Cream to treat cracks below the ankles (skin, doctor, prescriptions)

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

Folks, my mom's been in the States for a while (she flew here to visit me) and as winter is getting a little thicker out here in Colorado, the lower side of her leg has started to get dry and there are cracks in the skin visible right now.

This is in the sole area, the white part beneath the ankles.

She's 51 years old and I have no clue to which ointment/cream to get around here in Walgreens or Rite Aid. Please recommend something good which I can pick off the shelf and not deal with insurance and medical folks

Thanks for the help!

[BonVivant]

Use BagBalm. You can find it in wal-mart in pharmacy section. Green metal container with some roses drawn on it. If you don't know what it is, this is what farmers use to treat chapped udders on cows. Yes, really! It's goopy, greasy but works like magic. There is no substitute. Wear socks after you apply. Best to use it at night.
http://www.bagbalm.com/

[Wisteria]

I don't have a name of a specific cream (I just noticed BonVivant recommended one), however, if you look at the ingredients on the back, avoid those with mineral oil or alcohol -- the reason is that mineral oil does not absorb into the skin (thus, doesn't replace the oil that is lacking), and alcohol is drying.

I'm pretty simple in terms of what I use for dry skin and have done these things for years (I'm older than your mother).

I use natural oils -- cheap, easy, used by the ancients, and effective. For myself, I, personally, don't care which one it is, as long as it works, although I have favorites. My personal preference is castor oil. Castor oil, for me and my family (we've used it for decades) also will prevent scarring if put on a cut and kept it bandaged with the oil until it heals, certainly softens skin, all kinds of things. The name for castor oil is "Palma Christi," meaning the " Palm of Christ," or, basically, the healing herb of herbs. It was used extensively before cosmetics, as we know them, came about. Egypt was quite famous for using castor oil. (Just a little aside info on that.)

Noun. palma christi - large shrub of tropical Africa and Asia having large palmate leaves and spiny capsules containing seeds that are the source of castor oil and ricin; widely naturalized throughout the tropics.

and

Palma Christi \Pal"ma Chris"ti\ [L., palm of Christ.] (Bot.)
A plant (Ricinus communis) with ornamental peltate and
palmately cleft foliage, growing as a woody perennial in the
tropics, and cultivated as an herbaceous annual in temperate
regions; -- called also castor-oil plant.

Some people don't like to use castor oil, especially if they are not familiar with it, because it is a bit "thicker" than typical oils, and some don't like that feel -- but it's very effective, so I use it. (You wipe off the excess, or more effectively, place a little on a cloth [I use white cotton] -- I put a piece of plastic wrap on the bottom to keep it from leaking -- and leave it on for an hour and it'll do wonders -- it's amazing to observe the cloth become dry after it's absorbed into the skin!)

If I don't have castor oil handy, or can't use it if I'm at work or out, I just use little bottles of almond oil, or even olive oil. The wonderful thing about real oils is that they do absorb into your skin and supplement that which is lost by dryness. I live in California, and it is dry, here, too. I am from New York State, originally, which generally has very high humidity, and only during the winter was it dry.

I know there are creams all over the place, however, my intention has been to replace the oils that are naturally lost. For example, I put on some olive oil this morning before I left for work because it's been dry lately here, and my skin was feeling dry. I just take a little out of the bottle, rub it in, and if there is any excess, then just wipe with a tissue. Voila, oil in, dryness out. Cheap, easy, effective, no prescriptions, no doctors.

That's the best I have to offer. As I'm sure you are aware, the cosmetics industry is huge, so there are millions of products out there. For me, I always liked the natural oils (although I use hand lotion a lot, too), only because natural oils will replace your own lost oil (not like mineral oil which makes you feel like it's doing something because it's on your skin, but doesn't actually absorb into the skin. I keep a little bottle of olive oil at work (I ran out of my almond oil, which I like more). During the day, I just rub a little in -- it takes that awful dried feeling away.

Anyway, hope this helps. There are so many things out there, that you will definitely find something. Good luck to your mom!

P.S. I lived in Boulder, Colorado, for years, too, so I know what you are talking about!

[grannynancy]

Use the natural products suggested. There are also foot lotions in the foot department for cracked heels that work pretty well. In the winter I always lotion up my feet and put on socks before I go to bed and that keeps it from happening.

This is a very comman problem. I also use a pumice stone on my soles where they tend to get thick from walking.

[myrc60]

Smear Petroleum Jelly on the feet and wear socks if you keep doing it every night it will help a lot and its cheap.

[pitt_transplant]

Oh no mamma antler is down!

There is also blue star ointment drugstore wise. Get her drinking more water while she is out there too. I am personally amazed how much more water a change in enviro requires. To heal those cracks get some honey and then wrap it up in med. gauze. If you can find a natural lotion with neem in it at a health food store she could put that on 4 times a day. If not I agree that a natural oil like olive or sesame 4x a day until it clears and 2x a day to keep it away.

Hugs to mama antler! She raised a good boy!
☺

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

Thanks a lot, people. You folks are awesome. Looks like we have some shopping to do

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

Originally Posted by pitt_transplant

Oh no mamma antler is down!

There is also blue star ointment drugstore wise. Get her drinking more water while she is out there too. I am personally amazed how much more water a change in enviro requires. To heal those cracks get some honey and then wrap it up in med. gauze. If you can find a natural lotion with neem in it at a health food store she could put that on 4 times a day. If not I agree that a natural oil like olive or sesame 4x a day until it clears and 2x a day to keep it away.

Hugs to mama antler! She raised a good boy!
☺

Thanks, pitt. I'm good, indeed <but she doesn't know about the number of women I chase > <just kidding (well, not really, lol)>

[ocpaul20]

I have always used petroleum jelly and then wrap my feet in a plastic bag or cling film overnight then put socks on to keep the bag in place. However, I agree that mineral oil and crude oil-based creams are not good at all. The vegetable oils are far better as has been suggested above.

[Cupcake77]

I used to live in Colorado. Take her to a good salon that does good pedicures. They usually work from the knee down, smooth the skin and she can have nice manicured toenails. they will also send her home with some cream if she is really dry.