it twice a day. It’ll probably take a few weeks to heal but it will heal. A dermatologist taught me that trick and it works. I had a crack like that for over a year.”
Unknown “Ouch – I put soft candle wax in mine it seems to be the only thing that works for me. It’s a lovely Liz Earle fragranced one its really soft wax and stays in. I hope you get it sorted they are so painful x sending.”
Unknown “Ouch! Do you live anywhere near a beach? If you can collect some sea water or walk in it daily it will help a lot, I’m convinced those cracks seem to get a bit fungal and the sea water clears them up or at least clean it to the point of gluing it up. I feel your pain, I had one under my toes for months, I cleared it up with medical manuka Honey and the beach.”
K16 patient “Bepanthen!!! It’s for wound and healing in Austria and Germany. Maybe you can order it in the internet or find something with the nearly same ingredients. It heals wounds in a few days and if you put it every day on your feet, there wouldn’t be cracks any more and everywhere on your feet, it doesn’t hurt not so much because it isn’t so dry anymore.” Bepanthen links on Amazon Germany or Amazon US.
K6a patient “I get them a lot and when I soak them in Vinegar water, then put the treated gauze and wrap them with the self seal wrap . The feel so much better. My podiatrist told me one of the problems was that we seem to have a fungal on our skin that makes it all worse.”
K6c patient “My husband suffers with splits on his heels he wears these socks (Amazon – soft moisturizing gel heel socks) which keep his heels soft – we have used superglue but not on a split which is bleeding. Keep paring down a little at a time regularly seems to work and hasn’t had a split for a while.”
