Repair Your Feet before You Hit the Beach with Pretty Feet & Hands(R); Recover from Rough, Cracked Heels.

LENEXA, Kan. -- As active adults begin shopping for flip-flops and beach attire this summer, embarrassing and uncomfortable foot problems take center stage. Dry cracking heels, corns and calluses may mean it's time for some foot care before heading to the beach.

Corns and calluses are the most common conditions on the skin of the foot. A corn, which is a thickening of the outer layer of skin, usually occurs on the tops of the toes and in areas with increased pressure, or frictional forces. Calluses, which are the same condition on the bottom of the feet, can occur around the back of the heels and are generally due to the lack of elasticity and moisture content of the skin. A dry cracking heel (xeorosis) is a condition of thickening and fissuring (cracking) of the skin on the bottom part of the heel.

Cracked heels can be a simple cosmetic problem and a nuisance, but can also lead to serious medical problems. Like many foot conditions, heel fissures can become more dangerous if they go untreated and become deep or infected.

According to podiatrist Dr. Alan Mauser, a clinical instructor of the Kentucky Podiatry Residency Association, as interviewed for www.webmd.com, "For those heel calluses, one needs to moisturize their skin really well. Additionally, shoes that have a good sturdy heel counter that can hold the heel in place will help."

Over-the-counter items such as an exfoliant cream are also helpful for the prevention of cracked heels. Exfoliants remove dead skin cells on feet, hands and other problem areas, leaving skin feeling smooth and radiant looking. One drugstore classic that has come to the rescue of rough, cracked feet and hands for almost 50 years is Pretty Feet & Hands Rough Skin Remover.

Pretty Feet & Hands is available at major drug store chains including Wal-Mart, Walgreen's, Rite-Aid, CVS, Osco and regional-based grocers. For more information about Pretty Feet & Hands, including specific area retail outlets, or for a free sample, visit www.prettyfeetandhands.com.

B.F. Ascher and Co., Inc., owner of Pretty Feet & Hands, is a pharmaceutical company located in Lenexa, Kan. As a privately held company, B.F. Ascher has grown with advances in medicine and responsiveness to changing consumer needs. The company offers 17 products including the AYR(R) Saline family brand, the best selling brand of saline products available.