10 Home Remedies for Cracked Heels

Got cracked heels? It’s a common problem, yet there are natural ways to treat them. Check out these 10 easy and effective home remedies for cracked heels.

Closeup of feet on a bed

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Love to wear sandals and flip flops in the summer? I do! In fact, I wear them pretty much all year, including winter months when I can get away with.

But the big issue I have with open-toed (and heel) shoes are cracked heels. I get them so bad that deep cracks appear and hurt when I walk. 

I’m not a doctor or health care professional, and this is not medical advice. This post is for educational purposes only, and you should follow up with your doctor for more information.

What Causes Cracked Heels?

Cracked heels are often caused by wearing open-toed shoes or dry air. If you have chronic dry or cracked heels, it could be a sign of other health conditions. Be sure to talk to your doctor or health care provider.

And if you’re looking for home remedies to help those cracked heels naturally, you’ve come to the right place. Check out these easy solutions for dry, cracked heels you can easily do at home with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

10 Home Remedies for Cracked Heels

1. Coconut oil

Massage a spoonful of coconut oil on each cracked heel and cover with socks (try these heel socks) before bed. In the morning, heels should be smoother and softer. Repeat as needed each night until cracked heels are better.

coconut oil and brush on table

2. Shea Butter

Shea butter is a rich emollient that is ultra moisturizing. Soak feet in a bucket or large bowl (wide enough to fit both feet) and fill with warm water and 1 tbsp of shea butter for 15 minutes. Or you could you massage feet with 1-2 tbsp of shea butter and cover feet with socks  overnight.

3. Avocado oil

Avocado oil is a natural skin soother in a bottle as it helps to moisturize skin. Rub a tsp of avocado oil on feet before bedtime. Cover with socks and wake up in the morning to soft heels. Repeat each night until skin is healed.

4. DIY Diaper Balm

Rub my DIY Diaper Balm on cracked heels and cover with socks (try these heel socks) before bed. Repeat as needed each night. This salve helps to soften dry heels.

5. Wool Socks

One of the biggest culprits of cracked heels is loss of moisture. Wear wool socks to trap body heat in the feet. This will help to prevent loss of moisture. My cracked heels tend to go away in the winter. Why? Because I always wear boots with socks or even just socks around my house to keep my feet warm. The socks help to keep the moisture in.

The following home remedies should be avoided if cracked heels are more severe or painful as soaking feet in water may dry out skin orexfoliation

6. Pumice Stone

Soak feet in warm water and use a natural pumice stone to slough off dead skin cells. Rub feet with a light oil such as sesame oil or jojoba oil to keep feet moisturized.

7. Epsom Salt

Add 1/3 cup of epsom salt to a bucket or large bowl wide enough to fit both feet. Fill with warm water and let feet soak for 20-30 minutes. The epsom salt helps to gently exfoliate the feet. Rub feet with a light oil such as sesame oil or jojoba oil to keep feet moisturized.

8. Honey

Add a cup of honey to a gallon of warm water. Pour honey-water mixture into a bucket or large bowl wide enough to fit both feet. Soak feet for 20-30 minutes. The honey helps moisturize and cleanse cracked heels.

9. Banana and Coconut Mask

Mash a banana and 2-3 tbsp of coconut oil. Apply to cracked heels and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Wash in a warm bath (no soap) and pat dry.

10. Moisturizing Foot Bath

Add1/3 cup epsom salt to a bucket or large bowl (wide enough to fit both feet), and fill with warm water and . Let feet soak 20-30 minutes. Follow up coconut oil or your favorite carrier oil to lock in moisture.

Don’t Ignore Your Cracked Heels

Give one or more of these home remedies for cracked heels a try. But if self-care measures don’t help, talk with your doctor about other options.

The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons mentions these risk factors that can worsen cracked heels:

  • Walking barefoot
  • Dry skin
  • Wearing open-back shoes
  • Increased weight or friction from the back of the shoes

How to Care for Cracked Heels

So you’ve used one of these great home remedies for cracked heels, now how do you keep them crack free? Here are some ways to care for cracked heels from the American Academy of Dermatology Association:

  • Limit baths and showers to 5-10 minutes. Extended exposure to water can dry out the skin and make it worse.
  • Use a gentle cleanser or soap to clean feet. Soaps with harsh chemicals can dry out skin.
  • Apply plain petroleum jelly before bed to heels. Personally, I avoid petroleum products and opt for natural coconut instead.
  • Wear a liquid bandage over cracked heels to provide a layer of protection during healing.
  • At night, cover your feet with socks to lock in moisture.
  • Avoid wearing flip flops, sling back shoes, or open-toed shoes to prevent skin from drying out.
  • If cracked heels don’t improve, be sure to contact your doctor or health care provider.
Closeup of woman crossing her legs

Top Tips for Helping Cracked Heels

  • Give you heels extra love at night. Make sure to apply one of the home remedies for cracked heels before bed.
  • Opt for wool or cotton socks to wear during sleep.
  • Avoid open-toed shoes especially when the weather is hot and dry.

Other DIY Tutorials

Did you try any of these Home Remedies For Cracked Heels? Don’t forget to comment below to let me know how you liked these tips. You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Photo credit: Bigstockphotos.com / golubovy

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12 Comments

  1. Anyone else tried coconut oil and avacado on their feet? I mixed both half and half approx and applied to my feet put a plastic bag over the feet and let it soak for about an hour. Followed by a soak in luke warm water pumice the hard skin.

    Followed by reapplication of a smaller quantity of the oil and put socks on. Seems to have worked.