Slightly gross minor medical question

[Ste11aeres]

There's a crack in my heel that's about an inch long, and three to four millimeters deep. It's been growing-I mean, splitting further. Does it need medical attention?

 

[King_Oni]

A crack, as in... a crack in your skin? Or a crack in the bone in your heel?

 

[Ste11aeres]

A crack, as in... a crack in your skin? Or a crack in the bone in your heel?

In the skin. I wouldn't know about it if it was in the bone. Or rather, I'd know something was up, just not what it was.

 

[King_Oni]

Do you have any issues with it? Does it hurt when you walk?

How long has this been going on?

Just to be clear, I'm not a doctor, but I'm going to beat them to the punch by asking all the stuff they'll ask eventually

 

[Ste11aeres]

Do you have any issues with it? Does it hurt when you walk?

How long has this been going on?

Just to be clear, I'm not a doctor, but I'm going to beat them to the punch by asking all the stuff they'll ask eventually

It started a couple weeks ago. Sometimes it hurts, sometimes it doesn't.

 

[BigTimber]

If it's getting worse, go see your doctor. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Suzanne]

If it is not bleeding or weeping but very dry, then it is due to dryness of the skin, which in turn, does the skin to pull apart, but usually very tough skin.

I get hard areas on my feet, due to some shoes not being very comfortable to walk in and thus, my feet try to compensate and the end result is rough areas, which I just use a sort of stone and works wonders.

As Big Timber says, if there is no healing, then yes, you ought to get it seen to!

 

[Nisk]

Try polysporin (or something similar) and butterfly bandages. You may have to put a bigger bandage overtop the butterflies to keep them from coming off.

 

[Judge]

Can't be too serious with homeopathic remedies online:

http://www.top10homeremedies.com/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-cracked-heels.html

 

[wyverary]

YES. I would not rely on home remedies. This sounds like something that should be checked right away.

 

[s3_gunzel]

Does it need medical attention?

I'd go get it washed - with saline - and dressed, and I'd be careful for about a week. Should be right otherwise.

 

[Maelstrom]

There's a crack in my heel that's about an inch long, and three to four millimeters deep. It's been growing-I mean, splitting further. Does it need medical attention?

It's most likely a skin oil mosturizing issue, you could put some lotion on it until it stablizes. But you may wish to find out why it is so dry, are you washing with soap too much, or eating too little oil in your diet. Taking acne medicine can cause that sort of thing too. Or are you in and out of clorinated pool water, or just running around bare foot too much?

 

[royinpink]

If it's 3-4mm deep, and growing, I would get it seen by a professional. That goes beyond normal dry skin and it isn't going away without some form of medical treatment. Unless you know how to administer the proper treatment yourself, then yes, doctor.

 

[NothingToSeeHere]

Go and see your doctor, and in the mean time put lots of moisturiser on it and try and keep it clean and closed with butterfly strips. To begin with cracks in the skin of your feet aren't a problem, but if it gets too deep and you leave it too long it could be painful and incredibly difficult to heal.

 

[Ste11aeres]

Okay, okay, okay, you guys are right. I will go see a doctor. I already knew I should; the only reason I haven't is that I have developed an aversion to going places, especially places I haven't been to before, and since I'm new to this city, the doctor's would be a place that I haven't been to before.

 

[Rocco]

When working outside in dry winter months, I have often experienced splitting skin around hardened areas of fingers and feet. Near callouses and tough spots. I know how irritating the sensations are for such an area.
In my experience with hard split skin moisture is the key. Using lotion, moisturizer, or products like neosporin have helped me heal and prevent further splitting.

There are also balms out there like udder cream and such, that are helpful too.