10 Simple Home Remedies For Cracked Heels. Graphic © herbshealthhappiness.com. Photo © AdobeStock 37751667 (under license)
Cracked heels are an annoying condition that is caused by dryness affecting the thickened skin of heels. We found a great page with 10 home remedies and the link is after our comments.
Most of these remedies focus on two principles: 1) intensive moisturization and 2) scrubbing away the thickened skin of the heel to leave the softer, more flexible skin underneath.
Now I’m imagining that some of these are going to work also for cracked fingertips. I suffer from that often and it drives me crazy! Why is something so tiny so unpleasant? I tend to get the cracked fingertips after intensive cleaning or other work that requires repeated washing of the hands or alternating wetness / dryness which strips away the skin’s natural oils.
One important home remedy for cracked heels that was missing from the list: Epsom Salt. Simply create a foot bath using a bowl of nice warm water, to which one cup of epsom salt has been added. Soak for at least 30 minutes. You can also use apple cider vinegar in place of the Epsom salt. Once you are done, dry the feet gently and then moisturize using coconut oil, shea butter or your favorite lotion.
One more thing I have to note – I would avoid the paraffin wax and vaseline remedies. Personally, I just don’t trust them because they are petrochemicals and so many petrochemicals are considered potential carcinogens. I would suggest coconut oil instead: Before going to bed, apply coconut oil to the affected area and then put some socks on.
Ok here’s the link to the full tutorial: https://stylecraze.com/articles/simple-home-remedies-for-cracked-heels/
If you liked this: Here are a couple of other posts we have that relate to this one:
101 Amazing Uses For Coconut Oil (ladies – coconut oil is awesome for silky soft skin!)
How To Make An All-Natural Herbal Healing Salve (superb herbal formula including calendula, plantain, lavender and other healing herbs)
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Agree with skipping the vasoline and parafin dip. Remember that anything you put on your feet/skin absorbs into your body. So keep it as natural. This includes cleansers and lotions. Think about that as you read the ingredients on the label……all of these ingredients are entering your body not just softening your skin.
Thank you so much for this information . I will use some for my entire family . Right now is very very dry in northern Nigeria. . Most of the people use Vaseline , though I was told it is non -toxic. You may shade more light on this please . Traditionally people here use. Black volcanic stones to scrub the feet and Shea butter . It really works Despite the dry season , most people have smooth feet . Rubbing ointments have become a must from the day they are born . A part of the culture . I am really surprised that the Vaseline is not safe , though Shea butter is about ten times cheaper , many unknowingly prefer the costly and toxic option . Also I thought all salt is sea salt. Don’t know right now where to get it .
Emergency use of Chap Stick works well too…being a diabetic, I have to watch my feet very carefully. Having a tube around sure has helped, after all, considering what chap stick does for the lips being cracked, it sure has helped.
I wouldn’t worry too much about Vaseline. A lot of information out there is not substantiated. http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/facts-and-myths-about-usp-white-petroleum-jelly-vaseline-547314.html
I love your posts, however, this one hits home to me. I am a Foot Care Nurse for 10 years now. My suggestion is not to soak for more than 10 min, because soaking feet leads to drying them out, basic care, our body will dehydrate if in water too long. I grew up with cracked heels and what worked for me is: don’t walk Barefoot on carpets, and keep yourself hydrated.
Vicks vaporub or similar works fine with me not only on the soles but also on the hands. The crack/wound heals with in 2 or 3 days application. Preferably after application put a plaster or band-aid to keep it from rubbing off.
I put lots of olive oil on feet, put feet in a plastic bag, put sock on to keep it all together. Go to sleep and the next morning – AMAZING! It helps ALOT every time. I usually do this, but think I’ll try soaking feet in Epsom salt water first the next time.
My podiatrist told me it was fungus from the dust in the street. He gave me an ointment which disappeared it!
I alternate soaking my feet in hot water and apple cider vinegar or hot water and a minty mouthwash like listerine. Then I rinse them off an use avacado oil or JoJoba oil to moisturize. I never have cracked heels. Either ACV or mouthwash will soften the dead skins so it comes off easily.
I am greatly interested in recieving your newsletter. Its a wonderfull thing to larn.
You can also use Poke Root Salve, available from Blueboyherbs.com. 2oz for $5
I like your site very much, it is very informative.
@Sharyn,
I have read somewhere, too, that it is akin to athlete’s foot. I think I will treat mine accordingly and report back here.
I have found that t-tree oil helps THE MOST, along with oral vitamin C, especially for cracked fingers.
So far.
I keep experimenting.
thank you
Aways very use full information .
Thank you very useful tips
I also suggest almond oil at night and socks on. Next morning your feet are just silky. 😉 thanks for sharing!
I have a problem of rubing in between my toes , tell I rub the skin all most off. I had this problem for more then 10 years and store bought stiff dose not work on my feet , like t sprays and stuff.
can any body help with this problem to let me kw what I should do. its worse then the cracks on my heels.. and I cant find whee the remadys are . jut this commit link.
Good article.
I will try with apple cider
I take some virgin coconut oil and put it on my feet,wrap them in plastic wrap then put on socks. Leave it on overnight. In the morning unwrap and use a pumis stone and wash dead skin away afterward. Then massage a generous amount of coconut oil back on my feet to continue to soften the hard dry part of my heels. Do this 3 times in a week and your heels are soft from that point on. Just use you pumis stone on a regular basis after that.
This is a great idea. Going to try this tonight for my husband, his cracked feet have become painful. Gonna add some healing Young Living essential oils too!
If you have cracked heels please get your blood sugar levels checked out because I had cracked heels for a long time and nothing helped then after a personal trauma it was discovered that I had raised blood sugar and put on Gluccophage and within a few months of cutting right down any sugar in my diet and power walking along with the medication hey presto the cracks have gone, it’s just another check area that may help some people.
it will be great kind of you if you would send me your newletter. I am living in KPK, Pakistan.
Hi, pls sign up here: https://www.herbs-info.com/daily-droplet.html
I have had this problem for 50 years. It is caused by fungus. I have done lots of things including some of what you recommend. The VERY best for me is “Sol-u-mel” sold by Melaleuca. Just put 1/2 tsp. in a warm foot bath for 10 – 15 minutes. Within a couple day the feet will be soft.
One thing I haven’t seen, altho I haven’t look thru all of the articles yet, is lanolin. One of the acute care hospitals I worked in made a habit of doing baths at night and every patient got a huge tub of lanolin. We would put it on the feet thick. I’ve seen some poor people with horrible cracked heels. Within a few days the old, cracked callouses would just about fall off and reveal lovely, smooth skin. Then we would switch to regular lotion. I use it all the time, now!
Sorry, I almost forgot. I didn’t like the smell and my girls complained about it, so I made a few improvements. Main ingredient was still lanolin. But I added shea, castor, olive and then peppermint essential oil just cos it felt SO good after a night of being on my feet. I’d heat the shea and lanolin just enough to melt and then put the bowl in an ice bath and whip while I added the liquid oils. Last in was the essential oil. Lovely! Rule of thumb, equal parts solid and liquid oils.
Apple Cider Vinegar is the best thing I have discovered for numerous things, especially Bragg’s Organic. As for the Vaseline, I should be dead if it is as carcinogenic as is claimed. Used it for so many things for over 60 years.