How to care for dry, cracked heels

Why do heels become dry and cracked?

Dry skin is the most common cause. Pressure from walking can make heel skin thick and hard, eventually creating cracks called heel fissures. Cold, dry weather, walking barefoot, friction from shoes, and long, hot showers can contribute. Open backed shoes can make dryness and cracking worse.134

What should you do each day?

1. 1Wash your feet daily with lukewarm water and a gentle, fragrance free cleanser. Avoid scrubbing, and keep baths and showers to 5 to 10 minutes.
2. 2Blot dry gently. Dry between your toes carefully, but leave your heels slightly damp for moisturizing.
3. 3Apply heel cream within five minutes of bathing and again whenever your heels feel dry. Choose a cream containing 10% to 25% urea, or one containing alpha hydroxy acid or salicylic acid. Keep moisturizer out of the spaces between your toes.
4. 4Before bed, apply plain petroleum jelly. You can layer it over a urea cream, then put on cotton socks. Repeat this nightly while your heels heal.

Cotton socks help retain moisture and keep petroleum jelly off the bedding, which did not volunteer for a foot treatment.12

How do you protect the cracks?

During the day, a liquid bandage over heel cracks creates a protective barrier that can reduce pain, support healing, and keep germs out. Wear properly fitting shoes with covered heels. Avoid flip flops, slingbacks, worn down shoes, and shoes that rub or fit poorly.1

Should you file or soak your heels?

For hard skin, gently use a foot file on dry skin once or twice weekly, following the tool's directions. Do not file inflamed, itchy, or sensitive areas. Do not cut your own corns or calluses. Avoid foot peels if you have broken skin, sores, wounds, or conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. If you have diabetes, get professional care for calluses rather than treating them yourself.2345

A separate foot soak is unnecessary if you already wash your feet. Prolonged soaking can dry skin and weaken its protective barrier; frequent soaking can also encourage fungal infections. Skip homemade mixtures of vinegar, mouthwash, or other household products, which can irritate skin without a proven benefit.36

How long does improvement take?

Exfoliating moisturizers used to maintain healthy heels take about two weeks of regular use to show a response; that is not a deadline for deep cracks to heal. Continue daily moisturizing after your skin improves to prevent recurrence. A simple moisturizer can be sufficient; the word "foot" on the tub is not a qualification.345

When should you get medical help?

See a dermatologist if your heels are severely cracked or remain cracked despite home care. Persistent dryness can accompany eczema, psoriasis, fungal infection, or diabetes and needs assessment rather than more exfoliation.13

If you have diabetes, check your feet daily, including the soles and between your toes. Deep cracks can bleed and raise the risk of serious infection, and wounds can heal slowly. Seek immediate medical care for suspected infection, including swollen or discolored skin, tenderness, pain, or leaking fluid. A wound that worsens or fails to heal also needs immediate care. Avoid foot soaks: diabetes can reduce your ability to feel heat and pain.26