[Woodstock]

Hi All,

I have recently been given a diagnosis of idiopathic progressive polyneuropathy. Currently, my neurologist is testing for underlying causes...diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. However, along with the severe pain that began in February I have experienced severe heel cracking/fissures. These are big and deep and coupled with my neuropathy are extremely painful. When one heals another appears within days. My PCP, DPM and my neurologist are all baffled by these cracks and do not have a clue as to the cause. Has anyone here had the same or similar symptoms and what can you tell me. I need help!!!

[mrsD]

This is due to a lack of essential fatty acids in the diet.

Flax oil, and fish oil, orally are used to repair the skin.

There are some topical new products with alot of oils in them than supposedly heal cracks like you have.

https://www.heeltasticstore.com/?tid...FQ8hDQod-wg_pw

But basically the skin needs to be nourished from within.
Also check your soap...it might be a defatting type, removing too much oil from your feet when you shower. Also residues from laundry soaps, may linger in your socks. A double rinse with your clothes, will show how much soap remains after only one rinse! These soaps are very harsh on the skin.

One thing that changed radically for me when I started taking flax and fish oil, a decade ago, was that the skin on my feet really improved.

[Woodstock]

MrsD,

Thanks for your reply. I will try the EFA approach since I have done just about everything else from olive oil/honey to every otc remedy I could find. Then prescription creams were script for me by my PCP and a dermatologist. Nothing worked. The fissures really exacerbate the neuropathy and are prone to infection. In your case how long did it take for some improvement?

[Marlene]

Also, consider a possible fungal involvement on the skin. Topically, you can use tea tree essential oil diluted in expeller pressed coconut oil. Both are anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. The link Mrs D provided has a product with neem oil which is anti-fungal also but I couldn't find what all the ingredients are in the product. Unless they disclose everything in the product, I'm reluctant to buy it.

You can also soak your feet in epsom salt to soften the skin before applying any lotion.

Attack it from two fronts....internally and topically.

[mrsD]

I found the ingredients:

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp240292_3...el_therapy.htm

Active Ingredients: Dimethicone (1% skin protectant)

Inactive Ingredients: Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Glycine Sojo (soybean) wax, Beeswax (Apis Mellifera), Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Ozokerite, Proprietary Blend of Essential Oils, Azadirachta Melia (Neem) Seed Oil, Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil, Nigella Sativa (Black Cumin Seed) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Isopropyl Myristate, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Olea Europea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado Oil) Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower), Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Tolnaftate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol

No need to buy on TV if it is at drugstore.com
Those TV places typically are bad marketing sites, and try to scam people sometimes.

I read a story a while back by the woman who developed this formula after much trial and error for herself, and was so successful she decided to go public with it.

Tolnaftate is an antifungal. I don't know why it is in the inactive list. Tocopheryl is Vit E, and Retinyl palmitate is a Vit A derivative.

Some of the big chains have "seen on TV sections now" ...
CVS and Walgreen's mostly. Give one a call and see if they have it.
That would be the best way to buy it I think.

[Woodstock]

Thanks for the continued suggestions. In the beginning I actually bought aloe plants to use. After my trial and error procedure my PCP put me on Diflucan & clotrimazole betamethasone. I had a bad reaction to both and stopped its use. Another Dr felt that it was not fungal and gave me a scrip for ammonium lactate to deal with the problem. When that failed I went to a dermatologist that prescribed a 40% urea cream at the same time stating that my feet did not look overly dry. When that failed I went to a DPM who put me on terbinafine for 30 days. During the terbinafine treatment the pain increased weekly and there was no effect on the fissures what-so-ever. All during this time, my daughter-in-law suggested various herbal remedies including tea tree oil. I did get some and created a mixture, but it burned my feet. I asked my neurologist what could be causing the cracking and he said possibly the neuropathy, but that he really didn't know.

I guess MrsD's suggestion is my last resort. Any recommendations for the "best" source of EFA supplements?

[mrsD]

Just get an organic flaxseed oil and take 3 a day... I use NatureMade. There are foods with flax in them now, even, peanut butter! Smart Balance. Cereals too.

Take with food. It helps to have magnesium too, because magnesium is needed for fatty acid metabolism.

Fish oil is good too, but only use in addition to the flax (not instead of). The flax is best, and also good for acne.
NatureMade has fish oil too...but there are others. We get the extra strength ones from Costco. (I am now using Krill oil--hubby still uses the fish oil--, instead to see if my blood work changes-- Mega Red from Costco).

The anti-inflammatory actions of fish oil are useful for inflammation.

Cracking heels and dry feet are visible reminders of what is happening at other skin sites in your body... your lungs, nasal passages, etc. All our cell walls and membranes are made from essential fatty acids.

It will take about 3 months to see visible improvement in your skin.

[Woodstock]

Thanks again MrsD..very good info and advice. I will grab some flax oil ASAP.

[Marlene]

Thanks for finding the ingredients mrsD.

A good Tea Tree essential will have a cooling/antiseptic feeling on open wounds and mucus membranes. I would imagine the PN could intensify that effect. I hope you find a natural topical lotion to heal the skin.