How to get rid of cracked heels

Why do heels crack?

Most cracked heels start with dry skin. Pressure and friction make the skin around the heel rim thick and hard, forming a callus. When weight pushes the soft pad underneath the heel sideways, that dry callus can split. The splits are called heel fissures. Small surface cracks can deepen, bleed and make standing or walking painful.24

Long periods standing on hard floors and shoes with open backs increase the strain on the heel. Cold, dry weather, walking barefoot and long, hot showers contribute to dryness. Repeated rubbing from shoes and changes in skin with age can also play a part. Sometimes an underlying condition, including eczema, psoriasis, diabetes or an underactive thyroid, contributes to cracking.124

How to care for cracked heels each day

1. 1Wash your feet daily with lukewarm water and a gentle, fragrance free cleanser. Avoid scrubbing. Keep baths and showers to 5 to 10 minutes rather than soaking for a long time.
2. 2Blot your feet gently with a towel and dry carefully between your toes. Apply heel cream within five minutes of bathing, while the heel skin is still damp.
3. 3Use a moisturising cream containing 10% to 25% urea, alpha hydroxy acid or salicylic acid. Reapply whenever your heels feel dry.
4. 4Before bed, apply plain petroleum jelly to your heels. If you are using urea cream, put the cream on first and the petroleum jelly over it, then wear cotton socks.
5. 5During the day, protect cracks with a liquid bandage and wear properly fitting shoes with closed backs. Avoid worn down shoes and shoes that rub.

Petroleum jelly forms a seal that helps hold moisture in the skin. Socks also keep petroleum jelly off the bedding, which did not ask for a heel treatment.14

What cream helps cracked heels?

Choose a thick moisturising cream or ointment rather than a thin lotion, especially for very dry skin. A plain moisturiser can be enough; the word "foot" on the tube is not a job qualification. Heel balms are useful when you also need ingredients that soften or loosen thickened skin.256

Once heels are healthy, an exfoliating moisturiser can help remove dead skin and keep them soft. Urea creams at 20% or 40% are options for this maintenance stage. That is a different use from the 10% to 25% urea routine for cracked heels. A podiatrist can prescribe stronger softening treatments when severe thickening needs professional care.24

How do you heal cracked heels quickly?

Start moisturising as soon as small cracks appear. Applying moisturiser two to three times a day can be enough for early cracking. A liquid, gel or spray bandage protects the split, reduces pain and allows faster healing. Supportive footwear also addresses the pressure that keeps pulling the heel skin apart.2

Regular use of exfoliating moisturisers can produce a response in about two weeks; that is not a deadline for every crack to close. Seek a podiatrist's advice if there is no improvement after a week of home care, or sooner if the cracks are severe. Do not keep increasing exfoliation while waiting for a deep split to heal.24

Should you exfoliate cracked heels?

Gentle exfoliation can reduce the hard callus around the heel, but it should not mean filing the crack itself. For otherwise healthy feet, use a foot file on dry hard skin once or twice weekly, or gently rub the callus with a pumice stone before moisturising. Use tools in moderation and follow their directions. Do not file inflamed, itchy or sensitive areas.247

Never cut away hard skin with scissors or a razor blade: removing too much skin can cause injury and infection. Avoid chemical foot peels if you have broken skin, sores or wounds, or have or are prone to eczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis or athlete's foot. Acid corn plasters and paints are not substitutes for moisturising heel creams.246

How do you stop the cracks coming back?

Keep applying cream daily after your heels improve. Morning and evening moisturising is an option for very dry skin. Inspect your feet each day so you can act on early dryness or cracking. Keep cream away from the spaces between your toes, and dry those spaces after washing. If sandals make the dryness worse, switch to closed shoes and socks. Correctly fitting shoes also reduce the pressure and friction that create calluses.267

When do cracked heels need medical care?

Get medical advice for deep, bleeding or severely painful cracks, or heels that remain cracked despite care. Cracks can become infected. Swelling, discolouration, tenderness, pus or other leaking fluid need prompt medical attention. Persistent dry, flaky skin can also reflect a skin condition or fungal infection that needs treatment beyond moisturiser. A podiatrist can remove thick skin safely, apply dressings, or provide heel cups and insoles to reduce pressure.245

What if you have diabetes?

Contact your healthcare provider right away about cracks, sores, redness, increased warmth, swelling or pain. Diabetes can damage nerves and blood vessels in the feet, so an injury can go unnoticed and heal poorly. Lack of pain is not a reason to wait. Check your heels, soles and between your toes daily; ask someone to help if you cannot see them clearly.3

Have a foot doctor treat calluses unless they have specifically approved home care. Do not use medicated pads, shave calluses or cut them away. For daily moisture care, a fragrance free ceramide cream or ointment is useful. The bedtime heel routine is 10% to 25% urea cream, followed by petroleum jelly and white cotton socks, repeated daily until healed. Follow your provider's individual foot care instructions, including advice about existing wounds.35