Cracked feet – usually experienced as dry, cracked heels – are a common foot problem that can range from a cosmetic nuisance to a painful medical issue. If you’re suffering from cracked heels, you’re not alone. Many Australians deal with rough, split skin on their heels, especially in dry weather or after long days on their feet. The good news is that cracked feet can be healed with proper care, and, even more importantly, they can be prevented. In this article, we’ll provide expert insights into what causes cracked feet, how to treat them (both at home and with professional help), and tips to prevent those painful heel cracks from coming back.
What Causes Cracked Feet?
Cracked feet almost always start with dry skin. When the skin loses moisture, it becomes less elastic and can’t flex with the pressure of walking, leading it to splitting. But what makes the skin on your heels so dry and cracked in the first place? Here are some of the most common causes and risk factors:
- Dry Weather and Hot Showers: Living in a dry climate or spending a lot of time in heated or air-conditioned environments can strip moisture from your skin. In fact, low humidity (for example, during a Sydney winter with indoor heating) or very hot baths and showers can dry out the skin on your feet, making cracks more likely.
- Prolonged Standing on Hard Surfaces: Jobs or daily routines that involve standing for long periods, especially on hard floors (like concrete), put extra pressure on the heels. Over time, this pressure causes the skin to harden and form calluses as a protective response, which can then crack under strain.
- Open-Back Shoes or Thongs: Wearing footwear that exposes the heel, such as sandals or thongs (flip-flops), can contribute to cracked heels. These shoes provide little cushioning and allow the skin to dry out from air exposure and friction. Walking in bare feet regularly can have a similar effect – without the protection or support of a shoe, your heel skin can become dry, hard, and prone to splitting.
- Poor Footwear Support: Shoes that don’t fit properly or lack cushioning support can cause your heel to expand sideways with pressure when you walk, leading to cracking. For instance, loose sling-backs or any shoes where your heel isn’t well-supported may increase the risk of fissures on the heel.
- Skin Conditions and Health Issues: Certain medical conditions can make you more prone to cracked feet. Common examples include diabetes, eczema, psoriasis, thyroid conditions, and others that cause dry skin or poor circulation.
- Ageing: As we get older, our skin naturally loses some of its elasticity and moisture. The heels’ skin can become thinner and drier with age, meaning it cracks more easily under pressure.
- Obesity or Increased Weight: Carrying extra weight can put added pressure on the heels. The fat pad under the heel expands under your weight, and if the skin is dry and inflexible, it may crack under this pressure.
- Inadequate Foot Care: Sometimes cracked heels simply result from neglecting routine foot care. Not moisturising your feet regularly, skipping exfoliation of hard skin, or walking around in bare feet without giving your heels any TLC can all lead to a buildup of dry, thick skin that’s prone to cracking.
Often, it’s a combination of factors that leads to cracked feet – for example, a middle-aged person (ageing skin) who stands all day at work on hard floors, wears open-back shoes, and forgets to moisturise their feet will be very likely to get cracked heels. The key takeaway is that dryness plus pressure = cracks.
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Cracked Heels
It might be tempting to ignore dry, cracked feet, especially if they’re not hurting yet. However, cracked heels should be addressed early for several reasons:
- Prevent Pain: What starts as mild dryness can quickly become painful if the cracks deepen. Walking or even standing can become quite uncomfortable once you have fissures in your heels. Treating your feet early keeps you comfortable on your feet.
- Avoid Infection: Cracked skin can open a pathway for germs. Deep cracks sometimes bleed or weep, and those openings can let bacteria in, leading to infections like cellulitis. Infected heels might become red, warm, swollen, and more painful, requiring medical treatment. It’s much better to prevent this by keeping the skin intact.
- Protect Your Overall Health (Especially for Diabetics): If you have conditions like diabetes or neuropathy, you may not feel a small cut or crack on your foot – and it can worsen quickly without you realising.
- Improve Appearance and Confidence: Let’s not forget, having smooth, healthy heels is a big confidence boost – you won’t feel the need to hide your feet in public or at the beach.
Bottom line: cracked feet are more than just a cosmetic issue. Address cracks early so they heal faster and don’t lead to bigger issues. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments available.
How to Treat Cracked Feet at Home
Most cases of cracked feet can be improved with some diligent home care. The goal is to gently remove the hard, dead skin and deeply moisturise the heels so that the skin becomes flexible and can heal. Here are some expert-recommended steps to treat cracked heels at home:
- Soak Your Feet and Exfoliate: Start by giving your feet a warm foot bath. Soak your feet in warm (not hot) water for about 10–15 minutes to soften the hard skin.
- Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise: After exfoliating (or after a shower), pat your feet dry and immediately apply a rich moisturiser to your heels. For cracked heels, ordinary lotions might not be enough – look for a specialised heel balm or thick foot cream.
- Lock in Moisture Overnight: For an extra healing boost, apply a thick layer of your foot cream at night and then wear socks to bed. Cotton socks work well to trap the moisture against your skin (and they won’t overheat your feet). This overnight treatment gives the moisturiser more time to work. There are also gel-lined heel socks you can buy, which are designed to deeply hydrate cracked heels as you sleep. By morning, your feet will feel much softer.
- Protect the Cracks: If your heels are very cracked or painful, you can protect them as they heal. One option available at pharmacies is a liquid bandage or skin glue specifically for skin cracks.
- Choose Supportive Footwear: While your cracked heels are healing, switch out any flimsy or open-back shoes for more supportive footwear.
By following the above steps consistently, you should see improvement in a week or two. The hard skin will gradually soften and slough off, and the cracks will close up as new, healthy skin replaces the damaged skin. Keep in mind: if you’ve been caring for your feet at home for a week or two with little improvement, or if your heels are so cracked that they’re bleeding or very painful, it’s time to seek professional treatment.
Professional Treatment for Cracked Heels
Sometimes, cracked feet need a podiatrist’s expertise to heal properly. At ModPod Podiatry, we regularly treat patients with cracked heels – and the relief our patients feel after a proper treatment is huge. Here’s what a podiatrist can do for severe or stubborn cracked feet:
- Thorough Evaluation: First, we’ll assess the underlying cause of your cracked heels. Perhaps it’s simply dryness, but we also consider factors like foot mechanics (e.g. if your gait or foot shape causes extra heel pressure), skin conditions, or medical issues. Understanding the cause helps prevent the problem from coming back.
- Safe Removal of Thick Skin (Debridement): One of the quickest ways to jump-start healing is to remove the built-up calloused skin around the heels. A podiatrist will use sterile instruments (such as a scalpel or electric file) to carefully pare down the hard skin and calluses around the cracks. Don’t worry – this is generally painless because the skin being removed is dead and thick (we stop if we reach skin with feeling!). Removing this excess skin relieves pressure on the cracks and helps them close up faster. It also makes your heels instantly feel smoother. (It’s highly recommended not to attempt cutting thick calluses by yourself – there’s a risk of cutting too deeply or causing infection. It’s best done by a professional.)*
- Orthotics or Insoles if Needed: If we determine that foot structure or pressure distribution is contributing to your cracked heels, we might recommend orthotic insoles or heel pads. These can redistribute pressure away from the heel edges and provide better support. For example, people with very high arches or very flat feet might benefit from orthotic support to reduce heel pressure. We’ll customise solutions to your needs – sometimes a simple gel heel cushion in your shoe can make a big difference in preventing cracks.
- Medical Pedicure (Medi Pedi): At ModPod Podiatry, we also offer a medical pedicure service – essentially, it’s a comprehensive foot care session performed by our podiatrists. This is much more than a cosmetic pedicure. We sterilise and trim nails, remove calluses and dead skin, and moisturise your feet in a safe, clinical setting. If you’re dealing with cracked heels, a medical pedicure can be a great way to get your feet back into healthy shape safely (no risk of razors or infections that you might worry about at a standard nail salon). It leaves your feet feeling soft and revitalised. (You can learn more about what’s included in our Medical Pedicure service on our website.)
When to See a Podiatrist: You should seek professional help for cracked feet if you have deep cracks that are bleeding, any signs of infection (such as pus, redness, swelling, or warmth around the crack), persistent heel pain that makes walking difficult, or if you have an underlying condition like diabetes and develop even a minor crack. Also, if you’ve tried home care diligently and the cracks aren’t improving, a podiatrist can help with more advanced treatments. Remember, it’s always better to see someone sooner rather than later – we can prevent minor issues from becoming major problems.
