Help! Cracked/dry heels

A good foot cream morning and night can help. I like Flexitol. It can feel a bit greasy but it soon soaks in.

DH uses E45 cream on his heels. I doubt he's worried about the sight of 'em though.

Try exfoliating your feet (olive/any oil and course salt works and is cheap) before bed then dry them and massage in the oil alone. Put on cotton socks overnight.
The problem with removing hard skin is that it protects your feet so generally comes back sooner or later.
Moisturising them nightly and wearing socks can help.
I use oil or Vaseline +socks on mine, it works!
Once well moisturised you need only do it weekly.

Thank you! I will try all of the above and report back!

Can someone tell me what all these abbreviations are.dh sh etc. whT am I missing?

I usually start the summer with a visit to the chiropodist who will deal with hard skin more thoroughly than you get with a pedicure. And then maintain the rest of the year myself using a Scholl tool rather like a fine cheese grater (after soaking feet) and a foot file on dry feet.

The best cream ever for moisturizing feet is CCS Foot Care Cream Swedish Formula from Amazon. Flexitol is good also.

Mine improved when I let the air get to them, both in winter and summer. I go barefoot in the house.

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I used to have this trouble. I wash my feet night and morning, use a good cream, lately it has been Avon's heel and elbow cream. I also have a Ped egg for filing down the hard skin. This seems to work well for me.

Flexitol - fantastic

I live 6 months of the year in Cyprus and go bare foot in the house as we have ceramic tiles everywhere and they are lovely and cold!! However I do get cracked heels at the beginning of a visit. Scholl do an excellent cream, I apply it at night and put on socks ( toes cut of to get air to them) and leave on overnight. If really bad I also do during the day for a couple of days. Works a treat.

Does wearing socks inside one's shoes make a difference, a positive difference in that one's less likely to get cracked heels? Just wondering. I've never had cracked heels in spite of having very dry skin. It's not often warm enough or dry enough here for me to go sockless.

A few years ago I noticed that I had very cracked skin around the heels, not very attractive. Since then I have used CCS foot cream from Boots, pretty much daily, occasionally missing a few days when I've forgotten to pack it whilst away. I'm happy to say this sorted the problem out for me, I imagine any foot cream would do the job.

From my own experience, wearing socks and regular applications of CCS Foot Cream Care S.F. prevents hard dry skin build up and cracking. I can't wear open sandals but wear light summer shoes with little slip-on socks which don't show above the shoe.

My husband had hard dry skin build-up on his thumbs which cracked repeatedly and became v. sore. To over come this, he regularly creamed his thumbs with my foot cream, and wore light cotton gloves under his working gloves. End of problem.

I've been very conscious of the need to keep my heels crack-free since two friends got severe cellulitis infections and had to be hospitalised and put on intravenous antibiotics.The temptation is to use cream on the heels only when they become visible in summer sandals. I use cream on my feet all year long and never have cracked heels. There are plenty of good creams and lotions on the market. Wearing socks in bed helps the cream to soak in and protects your bedding from greasy marks. Once a week I use pumice on my feet - it's kinder than a foot file.

I've got dry and sensitive skin and I've never had a problem with cracked heels, though DH does quite badly. Just thinking about it, if my feet hurt I put some cream on them,same with hands. If I have any leftover face or body cream I automatically rub it on my elbows or heels almost unconsciously.
I have orthotics so need a sandal or light shoe with an enclosed heel and wear the same sort of sock as ffinn.
At home it varies between light shoes or barefoot. Slip on mules at night so I don't tread on any creepy-crawlies.

I find Senspa cream just brilliant and put it on before socks and before the gym - works a treat combines with regular pedicure

I have heard that equal measures of Listerine, white vinegar and water used as a foot soak is very good but I have not had chance to try it myself.

Boots Intensive Food Softener is excellent as it contains the vital ingredient Urea which helps keep skin soft and crack free. I use it every day.

Look after your feet as you would your teeth. Every night they get brief attention with the thing that sands them down. Also lately I have used Veeno cream instead of body lotion and my feet are now soft.

Sorry I mean Aveeno cream

I go to a podiatrist in Spain who does wonders with my feet for €30. She recommends Urea, but says I should use a cream that is 30% or higher. I found LCN Urea on Amazon and use it after every shower and never have hard skin.

I use Body Shop Hemp Foot Protector 3 times a week and regularly remove hard skin using the Scholl Express Pedi. Works for me!

A violinist who performed on a cruiseship I went on, recommended Compeed, which she used for her fingers which got sore from using the bow, and the keys on the violin. Boots sell it, as it was made for feet not hands!!

I tried it and it worked. But Balneum is also good (it contains urea) and some GPs will prescribe it.