What causes heels to crack?

What makes heels dry enough to crack?

• Cold, dry weather, long hot showers and harsh soaps can dry out skin by increasing water loss or stripping its protective oils.
• Repeated rubbing from shoes, walking barefoot and prolonged standing or walking encourage calluses, the hard patches of thickened skin that can split.
• Standing on hard floors and greater body weight increase pressure on the heel pad.
• Skin becomes drier with age as oil production decreases. Missing the heels when moisturizing also leaves dryness untreated.
• Eczema, psoriasis, diabetes and an underactive thyroid can contribute. Some medicines, including statins and diuretics, can cause very dry skin.

Open backed sandals leave the heel pad unsupported, which is a fairly large omission for something sold as a shoe. Without that support, the pad can spread sideways and stretch the dry callus around its edge.1

What causes deep cracks in heels?

Deep cracks often start as small splits in a dry callus. Continued pressure and untreated dryness make those splits deeper. These cracks, also called fissures, can become painful when you stand or walk and can eventually bleed. Broken skin can also become infected. Depth alone does not identify the underlying cause: dry skin and pressure can produce deep cracks, while a skin or medical condition can make the problem harder to resolve.1

How do you treat dry, cracked heels?

1. 1Wash gently each day with lukewarm water and a fragrance free cleanser. Keep baths and showers to five to ten minutes, avoid scrubbing and gently blot dry.
2. 2Moisturize within five minutes of bathing, while the heels are still damp. Choose a cream containing 10 to 25% urea, or one containing alpha hydroxy acid or salicylic acid. Reapply whenever the heels feel dry.
3. 3Before bed, apply plain petroleum jelly. Cotton socks help retain moisture and keep the ointment off your bedding.
4. 4During the day, a liquid bandage over the cracks can reduce pain and protect the broken skin while it heals.
5. 5Switch to properly fitting shoes that support and cover the heel. Avoid worn out shoes and open heeled styles while the skin is cracked.

Should you file the hard skin?

For uncomplicated hard skin, gently use a foot file on dry skin once or twice weekly. Do not file inflamed, itchy or sensitive areas, and never cut calluses with scissors or a razor. Removing too much skin can cause bleeding and infection. Avoid foot peels if you have broken skin, eczema, psoriasis or athlete's foot.1346

How long does improvement take?

Exfoliating moisturizers used to keep healed heels soft take about two weeks of regular use to show a response. For active cracks, arrange a podiatry visit if there is no improvement after a week of home care; severe cracks need assessment sooner. A podiatrist can remove thick skin safely and use dressings, stronger softening treatments or heel supports.14

When should you get medical help?

Get medical help for severe, bleeding or infected cracks, or cracks that keep returning despite care. If you have diabetes, poor circulation, delicate skin or a tendency to develop infections, seek professional advice rather than removing calluses yourself. Diabetes can reduce feeling in the feet, and heel fissures can lead to foot ulcers. Persistent dry, flaky skin also warrants assessment for an underlying condition.134

How do you stop cracks coming back?

Keep moisturizing daily after the skin improves, because heels do not treat a finished jar as a completed project. Check your feet daily for new hard skin or small splits, and keep wearing supportive shoes rather than waiting for another painful crack.16