Dry, cracked heels, or heel fissures, are a common issue that can affect both comfort and confidence. They occur when the thick skin on the bottom of the heel cracks and splits. While having cracked heels isn’t a serious medical condition, when left untreated, the cracks can escalate into painful fissures or infections, making walking difficult. Their unsightly appearance may also deter people from wearing sandals and other open footwear.
Maintaining foot health goes beyond appearances—it’s essential for overall well-being, enabling pain-free movement and preventing skin complications. This guide explores causes, treatments, and prevention strategies for dry, cracked heels, offering practical advice to restore the health of your feet and keep them looking their best.
Causes of Dry, Cracked Heels
Dry, cracked heels can result from various factors, including cold, dry weather, standing for long periods of time, improperly fitting shoes, and certain medical conditions.
Environmental Factors
Cracked heels often worsen during winter and in cold, dry climates, as cold weather and low humidity dehydrate the skin. Additionally, walking barefoot on hard or uneven surfaces—whether indoors or outdoors—exposes feet to friction and stress, forming dry, hard calluses around the heel and further drying out the skin. Prolonged water exposure, like in hot showers or baths, can also strip the skin of its natural oils, leaving your heels more vulnerable to dryness and cracking.
Medical Conditions
The following health conditions increase susceptibility to developing cracked heels:
- Diabetes: Diabetes can damage the nerves affecting your body’s ability to control the production of oil and moisture in your feet. This can cause the skin to become very dry, peel, and crack, known as diabetes dry feet.1
- Eczema: Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes dry, itchy skin, rashes, and skin infections. These conditions weaken the skin barrier, leaving heels prone to dryness, inflammation, and cracking.2
- Psoriasis: This autoimmune condition causes scaly, inflamed patches of skin that may itch and bleed. Psoriasis affecting the soles of the feet can make heels more susceptible to dryness and cracking.3
- Hypothyroidism: Excessively dry, scaly skin on the soles of the feet is a common symptom of hypothyroidism, a condition that occurs when the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormone.4
- Obesity: Carrying extra weight increases pressure on the feet, which can lead to skin breakdown and cracks, particularly in the heels.
Lifestyle Habits
Wearing open-back shoes or sandals may be convenient and comfortable on warmer days, but they expose your heels to environmental stressors, accelerating moisture loss. Standing for extended periods—common in healthcare, retail, and construction professions—places constant pressure on the heels, contributing to callus formation and eventual cracking.
Consequences of Untreated Cracked Heels
While cracked heels aren’t a serious medical condition, when left untreated, they can escalate into painful fissures or infections, underscoring the importance of prompt care.
- Pain and discomfort: Cracks in the heels can deepen over time, making walking or standing painful. Everyday tasks can become challenging, reducing quality of life.
- Risk of infections: Open cracks provide an entry point for bacteria and fungi, increasing the risk of conditions like cellulitis or athlete’s foot. Infections may require medical attention and delay healing.
- Thickened skin and calluses: The body responds to stress on the heels by creating thicker layers of skin, known as calluses. While protective in the short term, these can worsen the appearance of cracked heels and make them harder to treat.
Why Moisturization is Key to Cracked Heel Repair
The skin is your body’s largest organ. It serves many important roles, from protection against external pathogens and chemicals to helping regulate body temperature. Skin characteristics vary across different parts of the body, with certain areas being thicker, hairier, oilier, or sweatier than others. As such, different types of skin require targeted care to stay healthy.
The Unique Needs of Foot Skin
The skin on your feet, particularly the heels, is naturally drier than other areas because it contains fewer sebaceous glands. These glands produce oil, which helps retain moisture. Without this natural lubrication, the skin on the feet is more prone to becoming dry, rough, and cracked.
Importance of Deep Hydration for Feet
Moisturizers help by restoring the skin’s natural barrier, enhancing its elasticity and reducing dryness. Hydrated skin is more supple, which allows cracks to heal more efficiently and prevents new ones from forming. Targeted creams are formulated for specific concerns and conditions. Our guide to the Best Treatments for Cracked Heels & Dry Feet outlines the most important features to look for when choosing an effective moisturizer for your feet
How to Prevent Dry Feet
Your feet are one of the most abused areas of your body—they support the weight of your body and sustain impact as you walk, run, dance, and move through life. Establishing a foot care routine to prevent dryness and cracks from developing in the first place is essential for keeping feet healthy and maintaining mobility.
Establish a Foot Care Routine
A consistent routine can prevent cracked heels and maintain soft, healthy feet.
- Exfoliation: Use a pumice stone or a gentle foot scrub weekly to remove dead skin that can harden and lead to cracks. Avoid aggressive scrubbing, which can damage or aggravate the skin.
- Moisturization: Apply a rich foot cream daily, ideally after a shower when the skin is slightly damp. This maximizes absorption. Massage the cream into the heels and other dry areas for optimal results.
- Soaks and masks: For deeper hydration, soak your feet in warm water infused with Epsom salts or essential oils. Follow up with an overnight foot mask or wrap your feet in moisturizing socks.
Preventative Measures
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Take easy steps to prevent dryness and cracks from developing now so your feet will comfortably take you where you need to go later.
- Wear comfortable shoes and socks: Choose supportive footwear with a closed heel to protect the skin on your soles and heels. Wear socks made from breathable materials like cotton to prevent sweat buildup, which can dry out the skin.
- Hydrate: Moisturizers help hydrate the skin from the outside—but keeping skin healthy and moisturized starts with hydrating from the inside. Be sure to drink enough water throughout the day to support skin health from the inside out.
Tips for Long-Term Foot Care
Keeping your feet healthy goes a long way to keeping you moving comfortably through life. Adopt these habits to support your foot health long term:
- Regular foot massages: Massaging your feet relieves tension and improves blood circulation, delivering essential nutrients to the skin and promoting healing. Try massaging with a moisturizing foot rub for additional relief.
- Nail care: Keep toenails trimmed and clean to avoid ingrown nails or fungal infections that can complicate cracked heel treatment.
- Moisturizing socks: Invest in socks designed to enhance hydration. These often have a gel lining that locks in moisture, making them perfect for overnight use along with a high-quality moisturizing foot cream.
- Eat a nutrient-rich diet: Diets rich in vitamins A, C, and E support skin health.5 These nutrients are essential for collagen production and repairing dry or damaged skin.
- Maintain a healthy weight: Carrying excess body weight puts extra stress and strain on the feet, increasing the risk of foot pain and conditions like heel fissures.
When to Seek Help for Severe Cracks
If you have deep, persistent heel fissures that aren’t responding to self-care measures, you may benefit from professional support to help heal your feet and any underlying conditions causing dry, cracked heels. Consult your healthcare provider if:
- The skin around your heels is red, swollen, or painful, which could indicate an infection.
- Over-the-counter creams don’t improve the condition after consistent use.
- Your heel fissures develop into sores.
Takeaway
Cracked heels may start as a minor annoyance—but without proper care, they can evolve into a painful condition that increases your risk of infection and interferes with mobility. Protect your heels with supportive footwear, keep your feet well-moisturized with high-quality foot creams like Heal & Rescue’s Superior Moisturizing Foot Cream, exfoliate regularly, and treat calluses early with a callus softening cream like Heal & Rescue’s Super Crack Cream. By incorporating a targeted daily foot care routine, you are taking the first steps toward smoother, healthier heels!
References
1. Foot Complications | ADA. Accessed November 18, 2024.
2. Chovatiya R. Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema). JAMA. 2023;329(3):268.
3. Psoriasis Types, Symptoms & Causes | NIAMS. Accessed November 19, 2024.
4. Cohen B, Cadesky A, Jaggi S. Dermatologic manifestations of thyroid disease: a literature review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023;14:1167890.
5. Januszewski J, Forma A, Zembala J, et al. Nutritional Supplements for Skin Health—A Review of What Should Be Chosen and Why. Medicina (B Aires). 2023;60(1):68.
