Dry Cracked Heels
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Dry Cracked Heels
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Following these tips from board-certified dermatologists can help prevent and treat dry, cracked heels.
It’s easy for the skin on your feet to become dry and cracked, especially in the winter. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to treat dry, cracked heels at home and prevent them from coming back.
To care for dry, cracked heels, follow these tips from board-certified dermatologists.
Limit baths and showers to 5-10 minutes. Bathing for too long can dry out the skin, making dry, cracked heels worse. Be gentle when blotting your skin dry with a towel.
Use a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser. This will help your feet retain their natural oils.
Moisturize within 5 minutes of bathing. Look for a moisturizing cream that contains 10-25% urea, alpha hydroxy acid, or salicylic acid, and apply it to your heels immediately after bathing while your skin is still damp and whenever your heels feel dry to lock in moisture.
Before bed, apply plain petroleum jelly. Consider wearing socks at night to avoid getting grease on your bedding.
Protect your heels. During the day, apply a liquid bandage over the cracks in your heels to create a protective barrier, which can help reduce pain, speed up healing, and stop germs from entering your skin.
Wear the proper shoes. If you have dry, cracked heels, avoid open-heeled shoes, such as flip flops or slingbacks, shoes that are worn down, or shoes that don’t fit properly.
Sometimes, cracked heels are caused by a medical condition, such as diabetes. If your dry, cracked heels are severe or do not improve after following these tips, talk to a board-certified dermatologist.
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It’s so easy to take things for granted, like when you have a cold and remember all the wonderful moments when you didn’t feel congested. Or, on a very personal note, when you reminisce about all the times you walked around fancy-free before having dry skin and cracked heels. Well, if you feel that way, you’re not alone. A 2012 survey found that 20% of adults in the United States experience uncomfortable cracked skin on their feet (and women are 50% more likely to report them than men). ¹
Cracked heels—also known as heel fissures—can cause serious discomfort. While they’re usually not a serious health issue, cracks on the feet can deepen if left untreated, leading to significant pain. If you’re currently experiencing dry, cracked heels, don’t worry; we’re ready to walk you through the causes, prevention techniques and treatments.
There are many potential causes of cracked heels. The most common starts with dry feet (read our blog post all about dry skin on the feet here ). Every time we stand, walk or run, our feet are subjected to immense amounts of pressure, causing our heel pads to expand. ² Factor in dryness and the skin can begin to split and crack. As the skin cracks, it can also allow bacteria and viruses to enter the body, potentially leading to even more problems.
Research has identified several other potential causes of dry, cracked heels:
If you believe that any of these medical issues could be contributing to your dry, cracked heels, it’s important to consult with a doctor before attempting any treatment. ⁴
Thankfully, there are plenty of steps you can take to avoid cracked heels before they form. Many of these techniques rely on treating the underlying issue of dry skin, which we detail in our comprehensive blog post on the topic (seriously, give it a read).
In addition, items like custom shoe inserts, clinically tested padded socks and cracked heel relief sleeves can relieve the pressure on your feet, protect them from wear and tear, and help them to lock in moisture.
We developed our new Heal & Shield set to both prevent and treat dry skin and cracked heels. This skin-smoothing, hyper-hydrating, heel-protecting trio includes The Gratest™ to exfoliate off layers of dry, hardened or cracked skin, High Dive™ to intensely hydrate and new Well Heeled™ cracked heel relief sleeves to boost moisture absorption and protect sensitive skin. This kit makes it easy to remove hardened skin cells, nourish newly exfoliated skin and lock in moisture for healthy, hydrated heels. Hooray!
If you’re looking to rid yourself of existing dry, cracked heels, just remember that you need to 1. hydrate and 2. protect! When looking for a foot cream to hydrate the thirsty skin on your feet, regular lotion isn’t going to get the job done. In order to penetrate into the extra thick skin on your heels—to replenish and retain moisture—you need a specially formulated foot cream containing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramide NG, podiatrist-recommended urea, glycolic acid and shea butter ⁵ *Cough* High Dive™ *cough*. To ensure maximum absorption, try soaking your feet and exfoliating with a rasp, pumice stone or scrub immediately before rubbing the foot cream into feet. ⁶
To protect the skin on your heels, look for comfortable, breathable cracked heel relief sleeves. These form a barrier between your heels and your shoes in order to prevent further irritation and to lock in the hydration from your foot cream. I mean, we really thought the three steps in our Heal & Shield set through!
When following a specialized foot care routine to target dry skin and cracked heels, consistency is key. Although you may see signs of improvement after the first treatment, it can take weeks for the cracks to fully heal (so think of it as a self care marathon, not a sprint).
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Angelica Bottaro is a writer with expertise in many facets of health including chronic disease, Lyme disease, nutrition as medicine, and supplementation.
Adam H. Kaplan, DPM, is a podiatrist who has been in private practice for over 5 years in New Jersey and specializes in a wide scope of foot care.
Cracked heels, also called heel fissures , occur when the bottom and heels of your feet become dry, hard, flaky, or crusty. Fissures, or cracks, begin to form in the skin. The skin of the heel may also become yellow in color. Although cracked heels are typically mild, in some cases they can lead to pain, itching, or bleeding. 1
Many people have cracked heels, although women are more likely to be affected than men. Read on to learn more about what causes cracked heels, how to treat them, and the best methods for prevention.
Sarawut Ladgrud / EyeEm / Getty Images
There are various causes of cracked heels, some of which may be attributed to medical conditions, while others are driven by lifestyle and environmental factors.
Medical conditions that can cause dry and cracked heels include: 2 3
People with diabetes should exercise caution if they experience cracked heels, as they are more likely to experience an infection than those without the condition. 4
Cracked heels can also develop because of lifestyle and environmental factors, including:
Cracked heels are highly treatable with home remedies. Since heel fissures are primarily caused by dry skin, methods that target hydration are best suited to facilitate the healing process.
Heel balms are the first choice of treatment for dry and cracked heels. They can come in the form of humectants , occlusives , emollients , and rejuvenators . These specific ingredients are important to look out for when choosing the right product for your cracked heels. 5
This can be done daily, especially after a shower since it's the best time to lock in the moisture. You can also wear socks after moisturizing so the product doesn't transfer to the floor.
Research has shown that the preferred moisturizers for cracked heels contain both an occlusive and a humectant agent for the best possible outcome. 5
Foot skin that is cracked tends to be thicker and drier than skin in other locations on the body. Because of this, soaking your feet and using an exfoliating tool can help to remove the hard, thick skin that causes the fissures to develop.
Keep your feet soaking in lukewarm water for roughly 20 minutes and then gently scrub your feet with a pumice stone or foot file. When you have finished, be sure to apply your moisturizer of choice to the area.
Wearing cotton socks to bed, especially after you’ve moisturized your feet, is thought to keep feet from drying out during the night, which can treat cracked heels. The theory is that it traps moisturizer and prevents it from rubbing off during the night allowing it to do its job.
Although there is no clinical evidence to support the claim that wearing cotton socks to bed will heal dry and cracked feet, some studies have found that wearing cotton is beneficial for people with other types of dry skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis. 6
A liquid bandage is a type of topical skin treatment that can be applied to the area to seal the cracks and prevent infection. Your heels should be clean and dry prior to applying the liquid bandage.
Coconut oil contains several ingredients that have been shown to improve dry skin conditions, even on the heels. Studies have shown that people who use coconut oil daily saw a vast improvement in their dry skin. This oil has also been shown to increase the efficacy of the skin barrier, lower inflammation, and protect from further dryness caused by exposure to the sun. 7
Using honey as a foot scrub may be beneficial for people with cracked heels. Research has shown that the ingredient can prevent bacteria build-up, which lessens the risk for infection. It has also shown to increase moisture levels in the skin. 8
Cracked heels are rarely serious, however, it’s important that you see a doctor if: 4
You should seek out medical treatment for cracked heels if you have been using at-home remedies for a week without any relief. Medical interventions for cracked heels include: 2
If the dry skin is a result of a fungal infection, a topical or oral antifungal medication may be prescribed.
Prevention for dry and cracked heels can be accomplished with a healthy foot maintenance routine. Steps you can take to prevent cracked heels include:
Keeping a close eye on how dry your heels appear will help you know when you need to increase your efforts to moisturize.
Clean feet are less likely to harbor infection-causing bacteria that can create issues if you have chronically cracked heels.
After you wash or exfoliate your feet, apply moisturizer right away to keep your heels from drying out and cracking.
What you wear on your feet matters in terms of how healthy your skin is. If you are prone to cracked heels, you should avoid open-backed shoes and sandals and wear closed-toe and back shoes that provide ample sup
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