How To Heal Cracked Heels In 4 Steps, According to Doctors

Chilly winter temps and dry indoor air are not only just bad news for your skin (causing itchy, irritated dry patches) or nails (hello, brittleness), but it's also open season for heel cracking — and you shouldn't wait until your spring or summer pedicure to roll around to do something about it. If you want to take those dry, cracked feet into your own hands, and it’s probably about time to learn how to care for them yourself. (It's really not that hard.) Cracked heels affect approximately 48% of the population, and, according to this 2026 study, it's more prevalent in females and those with high foot strain. Even if you don't suffer from the condition significantly, it's always encouraged to invest in preventive care. That's why we did a bit of investigative work into what exactly is causing your dry, cracked heels — here, top dermatologists and doctors break it down, and offer solutions on how to treat them.

What causes cracked heels?

Because there are a handful of different causes, it might take some time to figure out exactly what is leading the condition of your feet. Your dry, cracked feet can be caused by the skin condition eczema, which is typically genetic and is most common on hands and feet, says Heather Woolery-Lloyd, board-certified dermatologist. She also says that age can play into it because "as people get older the skin tends to get drier and produces less natural oils." Other causes of dry, cracked heels include "diabetes, eczema, hypothyroidism, Sjögren's syndrome, juvenile plantar dermatosis, infections such as athlete's foot, biomechanical factors such as flat feet, heel spurs, or standing for long periods of time, particularly on hard flooring, and open-healed or poorly fitting shoes, as well as dry, cold weather," says Dr. Miguel Cunha, board-certified surgical podiatrist and founder of Gotham Footcare.

How to heal cracked heels.

To combat your cracked heels, follow these four easy steps to put a fresh spring in your step.

Step 1: Soak + Exfoliate.

Once a week, set aside a little time after you shower to treat your feet. The key is to soften your calloused, dry feet in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes. If you’re feeling fancy, put in a few drops of your favorite essential oil or use a pre-packaged foot soak like Dr. Teal’s Pure Epsom Salt that has peppermint essential oil, baking soda, aloe and coconut oil in it to repair and refresh. Soaking your feet will hydrate your calloused skin and make it easier for a pumice stone or foot file to do its job.Afterwards, physically exfoliate and slough off dead skin with a pumice stone or a foot file.

Step 2: Moisturize On The Reg.

For hardened heels, it’s crucial to use a moisturizer daily. “Look for one with urea or lactic acid on the ingredient label as these will exfoliate as well as hydrate,” explains Emily Splichal, DPM, a functional podiatrist and human movement specialist.

Dr. Cunha recommends softening the feet with Bare 40 Moisturizing Urea Gel. "I inform my patients to apply this gel evenly throughout both feet at night, wrap their feet with saran wrap, and wear socks to bed." You can also look to your pantry for a DIY solution. “You can put any oils — olive oil or coconut oil — on the heel but wait to do this until after you soak as oils acts as a sealant to moisture,” Dr. Splichal furthers. She also suggests sealing it into skin with saran wrap to lock in moisture (or you can always opt for moisturizing socks like these, with built-in aloe).

Step 3: Choose The Right Footwear.

If you’re constantly dealing with cracked skin, it may be time to reevaluate your shoe collection as certain pairs can aggravate heels — “especially tighter ones that are restrictive of movement like boots or pairs that have a stiff heel counter (the little plastic insert that’s used to reinforce the heel cup and increase support),” notes Dr. Splichal. Her favorite sole soothers? Shoes with softer fabrics that don’t have a heel counter, such as All Birds.

Step 4: Make Foot Care Part Of Your Routine.

Just like your skincare routine, it’s equally important to continue to give your feet some TLC—even after you’ve healed them. “The best treatment for cracked heels is avoiding it in the first place which means daily moisturizing and weekly exfoliating — this is important in both cold and warm weather,” advises Dr. Splichal. If you're already a skincare enthusiast, then this shouldn't be a hard step to add to your regimen.

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Nail Care Tips for the Elderly

The normal nail changes that come with aging mean you'll need to adapt your nail care routine in the following ways:

Trim Nails Every 6–8 Weeks: The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you keep your nails short, clean and dry. Nails should be cut straight across with a slight round at the edges. Short nails are less likely to break or catch on objects.

Get Adequate Nutrition: Nutrition is one of the essential building blocks for strong, healthy nails. The Cleveland Clinic recommends adequate protein, iron and vitamin B to keep nails at their best. Your nutritional needs should be met by eating whole foods, meats, fruits and vegetables. It's important to talk to your doctor if you or your loved one has concerns about proper nutrition.

Moisturize: Give your hands and feet a little extra love with a nice moisturizer or hand cream before bed. And don't forget your nails and cuticles. You can help restore moisture lost through aging and frequent washing. Rub the lotion into your fingernails and cuticles. The John Hopkins Center recommends using a lotion on your feet, too, if you have dry skin. But skip the area between your toes, as lotion there can increase your risk of fungal infections.

Protect Your Nails: Treat your nails carefully. Don't bite or chew your fingernails or use them as a tool to pry open soda pop tops. Keep your toenails safe with shoes that fit properly and give your toes room to move. Wearing slip-on shoes at the pool can reduce the risk of fungal infections around your toenails.

Get Help for Problems: Your nails can provide helpful information about your overall health. If your nails change, swell, separate from the skin, are bleeding or are causing you pain, see your health care provider. This is particularly important if you have diabetes or poor circulation. Source

How Do Nails Change With Age?

Just like any other part of the body, your nails change as you age. Common aging-related changes include nails becoming:

• Harder and thicker
• Brittle and more prone to breaking
• Longer time to grow
• Different in color, from translucent and shiny to yellow and opaque
• More susceptible to fungal infections around the nail beds
• More likely to experience complications of ingrown toenails, including infection, pain, and difficulty walking

How Can Seniors Prevent Nail Problems?

Medical, mobility, and cognitive concerns can make necessary fingernail and toenail care a lesser priority for aging seniors. However, there are a few things you can do to reduce the risk of problems, including:

Visit a podiatrist

Seniors should visit a podiatrist as part of their regular preventive care routine. It’s even more important to visit a podiatrist if you or a loved one has diabetes, which can cause problems with circulation and healing as well as infections in the feet. A podiatrist can assess overall foot health, teach proper toenail clipping techniques that reduce the risk of ingrown toenails, and trim your senior’s toenails if they are unable to trim them on their own. 

Let your feet breathe

Wearing shoes and socks around the house can indeed improve balance and stability for seniors, which reduces the risk of a fall. However, shoes and socks create a warm, moist environment that may increase the risk of developing foot fungus. Giving the feet and toenails a chance to “breathe” by exposing them to fresh air can lower the risk of fungal infections. After bathing, be sure feet and toes are dry before putting on socks, slippers, or shoes to reduce the risk of a fungal infection.

Trim nails regularly

Germs, dead skin cells, and dirt love to lurk under nails, so keeping nails trimmed may reduce the spread of germs and infection. Nails should be checked weekly and trimmed or filed as needed. If your older adult has thicker nails, trimming them after a warm bath or shower may make the nails softer and easier to cut. If your older adult is diabetic, check with their primary care provider about nail care recommendations. Some older adults may need a podiatrist to trim their toenails. Using a nail file straight across can smooth rough spots after trimming. A file can be used alone if your older adult has thinner nails.

Eat the right nutrients

Eating a diet rich in fruits, leafy grains, lean meats, salmon, beans, eggs, nuts, and whole grains — as well as calcium and vitamin A, B, and C — can help support nail health. 

Nail care is an important part of personal grooming.

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Benefits of Coconut Oil for Your Nails & Cuticles

 

5 Ways to Boost Your Circulation in Your Hands and Feet

As you age, you may have decreased blood circulation to your feet or hands. It is important to maintain healthy circulation. To help promote healthy circulation in your feet and hands here are a few tips...

1. Keep your legs elevated 

Try to prop up your feet at least slightly higher than your hips when you’re sitting down. This means gravity makes it easier for the blood in your legs to travel back up to your heart. 

If you often find yourself nodding off when sitting upright in a chair, try to lie down in your bed instead if you’re feeling tired.  

This will stop blood pooling in your legs as you sleep. 

2. Stay active 

Whether it’s walking, swimming or gardening, any form of exercise can help to get your blood pumping. 

The NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every week. This is exercise that makes you feel warm and breathe a bit faster, but you can still have a conversation. 

Stretching your body can also help to improve your circulation.  

You could try wriggling your toes or rotating your ankles if you have been sitting down for a long time.  

Yoga is a great way to improve blood flow too. 

3. Drink more water 

Around half of your blood is made of water, so staying hydrated is key. 

If you’re not drinking enough fluid, you will have less blood in your body, and your blood may also become thicker. 

To keep things moving, the UK Government’s Eatwell Guide recommends drinking six to eight glasses of water or fluids a day. 

But if you have heart failure, check with your doctor, as you may need to drink less than this to stop fluid building up in your body. 

4. Eat a healthy diet 

If you’re living with excess weight, your heart has to work harder to pump blood around your body, as your body is larger. 

You're also at a higher risk of fatty plaques building up in the walls of your arteries. 

As well as regular exercise, changing your diet can help you lose weight. 

Swap meals high in saturated fats for a Mediterranean diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables, oily fish and wholegrains. 

5. Wear compression stockings

Speak to your doctor if you’re thinking about using compression stockings to improve your circulation.

These tight socks squeeze your legs to keep blood moving back up to your heart and reduce swelling.

However, they may irritate your skin or cause pain if you do not have the right size, so make sure to get medical advice before you start wearing them.

4 Things To Avoid If You Have Poor Circulation

1. Direct heat on hands and feet

If your hands and feet feel cold, you may be tempted to warm them with a hot water bottler or a portable heater.

But if your hands and feet are numb, you might not notice if they get too hot. This could cause you to burn or injure your skin.

Instead, wear gloves and socks to keep yourself warm and cosy. 

If you’re getting into a bath to warm yourself up, make sure it’s not too hot, and get in slowly.

2. Dry brushing

Some people claim using a dry, stiff-bristled brush on their skin can improve circulation.

However, while it could temporarily increase blood flow to certain areas in theory, there’s no scientific evidence that dry brushing boosts circulation over time.

In fact, there have not been any clinical trials or studies on the benefits of dry brushing.

It can also irritate or damage your skin, particularly if it’s fragile due to poor blood flow.

3. Wearing tight clothing

While the right pair of compression stockings may improve circulation, wearing tight trousers or shoes can have the opposite effect.

Clothing that puts pressure on certain areas of your body can restrict blood flow. 

Instead, try to wear loose, comfortable clothes and correctly fitting footwear.

4. Smoking

Cigarettes contain chemicals that damage your blood vessels.

This can increase the risk of fatty materials building up on the walls of your arteries and make it harder for your blood to flow around your body.

This can lead to pain and skin ulcers in your legs and feet, because your blood is not delivering the oxygen and nutrients they need. But you can greatly reduce your risk by quitting smoking.

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Healthy Feet Can Reduce Risk of Falling

Among older Americans, falls are the number one cause of injuries and death from injury, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Not only are seniors more at risk for falls, when they do fall, it poses a greater risk for injuries, hospitalization and complications. For a ground-up approach to fall prevention, seniors should start by examining the health of their feet.

Painful foot conditions, such as osteoarthritis, corns, bunions, hammertoes, flat feet, high arches and diabetes complications, can make it difficult for seniors to maintain balance and coordination when walking or standing. Also, the very exercises intended to correct risk factors for falls, such as lower-body weakness, as well as gait and balance problems, are difficult to perform when one suffers from painful foot and ankle conditions.

While the factors causing falls are numerous, seniors can take the following steps to reduce their risk by minimizing or eliminating foot pain. Doing so will improve balance, coordination and stability when walking or standing.

1. Do not ignore pain. Foot pain is not just a normal consequence of growing older. It is likely a treatable condition. For proper diagnosis and treatment, be sure to pay attention to your feet 
2. Examine your feet. As the gatekeeper of your own health, make sure you examine your feet regularly. At the first sign of bumps, lumps or other changes in your feet
3. Exercise. Simple stretching exercises can help you maintain strength and mobility in your feet and ankles, as well as provide pain relief. We can help you determine which exercises are appropriate for you.
4. Protect. Use padding, insoles or whatever special footwear you are prescribed. Be sure to wear these, along with comfortable, sensible shoes, every day.
5. Be flexible. At times, surgery is the most appropriate treatment for a given condition. Fortunately, many simple surgical techniques allow foot surgery to be performed on an outpatient basis. Just one fall can rob seniors of their independence and can dramatically reduce their quality of life.

Staying consistent with pedicure services can help aid in reduction of injury as well. Book your appointment today!

The Role of Footwear in Preventing Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails can be a real pain in the foot. Not only can they make walking painful, but the pain can be severe enough to limit your mobility. The good news is that you may be able to prevent and relieve ingrown nails by wearing the right shoes. Various factors can make ingrown toenails a more likely and serious issue. If you regularly suffer from ingrown nails, genetics, lifestyle, and shoes may make your nails more prone to becoming ingrown. Should underlying issues contribute to ingrown nails, it’s crucial to resolve them to prevent issues now and in the future.

Shoes specifically, if they put pressure on your feet and especially your toes, could lead to the nail growing improperly. This is especially true if you spend a lot of time in said pair of shoes. The longer and more consistently the toes come under pressure, the more serious and common the ingrown nails may be. So, you’ll want to pay especially close attention to your work or daily shoes.

A pair of high heels or dress shoes that you wear for only a few hours here and there may not be as pressing of a concern, at least as far as ingrown nails. That said, poorly fitting shoes can aggravate any ingrown nails you currently suffer. Even short stints could also make ingrown nails more common as well.

Nails grow pretty much constantly. Ideally, the growth is healthy and doesn’t cut into your skin. However, if shoes pressure the toenails, it can interfere with and direct the growth into the skin or flesh of your foot. Once the nail grows into other tissue, it can trigger nerves, cut tissues, and cause other problems.

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