Many people suffer from cracks between their toes and are constantly on the look out for some effective remedies to treat the problem. Here are a few tips that are effective for treating cracks under the toes. One effective treatment for a crack under your toe is hydrogen peroxide. Soak a cotton ball in hydrogen peroxide and dab it on the affected area and cleanse it. You can also apply some petroleum jelly to your feet before going to bed and cover them with socks. This will help moisturize your feet and prevent them from drying out. Another effective treatment for skin cracks under your toes is baby lotion. You can make this even more effective by adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil and spearmint oil to it. These oils are easily available at most health stores. This is how you prepare the lotion. Take some lotion (1 ounce) and add 5 drops each of spearmint oil and eucalyptus oil to it and mix well. Make sure you do not use this concoction on children as some children may be allergic to it. Cracked skin between your toes could be an indication of fungal infection. If you have foot fungus, try treating it with antifungal creams and descaling moisturizers with lactic acid. In extreme cases, you may have to take oral antifungal medication as well. Care has to be taken about feet with fungal infection as it can move from toenails to skin and vice versa and spread up to the leg. If you have skin cracks between your toes, it is very important that you keep the area dry and clean. Use a clean napkin to carefully dry the cracked toes underneath after sweating or showering. You could also keep the space between your toes dry by placing balls of cotton between them.
A cracked toe or cracks between your toes have to be taken care of properly. Make sure you wear shoes that fit properly and do not compress your toes. You could, when in a public shower wear rubber sandals. Avoid walking without sandals or slippers in public areas such as gyms or pools. Use a good anti-fungal powder for your feet before wearing your shoes. This will help prevent the growth of fungus spores. If you are suffering from cracked feet and toes or toe cracking, you need to take it very seriously especially if you are suffering from diabetes. It is important that you talk to your doctor before attempting any treatment at home. In case you find that the fungal infection reoccurs, check with your doctor as to why this happens and ask him/her to suggest a course of treatment. If you have dry cracked toes and there is some discharge or bleeding from the cracks, you need to take it very seriously. This is because it indicates that it is not only the skin's upper layer that is affected by the problem, but the skin's lower tissues as well. Cracked skin toes increases your risk of infection. It is therefore important that you do not neglect the problem and treat it in time before it worsens. In case your child has dry cracked toes, make sure you avoid band aids and try using sterile gauze pads instead. This is because band aids may cause maceration and this might cause secondary and further drying of the kid's skin. If the problem causes you concern, it is best that you consult a dermatologist instead of continuing to treat it at home. Deep fissures and cracks as mentioned earlier are portals for bacterial infection, and this problem can be quite devastating in the young. In many cases, it is found that the child simply outgrows the problem.
If the cracks in your toes are not due to some medical condition or fungus, try these home remedies for quick relief. If there are any calluses remove them with the help of a pedi-expert scraper. Every night before going to bed slather your feet in virgin coconut oil. Then cover your feet using paraffin lined spa socks. These socks are good as they would allow your feet to absorb the oil. Use a natural soap instead of one that contains fragrances and detergents as such soaps can further dry your feet. Cover your feet with sterile gauze whenever needed. Sometimes dancers find that they have foot problems such as foot calluses and cracked toes. If you are a dancer and are suffering from the problem, one way you can get protection for your feet is by wearing something like dance paws while dancing. The cushioning might give you protection from the bare floor. You could also regularly buffer your feet after soaking them in water for a while and then apply a good moisturizing cream. This will give you some kind of relief.
As mentioned earlier your cracked feet could be due to a fungal infection known as athlete's foot. In most cases, the affected skin becomes itchy and scaly. As the problem progresses, blisters form and the toes become cracked and may peel. Chances of you getting fungal infection on your feet are higher due to the absence of oil producing glands in the feet that prevent the growth of fungus in the area. If the feet are warm and moist they provide the perfect setting for foot fungi. In such cases, using moisturizers and petroleum jelly is not very helpful. You need to ensure that your feet are clean and dry. Also wear dry socks (100% cotton) and if possible open toe shoes. Heavy material shoes or boots are an absolute no-no. If your child wears colored socks, the cracked toes could be due to the dye use to color the socks. It is therefore best that your child wears white socks instead of colored socks. Also make sure that the white socks you wear are of cotton and you change them daily. Toe cracks can persist for months and you need to remember that there is "no one cure that works for all" available. It is important that you find a treatment that works for you and gives you relief from the problem. If the problem persists contact your health care provider or a dermatologist.
answered by G R