Cracked heels are also known as heel fissures and are a frequent foot problem. According to a poll done by NPD, cracked heels affect 20% of US individuals aged 21 and above (1). They affect both children and adults and appear to be more severe in women. This article discusses various remedies you can use to help heal your cracked heels. Keep reading.
What Causes Dry, Cracked Feet?
The skin on the soles of the feet tends to become drier as there are no oil glands present there. This dryness causes the skin to crack. Lack of moisturization, overexposure to pollution, and medical conditions, such as eczema, diabetes, thyroid, and psoriasis lead to dry and cracked feet. Read on to learn more about the home remedies for treating cracked heels.
Remedies To Get Rid Of Cracked Heels
1. Salt, Glycerine, And Rose Water Foot Mask
Rose water contains antioxidants that prevent cell damage. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that may help relieve dry and irritated skin (2), (3). Glycerine is an effective humectant that helps your skin retain its natural moisture levels (4). These properties can help moisturize cracked heels. You Will Need
1 tablespoon of salt 2 tablespoons of glycerine 2 teaspoons of rosewater Warm water Pumice stone/foot scrubber
What You Have To Do (Or) How Often You Should Do This Repeat this for a few days.
2. Vegetable Oil
Studies show that vegetable oils contain emollient properties, along with antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties. They act as nutritional building blocks for healthy skin. These potent qualities of vegetable oils can help treat cracked heels (5). You Will Need 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this daily before going to bed.
3. Banana and Avocado Foot Mask
Avocado contains vitamins A, E, and omega fatty acids and other nutrients that promote wound healing (6). Banana works as a moisturizer. These properties may help treat cracked heels. You Will Need
1 ripe banana 1/2 avocado
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this daily.
4. Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jelly helps restore moisture to dry and cracked heels. It reduces water loss from the outer skin. This keeps your skin hydrated and soft (4). Woolen socks help trap the body’s heat and increase the effectiveness of the mixture. You Will Need
1 teaspoon of Vaseline Moisturizer Pumice stone Lukewarm water
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this regularly before going to bed.
5. Paraffin Wax Natural Remedy
Paraffin wax acts as a natural emollient that helps soften your skin. It is an effective treatment for cracked and sore heels (7). You Will Need
1 tablespoon of paraffin wax 2-3 drops of mustard/coconut oil
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This 1-2 times a week before going to bed. Caution: Do not dip your feet in the wax when it is hot. If you have diabetes, do not try this treatment.
6. Honey
Honey is a natural antiseptic that helps heal cracked feet, and its soothing properties help revitalize the skin (8). You Will Need
1 cup honey Warm water
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this regularly for soft and supple feet.
7. Rice Flour
Rice flour can help exfoliate, purify, and remineralize the skin, making it satin-smooth and soft (9). You Will Need
2-3 tablespoons of ground rice 1 teaspoon of honey 3-4 drops of apple cider vinegar
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Apply this foot scrub 2 times a week.
8. Olive Oil
Olive oil has nourishing properties that make your skin soft and supple (10). However, it is not suitable for all skin types. Therefore, do a patch test before using it on the affected area. You Will Need 1 tablespoon of olive oil What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this daily.
9. Oatmeal Remedy
Oatmeal has anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties that help get rid of dead skin cells and soften the skin (11). You Will Need
1 tablespoon of powdered oatmeal 4-5 drops of olive oil
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this every alternate day.
10. Sesame Oil
Sesame oil has nourishing, moisturizing, and skin barrier repairing properties (12). This helps soften and soothe dry and cracked feet. You Will Need 4-5 drops of sesame oil What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this daily before going to bed.
11. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil moisturizes dry skin and also helps get rid of dead skin cells (13). It can penetrate to the deeper layers of the skin and nourish them (14). You Will Need
2 tablespoons of coconut oil A pair of socks
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Repeat this for a few days.
12. Listerine Soak
Soaking your feet in Listerine can soften the hardened dead skin and make it easier to be scrubbed off. Listerine is also an antiseptic and soothes the skin because of the phytochemicals like menthol and thymol that are present in it. However, there is no scientific evidence to back these effects. You Will Need
1 cup Listerine 1 cup white vinegar 2 cups of water A basin Foot file or pumice stone
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Repeat this every day for 3-4 days until the dead skin wears off.
13. Baking Soda
Baking soda is a commonly used exfoliant (15). It removes dead cells and also soothes the skin. However, this remedy is better to avoid if you have deep fissures which appear like wounds. You Will Need
3 tablespoons of baking soda Warm water A bucket Pumice stone
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this 2 times a week.
14. Apple Cider Vinegar
The mild acids present in ACV act as chemical exfoliators (16). They help soften the dry and dead skin and reveal fresh and healthy skin. You Will Need
1 cup apple of cider vinegar Warm water A basin
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Repeat this the next day or after a day’s gap, if required.
15. Epsom Salt
Epsom salt softens the skin and also soothes tired feet (17). It also improves skin barrier function, reduces inflammation, and keeps your skin hydrated (18). You Will Need
1/2 cup of Epsom salt Warm water A foot basin
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Repeat this 2-3 times a week.
16. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera soothes dry and dead skin. It heals the ridges and cracks that have formed by increasing collagen synthesis. The amino acids present in it help soften the skin (19). You Will Need
Aloe vera gel Lukewarm water Foot basin A pair of socks
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Repeat this every night for 4-5 days.
17. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil helps reduce inflammation (20). It also has wound-healing properties that help in healing the cracks. Coconut oil (or love oil) moisturizes dry skin and heals cracks. You Will Need
5-6 drops of tea tree oil 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil A pair of socks
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this every night before going to bed.
18. Pumice Stone
The rough surface of the pumice stone can easily scrape off the dead skin to reveal healthy and soft skin. You Will Need
Pumice stone Warm water A basin/tub
What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Do this once daily. Caution: Do not scrub too harshly with the pumice stone as it can damage the healthy layers of the skin.
19. Vitamin E Oil
Vitamin E oil nourishes and hydrates the skin and makes your heels smooth and soft (21). You Will Need Vitamin E capsules What You Have To Do How Often You Should Do This Reapply vitamin E oil 2-3 times a day.
20. Shea Butter
Shea butter hydrates, nourishes, and moisturizes the skin (22). It also possesses healing properties and improves various skin conditions related to dryness because of its vitamin A and vitamin E content.
1-2 tablespoons organic shea butter A pair of socks
Repeat this for a few nights for soft heels. With proper care, it takes about 7-14 days to see the first signs of healing. This depends on how severely your heels are cracked. If you have skin issues like psoriasis and eczema, or medical conditions like diabetes and hormonal imbalance, visit your doctor immediately to avoid adverse effects. Check out the causes of cracked heels below.
What Causes Cracked Heels?
There are many factors responsible for dry, cracked heels. There are no oil glands present in the skin of your heels. Thus, if proper care is not taken, they get dry, thereby causing the skin to crack and bleed. Other reasons for cracked heels are:
Skin conditions, like psoriasis and eczema. Medical conditions, like thyroid, diabetes, and hormonal imbalance. Exposing heels to pollution. Excessive walking and standing on hard floors for long.
What Are The Symptoms Of Dry, Cracked Heels?
The symptoms of dry and cracked heels are:
Dryness around the heel area and in the area on the underside of your feet, just below the toes. Red and flaky patches of skin. Skin peeling in thin strands. Cracks and ridges in the skin. Itchiness Bleeding from the cracks. Discharge from the cracks due to a developed infection.
Prevention is better than cure. There are many home remedies and lifestyle tips to prevent cracking of heels. Take a look.
Tips To Prevent Cracked Heels
Proper moisturization is the first step to prevent dry heels. Wearing comfortable shoes, refraining from excessive walking, and avoiding overexposure to pollution are the easiest ways to prevent cracked heels. Scrubbing your heels regularly with pumice stone and dipping them in warm salt water or water with lemon juice added to it can keep them clean and soft. Relaxing your feet and indulging in foot massages with oil also prevents dryness and cracked heels. Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated and supple.
Now that you know how to get rid of cracked heels, what are you waiting for? Try out these home remedies for cracked heels and see the difference. Check out the infographic below to learn more about the best essential oils you can use in foot soaks or DIY foot creams to heal broken and dry heels. Does diabetes cause cracked heels? Yes, diabetes is one of the causes of cracked heels (23). Uncontrolled blood sugar levels damage the nerves of the feet, which leads to dry skin. As there are no oil glands present on the skin of the feet, they are usually dry. The thick dry skin on the heels, known as callus, can develop heel fissures. As it is overly dry, it cracks and bleeds. People with diabetes are prone to serious infections from cracked heels that are difficult to treat. Hence, taking good care of the feet and treating cracked heels in the initial phase is advisable for individuals with diabetes. How long will it take to cure cracked heels? With proper care and relaxation, it takes about 7-14 days to see the first signs of healing. This depends on how badly your heels are cracked, skin issues, like psoriasis and eczema, or medical problems, like diabetes and hormonal imbalance. Why do only heels crack but not other parts of the feet? As there are no oil glands on the skin of your feet, this area tends to become dry. The skin on the heels is thick and dry, and with excessive activity, it tends to bleed and crack. Standing on a cold or hard floor for long, intensive walking, and being overweight are some of the reasons heels crack. The middle part of the foot is hollow and well secured. Most of the body’s weight is borne by the heels. As they are dry and bloated, they tend to crack easily. At times, these cracks go deep and start bleeding.
