What Causes Cracked Heels & How To Fix Cracked Heels

Do you suffer with dry cracked heels? Do you know what causes cracked heels? Do you know how to fix cracked heels fast? Do you know how to prevent cracked heels? Do you know what the best heel balm for cracked heels is? Do you know what the best cream for cracked heels is?

If you answered yes to the first question and no to any of the subsequent questions then read on as this article will answer all those questions plus more about dry cracked feet for you.

I teamed up with Janet Camilleri from Middle Aged Mama for this article. Janet has kindly shared her recent experience with painful cracked heels. This article then details what causes cracked heels and how to fix cracked heels.

My Experience With Dry Cracked Heels

When I first noticed the pain in my heel I thought it was just a splinter.

However closer inspection revealed that the soles of my feet were in a very sorry state. My skin was rough and dry, with the edges of my heels covered in cracks.

In fact, one of the cracks had split right open and was bleeding! No wonder I was in pain!

At the ripe old age of 50 something this was the very first time I had experienced a cracked heel.

What Causes Cracked Heels?

Cracked heels are also known as heel fissures, or keratoderma and there is no single answer as to what causes cracked feet. According to my local podiatrist, cracked heel causes are varied and due to a combination of factors. Often what causes dry feet escalates to the cause cracked feet.

7 Common Cracked Heels Causes

1. Spending a lot of time on your feet on hard floors. In my case we’d moved house that week, which meant I’d spent hours standing on our concrete tiles as I packed, cleaned and prepared for the move.
2. Not wearing protective or supportive shoes. In our household, we take our shoes off before coming indoors so there was nothing to support or protect my poor old feet while I worked. Due to the summer heat, when I did go outdoors, I wore thongs. Open-backed shoes like sandals and thongs allow the fat under the heel to expand sideways, increasing the likelihood of cracked heels.
3. Being overweight. Although I’m reluctant to admit it, these days I am carrying more weight than I should which is yet another cracked feet causes factor.
4. Ageing skin. Cracked heels become more common as you get older, as skin loses its elasticity and tends to become thicker and dryer.
5. The feminine factor. Cracked heels are more common in women than men.
6. Using harsh, drying soaps. Would you believe, in the week leading up to my heel problem, I’d run out of my usual moisturising soap and had been using a plain bath soap.
7. Prolonged hot showers / baths / exposure to water. I’d been cleaning and shifting, which meant I was having more showers and baths than usual.

So in the short space of time while I was moving I managed to hit the jackpot of having all seven above cracked dry heels causes!

Apart from looking just plain nasty, cracked heels can be painful and even become infected. Think of your heels as cushions designed to absorb the impact when you walk or run. Just like any cushion they deteriorate with age, becoming lumpy, bumpy and frayed around the edges!

Best Products For Cracked Feet – Treatment & Prevention

Fixing cracked heels isn’t that hard with the right products. There are many cracked heels remedy products and cracked heels prevention products on the market. These are the best cracked feet products for treatment and for prevention I have found.

Keep reading the sections after the table for further information on the best cracked heels treatment and prevention..

PRODUCT	IMAGE	USE / FEATURES	PRICE
Du'it Foot & Heel Balm Plus		Heel balm. Triple action formula. Contains urea & lactic acid. Usually results in visible improvements within 5 days. Diabetic friendly.	See Price Here
Du'it Roll-On Foot & Heel Balm		Heel balm. Roll-on applicator. Diabetic friendly.	See Price Here
NS-8 Heel Balm		Heel balm. Moisturises, repairs & exfoliates. Diabetic friendly. Fast absorbing. Contains natural & organic ingredients. Anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatories & healing actives.	See Price Here
Lansinoh HPA Lanolin		100% Ultra pure lanolin.	See Price Here
QV Intensive Moisturiser Cleanser		Intensive moisturiser cleanser.	See Price Here
Redwin Sorbolene Moisturiser		Moisturiser. Sorbolene with added Vitamin E.	See Price Here
QV Intensive Cream		Highly concentrated moisturiser. Relieves very dry skin.	See Price Here
Scholl Velvet Smooth Electronic Foot Care System		Exfoliation. Can be used wet & dry. Two speeds - gentle & intensive. Cordless. Easiest & best exfoliation.	See Price Here
Essential Bath Deluxe Pumice Stone		Exfoliation. Easy to hold handle.	See Price Here
Essential Bath 4 in 1 Pedicure Brush		Exfoliation. Easy to hold handle. Multi Purpose - includes nail brush to remove dirt & metal rasp to remove dead skin in addition to exfoliating pumice stone.	See Price Here
Revlon Pumice Stone		Exfoliation. Easy to hold. Cord for storing hanging up.	See Price Here

How To Fix Cracked Heels

Best Heel Balm For Cracked Heels

The treatment of choice to fix cracked heels is heel balm. Heel balms contain ingredients to moisturise, soften and exfoliate dead skin. This will help both fix skin that is already cracked and also prevent skin from drying out and cracking further.

The best heel balms usual contain active ingredients including urea, alpha hydroxy acids such as lactic acid and glycolic acid and various oils.

Du’it Foot & Heel Balm Plus is one of the most effective heel balms and the best heel balm Australia wide that I have trialed. It comes in a 50 ml tube.

Du’it Roll On Dry Foot & Heel Balm is another effective heel balm. This one comes in a 50ml roll-on which makes application even easier without having to get the balm on your hands.

Click HERE to purchase either of these two Du’it Foot & Heel Balms.

Another heel balm that has worked effectively for me and I am happy to recommend is the NS-8 Heel Balm Complex. This is confirmed by the NS8 heel balm reviews I have read that have all been overwhelmingly positive.

Click HERE to purchase NS-8 Heel Balm Complex.

Tips For Treating Cracked Heels

1. Apply heel balm in the morning to increase your skin’s elasticity before you become active.
2. Moisturise your heels several times a day.
3. Soak & exfoliate your feet. There are more details about the best way to do this in the next section. Do not use drying soaps.
4. Wear shoes to protect and support your heels.
5. Minimise the amount of time you spend standing during the day.
6. Prior to bed apply an occlusive moisturiser such as lanolin to your heels to seal in the moisture and prevent moisture evaporation. This can be a bit greasy however so wear 100% cotton socks to bed.
7. Keep an eye out for any signs of infection which may need medical attention.
8. Severe cases of cracked heels may require prescription medication.

Best Lanolin For Cracked Heels

Laninsoh HPA Lanolin is 100% ultra pure lanolin. Although this product is marketed for soothing, healing and protecting sore cracked nipples it works perfectly on cracked heels.

Click HERE to buy Laninsoh HPA Lanolin.

How To Prevent Cracked Heels

As with most things prevention is better than cure! So if you haven’t already then now is the time to establish your daily foot care routine to minimise your risk of developing painful cracked heels.

Cleanse

Wash your feet in warm water every day with a moisturising cleanser. Do not use normal soap as this can be very drying.

For extremely dry feet I recommend the dermatologists endorsed QV Intensive Moisturiser Cleanser.

Make sure you towel dry your feet thoroughly, especially between your toes to prevent infection.

Click HERE to purchase the QV Intensive Moisturiser Cleanser.

Best Foot Spa

Once a week I also use a Homedics foot spa to soak and massage my feet. The vibrating massage action and bubble action massage feels so good and the heated water is so soothing. This is the best foot spa I’ve seen. I  highly recommend using this once a week in the evening as you watch TV. You will feel like you’re walking on clouds after using it! Your feet will thank you for this weekly pamper.

Afterwards your moisturiser will absorb into your feet quicker than ever! Your feet will feel so soft and relaxed!

Moisturise

Before bed, slather your feet in a moisturising cream, such as sorbolene with Vitamin E. This gives the cream plenty of time to nourish your feet as you sleep, and you won’t leave creamy foot prints everywhere.

Redwin’s Sorbolene Moisturiser with Vitamins E is a good, budget priced, effective moisturiser for deep hydration and relief from dry skin.

Click HERE to purchase Redwin Sorbolene Moisturiser.

Another top moisturiser for cracked heels is QV Intensive Cream, a highly concentrated moisturising cream formulated for very dry skin.

Click HERE to purchase QV Intensive Cream.

Exfoliate

Once your skin is moisturised, gently rubbing a pumice stone over your heels and feet will help remove hard, dead skin and calluses.

Pumices are cheap to buy. I prefer pumices with a handle which makes them easy to hold and use in the bath and shower.

My favourite pumices include the Essential Bath Deluxe Pumice Stone and the Essential Bath 4 in 1 Pedicure Brush. This 4 in 1 Pedicure Brush includes a nail brush to remove dirt and a metal rasp to remove dead skin in addition to the pumice to remove calluses.

If you prefer a pumice stone without a handle the Revlon Pumice Stone is an ergonomic shape to easily hold in your hand too. This one also has a cord so you can store it hanging up.

Click HERE to purchase a pumice.

Best Foot Exfoliator

If you prefer to not do the exfoliating manually with a pumice stone then I highly recommend the Scholl Velvet Smooth Electronic Foot Care System as the best heel exfoliator. This electronic foot file is a total game changer and in my opinion it is the overall best foot exfoliator. Although it costs more than a pumice it is worth the cost. It is one of those devices that once you’ve bought it and experienced it you’ll wish you had bought it a lot sooner!

This Scholl Velvet Smooth Electronic Foot Care System gives you soft, beautiful feet effortlessly. It can be used wet and dry and has the choice of two speeds. There is a ‘gentle’ speed and an ‘intensive’ speed to choose from depending on the level of exfoliation you need.

It is a more sturdy device than other battery operated foot files I have seen and is the best foot exfoliator machine I’ve seen.

Click HERE to purchase the Scholl Velvet Smooth Electronic Foot Care System.

Dry cracked heels are such a common problem! Save this article on Pinterest for future reference or share it with your friends on Facebook. Your friends will thank you for this!

Click HERE to read a guide to the best skin, hair & nails beauty vitamins Australia has  to offer.

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Ingrid Norris

Ingrid is a lifelong beauty lover living in Australia who started Fabulous and Fun Life in 2014 to share her love of all things beauty. Being a qualified ergonomist Ingrid is especially interested in researching & testing beauty appliances to write product buying guides to help you find the best beauty appliance suited to your specific needs. Ingrid was an Influencer Judge in the TVSN Beauty Awards 2023, and also in 2021 in the hair care category. She has worked with numerous beauty brands & PR companies. To contact Ingrid, visit her contact page. Ingrid’s best beauty secret is sleeping on a silk pillowcase.