The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Essential Fatty Acids
Posted by Ted (Bangkok, Thailand) on 06/19/2012
★★★★★
Kelp
Posted by Julie (Provo, Ut) on 03/24/2012
★★★★★
Taking a kelp supplement helped clear up my cracked heels. I had read that iodine could cure tonail fungus and I figured it might help with my cracked heels too. It did, and quite quickly. While they were healing I used just a regular heel conditioner.
I ran out of Kelp and didn't get any more for over a month. My heels are cracked and bleeding again.
Super Glue, ACV, Coconut Oil
Posted by CYNTHIA (FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS) on 03/19/2009
★★★★☆
DRY/CRACKED SKIN: My heels have been dry for years and I get a thick build up of dry skin and deep painful cracks in the winter. The only thing I found that helps the cracks heal together quickly and alleviates the pain is, believe it or not, super Glue. I just squirt some inside the crack and hold it closed for a minute. A retired military man told me this is what they use on cuts when the soldiers are in the field and they can't get back to medical treatment quickly. It won't cure the problem though. I have tried just about everything to cure the problem and have only been successful in finding softening agents. One remedy I found was Johnson's foot soap, I get it at a major retail store. There are several packets in the box. Before I get started I always gather a towel and my pumice stone and anything else I need. I open a packet and dump it into water that is as hot as I can stand it. Then I pour in about a cup of salt, sometimes I add ACV, and sit and watch tv with my feet soaking. After 20 or so minutes I start working on one foot while the other is still soaking. After I get the dead, dry skin off my feet I soak them in Virgin Coconut Oil. After the first application of coconut oil has soaked in I repeat it. Then right before I go to bed I re-apply. This, combined with using my pumice evry couple days and re-applying the coconut oil keeps my feet soft and smooth for a while. I think the build up of dead skin is hereditary and wonder if there is a cure. Does anyone out there know what will stop my feet from cracking open? This year my right thumb has also cracked open and is painful.
Oregano Oil
Posted by Sheila (Los Angeles, CA) on 03/19/2009
★★★★★
I am also working on cracked heels. I have heard it is fungus related. I am having some luck with oil of oregano externally. Need to be more diligent about taking internal fungus remedies though... I have been stopping and starting for a year now.
Vitamin B12
Posted by Donna (Riverside, USA) on 12/30/2008
★★★★★
I know that circulation problems is an issue with certain diseases like Diabetes & Hypothyroidism. I use to have a problem walking & had really cracked heals until I started taking vitamin B12. VitB12 helps with circulation problem. My feet does not hurt when walking anymore and the cracks in my feet has healed.
Lugol's Iodine
Posted by Harrison (Boulder, Colorado) on 07/15/2008
★★★★★
Cracked heels can be cured by first cleaning out the wound with a good neem soap and a q-tip. Then dry the area carefully and add 2 drops of Lugol's iodine to the sore and a glob of aloe vera gel. Cover with a bandage. Repeat once a day. The problem is gone within a week.
Crisco Shortening
Posted by Anna (Elk Grove, CA) on 05/17/2008
★★★★★
Dry Cracked Heels: This remedy sounds odd but works. A friend told me her dermatologist recommened crisco shortening for her cracked heels. She said it worked great so I tried it and my feet are softer, better than any lotions I use. Cheap too.
Crisco Shortening
Posted by JaneySilva (Springtown, TX) on 08/12/2023
★★★★★
This just reminded me of my aunt, who at 80 had no wrinkles. I asked her what she did and she told me she hated her skin to feel dry, so she always kept Crisco on it. Uck, but no wrinkles at 80!
Oil Pulling
Posted by David (Anchorage AK) on 01/27/2026
★★★★★
I agree that oil pulling is good for cracked heels. Not sure of the mechanism of which it heals, but there is a noticeable improvement in less than 2 weeks of pulling.
Duct Tape
Posted by Vera (Colorado) on 09/12/2024
Bethany, it could be dyshidrotic eczema. Don't underestimate it. It can get very nasty if not attended to.
Superglue
Posted by Sarah (Burlington, Nc) on 09/21/2013
★★★★☆
For cracked heals, I use Super glue to close the cracks. The original kind only. Two doctors said it was ok and it stops hurting immediately.
Mentholated Vapor Rub
Posted by Charity (faithville, Us) on 06/12/2021
Mentholated Vapor Rub
Posted by Goldengirl52 (USA) on 06/14/2021
Hello Art!! I'm so excited to see someone else that watches Dr. Berg! I saw your post on Parkinson's Disease and just looked for all your posts here on Earthclinic. I'm in CA as well, up North close to Oregon border. I am on the keto diet, dropped sugars/carbs down very low, and in the safe zone (6.0 and lower)for my t2 diabetes. I'm now learning about insulin resistance from both berg, and Dr. Bikman. I study them regularly on youtube and also pub med. I would love to follow you around the site, but I don't think EC has that option. I can save your posts/replies though and will do that!! Check out Dr. Benjamin Bikman if you haven't yet ;) I could listen to him all day!
Mentholated Vapor Rub
Posted by Deirdre (Connecticut) on 06/14/2021
Thank you so much for your reply, Charity. So glad your health issues are all improving. Kudos to you.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Dana (Larose, Louisiana/ Usa) on 03/16/2012
★★★★★
I battled with painful bleeding cracked heels for years, I put this lotion and that lotion with no real improvement. I finally discovered Cracked heel balm at walmart and tried it. It worked great but I could never stop treatment more than a day or two. I do still use it when I get lazy and forget to take care of my feet.
The best thing I ever did for my feet is get a good pair of shoes. I loved being barefoot and when I did wear shoes they were flat and light. When I started wearing a good pair of walking shoes with socks everyday my heels got better. With the added heel cream they were like new. I started using a pumice in the tub for daily care and now I use a little heeltastic before I put on my socks and I hardly ever have trouble, only if I have to go a few days in a dress shoe or a flat tennis shoe. I've recently started using coconut oil and it does a good job too, heeltastic is easier and does a great job. Also I love the ped egg! Not the grater part but the smoother part, feet like a baby!
Tricia's Cracked Heel Remedies
Posted by Glue (Victoria ) on 07/07/2013
I used super glue on it. When the glue fell off eventually the ringworm was gone!
Omega 3
Posted by Bev (Long Beach, CA/USA) on 01/18/2009
★★★★★
I suffered for years from cracked heels. Felt as though I was walking on glass fragments. Nothing topical worked for me. I started taking fish, flaxseed, and borage oil combination (purchased at wal-mart, spring valley brand, 1200 mg per softgel). Within months my heels had closed up and I haven't had a problem since. Hopes this helps others.
Paraffin and Candle Wax
Posted by Maria (Cape Town, South Africa) on 06/11/2008
★★★★★
cure for cracked heels and hands
heat one cup of parafin in an old pot on stove at very low tempersture. wait till it nearly boil and break two white wax candles in pieces and add to parrafin, when wax is melted. take off stove and wait till it has cooled down. use cream to rub on hands and feet.the best cure ever for feet and dry skin problems. you can either use it at night because of the smell (some people might nt like the smell of parafin) or you can use it as often as you like during the day.y ou can the wash your hands and feet with normal soap
i am fifty one years old my mom used it to keep our feet healthy and up till today i used it on my self and my children and anybody with problem hands and feet
THANK YOU FOR A FANTASTIC SITE.
i recomend it to everybody. even my german friends who wish that thy could read it in their own language.
Paraffin and Candle Wax
Posted by Maria (Cape Town, South Africa) on 01/21/2009
the ingredients and method is exactly like my mom made it maybe you should use only one candle on one cup of parafin. I can gaurentee that it will help you. Regards maria.
Remember to use ordinary white wax candles.
Vinegar, Shoes and Socks in the Freezer
Posted by Robin (New Mexico, USA) on 03/29/2008
★★★★★
I was reading the oil pulling pages, and saw that so many people were plagued with cracking heels, and I felt bad because I know how to make it go away. You just put vinegar on the cracked heel everyday for 6 months without missing a day, and place your socks and shoes in the freezer for 24-48 hours from time to time. This will also heal nail fungus, itchy ears, athletes foot, and dandruff, (just put it on a little while before shampoo-ing, then rinse with vinegar/water dilute). Anything yeasty where you can stand to put vinegar. You of course would have to dilute it to treat vaginal yeast infections
Comfrey-Aloe
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 06/16/2024 563 posts
Coconut oil doesn't do anything for me, either. BUT, it was awesome when I used it to wash my broken foot! And also works all over, anytime I don't have time to shower.
Vaseline
Posted by Nancy (Tuscaloosa, Al) on 03/11/2013
★★★★★
For dry cracked heels/feet use vaseline. Soak feet in ACV then remove dead skin, dry then apply vaseline to feet and put on clean pair of socks. Do this daily for smooth as a baby's butt. Do this treatment daily for life & you will have no foot problems.
Mentholated Vapor Rub
Posted by Donna (Brooklyn, NYC) on 06/12/2021
What kind of socks? I tried it with cotton ones and they just rubbed off the rub.
Nitrile Socks
Posted by Bernadette (Redding, Ca Usa) on 09/02/2011
★★★★★
Nothing on the market today treats moisture loss--only SoleMates nitrile coated socks. Easy to use economical and they really work!
Vitamin A
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 12/28/2009 489 posts
★★★★★
Been browsing some old newsletters of Jonathan Wright's and came across this and started wondering if calloused heels and cracked heels might not have the same basic problem. Some of EC'ers might like to try this & see if it could get rid of them.
Subject: callouses on heels (wonder what this would do with the cracked heels?)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get rid of calluses for good
Q: I've had very thick heel calluses for most of my adult life. I've tried everything from lotions to scraping to soaking and nothing seems to work. Is there anything that will help?
Dr. Wright: In the 1970s, I read a book about nutrition and general medicine written by a Yale professor. In that book, he observed that heavy heel calluses were a sign of long- term vitamin A deficiency. He recommended vitamin A supplementation for individuals with this problem.
Since that time, I have recommended the same treatment for my patients and have found it quite reliable, although in many cases it takes three to four months to begin to see results, and complete disappearance of the calluses can take eight months or more.
For adults, the dose is 75,000 units of vitamin A per day until the calluses are gone. Then you can decrease your dose to a "maintenance amount" of 15,000 to 25,000 units per day. (If the calluses return, the quantity can be increased once more.) In over 20 years, I've never observed any adverse effects with this treatment.
Tricia's Cracked Heel Remedies
Posted by J (Portland, Me) on 11/26/2009
I do the same only I use the stuff they put on cow udders. It works great!
Tricia's Cracked Heel Remedies
Posted by Elaine (Yucca Valley, Ca) on 07/19/2011
I only get cracked heels when I wear shoes that cave in at the heel area. When I wear shoes where the heel rests on a flat base, the cracked areas go away quickly.
