Foot cream for dry skin: what to choose and how to use it

Which type of foot cream should you choose?

Start with the severity of the dryness, not the product name. A thick moisturising hand cream can also be used on dry feet, so the word "foot" on the tube is not an admission ticket. For sensitive or easily irritated skin, choose a fragrance free product. Ceramides help hydrate skin, and hyaluronic acid is another moisturising ingredient to look for.13

Ointments are greasier than creams, which is a texture tradeoff rather than a packaging failure. Choose a texture you will actually apply regularly; the most suitable moisturiser sometimes takes a little trial and error.4

Is urea cream good for dry feet?

Urea helps the outer layer of skin hold water and also loosens scaling skin. Foot creams containing 10% or 20% urea are options for daily moisturising; a podiatrist can help you choose the strength. Urea and lactic acid preparations often sting on scratched, cracked or inflamed skin. If your feet are raw or easily irritated, a plain fragrance free cream or ointment is a more cautious starting point than a peeling formula.124

How to apply foot cream

1. 1Wash your feet daily. Use warm rather than hot water and a gentle cleanser. If you soak your feet, keep it to no more than 10 minutes.
2. 2Dry your feet carefully, especially between your toes. Keep those spaces dry rather than adding moisturiser.
3. 3Apply cream to the tops and bottoms of your feet and your heels after bathing. Applying moisturiser while the dry areas are still slightly damp helps hold water in the skin.
4. 4Wait a few minutes for the cream to soak in before walking. Freshly moisturised feet can be slippery.
5. 5Repeat every day. For excessively dry skin, choose a moisturiser you can comfortably use at least twice daily.

Moisturiser adds water to the skin and reduces water loss. Hot water and harsh washing can work against that by removing the skin's protective oils. Morning or evening can fit a daily routine; applying cream after your bath or shower is the useful anchor. Keep applying cream once your feet feel better to help prevent dryness returning.134

What helps dry, cracked heels?

Lack of moisture commonly causes dry, cracked heels, and open backed shoes such as sandals can make the problem worse. If that happens, consider socks, stockings or closed shoes alongside daily cream. For cracked heels in people with diabetes, a bedtime routine combines urea cream, an ointment layer and cotton socks. Urea can sting in cracks, so do not push through irritation.345

1. 1Before bed, apply a cream containing 10% to 25% urea to the heels.
2. 2Place a layer of thick ointment, such as petroleum jelly, over the cream.
3. 3Put on white cotton socks and wear them in bed to help retain moisture.
4. 4Repeat daily until the skin heals.

Should you file hard skin?

For ordinary hard skin, gently use a foot file or pumice stone on dry skin once or twice weekly, alongside regular moisturising. Do not use knives, blades or scissors, and do not pick hard skin away. Peeling from dryness is not a reason to exfoliate more: removing more surface skin can worsen moisture loss. If you have diabetes, have a podiatrist or dermatologist treat calluses instead of managing them yourself.1256

A callus is thickened skin that forms in response to pressure or friction. Moisturising belongs alongside footwear that reduces that pressure: choose shoes with enough width and depth at the front, a low heel and cushioned insoles. Cream does not replace checking whether shoes rub or squeeze.6

When is foot cream not enough?

An itchy, red, flaking rash, especially between the toes, can be athlete's foot rather than simple dryness. Athlete's foot is a fungal infection and needs appropriate treatment, available through a pharmacist. Do not add cream between the toes. Dry those spaces thoroughly, change socks daily and allow shoes to dry before wearing them again.36

Children with sore, shiny red soles and cracks can have juvenile plantar dermatosis, a persistent dry skin condition that mainly affects children before adolescence. It can resemble eczema or a fungal infection, so persistent symptoms need assessment. Suggested care includes moisturising after bathing and before bed, reducing shoe friction and allowing painful cracks time to rest. There is no consistently effective treatment, and cracks can take weeks or months to heal. Prescription steroid or tacrolimus ointments rarely work better than simple moisturisers for this condition.7

When should you stop or get medical help?

Stop using a cream that causes burning, stinging or a new rash. Moisturisers can cause irritation and, less commonly, contact allergy. See a dermatologist if moisturising does not help, or if dryness becomes painful, bleeding, deeply cracked or very irritating. Swelling, heat, redness, pain or discharge need medical assessment for possible infection.124

With diabetes, inspect your feet daily, including the soles and spaces between your toes. Use a mirror or ask for help if you cannot see them easily. Dry skin can develop deep cracks that increase infection risk. Seek immediate medical care for suspected infection or a wound that worsens or fails to heal.25

Moisturising treatments can be a fire hazard whether or not they contain paraffin. Read and follow the product's fire safety instructions.6