Cracked heels: any recommendations?

This is starting to get really frustrating. I have this crack on my left heel that just won't heal properly. It’s deep enough that even when it seems okay, a little mark remains, and then after a while, it just splits right back open again.

Baman, it’s such a pain because even after I manage to smooth everything out with a pumice stone, the crack just reappears. The worst part is that it actually hurts when I walk...

Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this once and for all? 😕

For several years now, I’ve been dealing with constant issues with the skin on my heels. Whether it’s the middle of summer or the dead of winter, the skin just keeps cracking—to the point where it actually starts bleeding. I’ve already gone to a podiatrist to have the thick, dry layers filed down, but it feels like a temporary fix; before I know it, that hard, calloused skin is right back again, splitting wide open. I stay on top of it by regularly using a foot file and applying moisturizer, but honestly, it feels like I’m just spinning my wheels. I’m at a loss here because the irritation and the pain while walking are becoming unbearable. Could this be caused by some kind of vitamin deficiency, or am I just stuck with this type of skin? I don't think my footwear is playing much of a role in this.

Man, I’ve been dealing with this exact same headache for two decades now. Honestly, there isn't a single cream or ointment out there I haven't tried. But this winter, I finally stumbled onto something that actually works. Go to a pharmacy and grab that Eucerin foot cream with 10% urea. It’s a total game-changer, guaranteed. My big tip? You really need to commit and go through at least two tubes. Don't just slap it on top of your skin—you’ve gotta actually massage it in every single day to make it stick. Once you've done that initial heavy lifting, you can just use it whenever you feel things getting dry again. It’s definitely on the pricier side, usually running around $27 depending on which CVS you hit up, but it spreads really easily, so a little goes a long way. Good luck.

I’m not sure if you’ve ever given this a shot, but honestly, Vaseline works wonders for me. I just grab the most basic tub at $2.75—nothing fancy, just the standard stuff—slather it thick on my feet, throw on some cotton socks, and sleep in them. It’s a total game changer 👍 Give it a go; it's way easier on the wallet than Eucerin... though, if even that doesn't do the trick, I guess you might have to bite the bullet and splurge on the Eucerin.

I really can't recommend Vaseline enough. Honestly, I’ve cycled through just about everything—from high-end luxury brands to the budget stuff at the drugstore—but this stuff is a total game-changer. My skin acts up constantly, no matter what the season is or how much the weather changes, but this cream always manages to save the day. It’s super affordable too (I think it's around $5.25) and, most importantly, it absorbs incredibly fast without leaving that gross, greasy film behind!
🙏

Back when I worked at a Walgreens, they used to whip up custom ointments for cracked heels on the spot.
The formula was basically Vaseline mixed with some salicylic acid... try to track that down, it should do the trick.

I think some calendula cream might do the trick (you can find some at Walgreens, and it won't break the bank).
Regarding what you mentioned about constantly picking at it—I honestly think that might be the root of the problem. I went through a phase where I did the exact same thing, and I ended up scrubbing my skin raw.

Try to pick at it less and focus more on moisturizing with creams. And honestly, just because a cream has a high price tag doesn't mean it's going to work any better.😉

My heels are incredibly hard and cracked—and I mean deeply cracked, like literal trenches in a dry field.
It’s honestly miserable to walk like this, and it's been going on for years now with absolutely nothing working.
Not even that expensive specialty balm everyone raves about—we wasted so much money on it—nor any other standard moisturizer for dry skin.
We’ve tried chamomile treatments, and right now we're using some organic brand from Whole Foods specifically for extreme dryness.
It becomes a massive issue when you're on your feet all day!
Please, if anyone has a reliable, PROVEN recommendation for a cream that actually works, let me know.
Thanks.

@Morgan Morales59 - for topical stuff, you should check out Schollov's leg line... (honestly, with how much you've dealt with this, you've probably already heard about that whole messy ritual where you slather on the cream, wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap, and then throw some socks over it before bed?) for the internal side of things, maybe find a solid multivitamin and mineral complex, specifically one heavy on B-vitamins, Vitamin E, and evening primrose oil. it really depends on your age though (you didn't mention if you're in your 30s or 50s or what?) so it might even be a question of whether hormone replacement therapy is worth looking into. oh, and seriously, make sure you're drinking enough water every day.

Tyler James5 said:@Morgan Morales59 - for topical stuff, you should check out Schollov's leg line... (honestly, with how much you've dealt with this, you've probably already heard about that whole messy ritual where you slather on the cream, wrap the whole thing in plastic wrap, and then throw some socks over it before bed?) for the internal side of things, maybe find a solid multivitamin and mineral complex, specifically one heavy on B-vitamins, Vitamin E, and evening primrose oil. it really depends on your age though (you didn't mention if you're in your 30s or 50s or what?) so it might even be a question of whether hormone replacement therapy is worth looking into. oh, and seriously, make sure you're drinking enough water every day.

Is that line available at pharmacies? No, unfortunately, it isn't.
Age? 45.
I'll go looking.
Oh, thank you so much!!

vividtrucker92 said:Man, I’ve been dealing with this exact same headache for two decades now. Honestly, there isn't a single cream or ointment out there I haven't tried. But this winter, I finally stumbled onto something that actually works. Go to a pharmacy and grab that Eucerin foot cream with 10% urea. It’s a total game-changer, guaranteed. My big tip? You really need to commit and go through at least two tubes. Don't just slap it on top of your skin—you’ve gotta actually massage it in every single day to make it stick. Once you've done that initial heavy lifting, you can just use it whenever you feel things getting dry again. It’s definitely on the pricier side, usually running around $27 depending on which CVS you hit up, but it spreads really easily, so a little goes a long way. Good luck.

I used to suffer from this too, but I’ve managed to get it under control over the years by following the method described below—mostly after realizing that all the local products here in the States were a complete waste of time.
The reality is, you can't permanently "cure" this thing.

1. During the initial phase (about one month)
Soak your feet twice a week for about 30 minutes in five liters of warm water mixed with a teaspoon of baking soda.
2. Immediately after drying off, gently exfoliate using a pumice stone. (Please, for heaven's sake, do not try to cut or scrape the cracked skin away with sharp objects—like pedicure blades or scalpels—and don't force it to the point of injury. This isn't something you fix in one sitting.)
3. Apply a thick layer of Hautbalsan (calendula)
4. Put on some white ankle socks immediately and leave them on for an hour until the balm is fully absorbed.

Later on, once the initial treatment is done,
you should repeat this routine regularly—basically twice a month—especially during the summer when you're wearing sandals and going without socks.

A bag of baking soda (Keisernatron) is only about 50g, lasts a long time, and you can pick it up anywhere in Austria or Germany.
As for the Hautbalsan:
That calendula-based German product comes in a 250ml tub and lasts me up to six months.
I’m not entirely sure what the exact prices are in Germany because a friend usually ships it to me, but I know you can sometimes order it specially at certain American pharmacies.
It might seem like a slightly larger upfront investment, but it certainly won't exceed 25 Dollars, and you only need it twice a year.
Ultimately, you end up spending more on local products that don't even work.
PS: Now that we're part of the EU, you can find almost anything online, as international shipping and COD options are much easier to come by.

Morgan Morales59 said:Is that line available at pharmacies? No, unfortunately, it isn't.
Age? 45.
I'll go looking.
Oh, thank you so much!!

Yeah, you can find it at most pharmacies, Walgreens, CVS, and stuff like that.

At that age, it’s definitely tied to those hormone levels starting to dip—but man, that’s a whole other deep dive for the Women's Health board, just go check out this thread

p.s. regarding the post above—baking soda is just standard baking soda, and that calendula cream... yeah, you can grab that locally too.

...

Morgan Morales59 said:My heels are incredibly hard and cracked—and I mean deeply cracked, like literal trenches in a dry field.
It’s honestly miserable to walk like this, and it's been going on for years now with absolutely nothing working.
Not even that expensive specialty balm everyone raves about—we wasted so much money on it—nor any other standard moisturizer for dry skin.
We’ve tried chamomile treatments, and right now we're using some organic brand from Whole Foods specifically for extreme dryness.
It becomes a massive issue when you're on your feet all day!
Please, if anyone has a reliable, PROVEN recommendation for a cream that actually works, let me know.
Thanks.

Have you actually seen a dermatologist to rule out a fungal infection? Because if it's that severe, it might not just be the typical dry, dead skin people usually get on their heels. There has to be something else going on...😕

I guess I’m dealing with the exact same thing. Does anyone happen to know how to fix this? Maybe a cream, an ointment, a spray... honestly, anything at this point. It feels pretty deep-seated.

Ugh, I went through the exact same nightmare. My heels were cracking so deep they’d actually bleed. It was beyond uncomfortable—just straight-up painful. Honestly, I tried everything under the sun: drugstore lotions, fancy pharmacy creams, homemade stuff... you name it. But here's the kicker: the one thing that actually worked isn't even available in the US anymore. It was this ointment called Kerasal. My dermatologist prescribed it, and man, it was a lifesaver. After about six months of being super disciplined with it, I finally saw results. Then, because of some annoying regulatory nonsense, it got pulled from our local pharmacies. Luckily, my feet haven't cracked since. Now, I just keep them in check using Dr. Pasha's Gold Balm, a ceramic foot file, and some urea cream from Walgreens.

If you happen to have anyone living over in Germany, you might be able to find Kerasal in their pharmacies, so it’s worth asking. Plus, my local pharmacist told me they could probably just whip up a custom compound with the exact same ingredients as Kerasal if I really needed it. I'm keeping that option in my back pocket just in case things get bad again. 😉

Do you think you could maybe list the ingredients for that cream? I was thinking I might be able to have someone at a local Walgreens whip up a custom version for me. It’s pretty important that it’s safe to put directly on a wound, because my skin has cracked really deep. I haven't been putting anything on it since almost every cream out there says not to use them on open wounds, so it just seems to crack a little more every single day. I guess I'm just not sure how it's going to heal if I don't do something about it.

Sugar does massive damage to your entire body, and that includes causing those painful cracks in your heels.
My husband is a total sugar addict, and he recently developed two nasty fissures on his heels.
Since those wounds were incredibly painful, he decided to try cutting out sugar entirely to see if it helped.
We actually follow a vegetarian Mediterranean diet with plenty of raw foods; he hasn't stopped eating fruit, so fructose isn't an issue for us.
Within just 7 to 10 days, everything healed up completely without us ever needing to use any creams or medications.