One of the most obvious changes people notice with feet as they age is the change in the skin. This can be a change in texture, dryness, or actual lesions on the skin itself. Dry soles are a common problem that results from less cushioning on the sole of the foot.
If the skin around your heel or on the ball of your foot is dry, cracked, or flaky, it may be a warning sign of a thyroid condition. Your thyroid gland produces hormones that control your metabolic rate, blood pressure, tissue growth, and nervous system functions. Dry skin can signify a problem with your thyroid.
Over time, the body's ligaments and tendons lose their strength and ability to spring back. In feet, this manifests as a decrease or ''falling'' of the arch, which flattens and lengthens the foot and toes. The result: often an increase in shoe size by a half-size or more.
Dry, scaly, flaky skin on the feet may indicate an under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism). This can lead to a host of issues, for example, gastrointestinal problems, fertility concerns or mental health issues. This fungal skin infection often starts between the toes or on dry skin patches around the heels.
“When people have chronic dry skin for long periods of time, and no matter how much lotion they put on, it doesn't go away, that's when they may need to see a doctor,” McEneaney said. The same is true if the cracks in your feet hurt so badly that it's uncomfortable to wear shoes.
Vitamin C, vitamin B-3, and vitamin E deficiencies may contribute to dry, cracked heels. However, these vitamin deficiencies are rare in developed countries. Other conditions like athlete's foot or eczema may also lead to cracked heels. Walking around barefoot and the natural aging process can be factors, too.
Diabetes can cause changes in the skin of your foot. At times your foot may become very dry. The skin may peel and crack. This problem is caused by nerve damage that affects your body's ability to control the oil and moisture in your foot.
Dry soles are a common problem that results from less cushioning on the sole of the foot. This reduction in cushioning is a result of fat loss that occurs as feet age. The fat pads on the bottom of the feet diminish with age, placing additional stress on the skin, which dries out and cracks.
Poor circulation can also occur when waste products build up in your soft tissues. If you have poor circulation the skin on your feet and legs becomes thin and dry and you may lose the hair on your legs. Your feet may feel cold and maybe white, blue or red in colour.
They don't change in size, necessarily. But feet may get wider, not longer, as we age. They change in their elasticity the same way other body parts do – tissue becomes less tight, causing the increased width and sagging of the arches.
“You can detect everything from diabetes to nutritional deficiencies just by examining the feet,” says Jane Andersen, DPM, president of the American Association of Women Podiatrists and a spokeswoman for the American Podiatric Medical Association.
Nutritional deficiency: If your body lacks calcium, iron, vitamin E, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids, you are likely to have cracked heels. Chemicals: Exposure to soaps, detergents and even water can strip your skin of its natural oils which make your heels dry and they soon crack if you don t take care of them.
Wearing open footwear: Women who frequently wear open-heeled footwear such as sandals are more prone to having their skin dry out. Dry skin: Not moisturizing your feet can lead to dry skin, especially during colder winter months. Harsh soaps: Women who use harsh soaps are more likely to develop cracked heels.
Tingling, burning, or pain in your feet. Loss of sense of touch or ability to feel heat or cold very well. A change in the shape of your feet over time. Loss of hair on your toes, feet, and lower legs.
Although rare, nerve damage from diabetes can lead to changes in the shape of your feet, such as Charcot's foot. Charcot's foot may start with redness, warmth, and swelling. Later, bones in your feet and toes can shift or break, which can cause your feet to have an odd shape, such as a “rocker bottom.”
However, there is another often overlooked potential cause of cracked heels that is known as a vitamin deficiency. Certain essential vitamins can ultimately keep your skin healthy, preventing them from flaking and cracking. Just some of these essential vitamins include vitamin E, vitamin B-3, and vitamin C.
Research has indicated the thyroid gland may play a significant role in the formation of cracked heels. Hypothyroidism can cause a hormone imbalance that can lead to this ailment.
According to Dr. Nandini Barua, "One of the most prominent signs of Vitamin D deficiency is witnessing severe dryness of the skin. Medically, it is called Ichthyosis. This disorder is caused by an alteration in genes that are supposed to function as skin barriers.
Children's feet grow rapidly. Usually, feet stop growing around age 20 or 21, but it is dependent on when puberty begins. The earlier one starts puberty, the earlier the feet should stop growing. Genetics is a factor as well.