Cracked Heels

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Duct Tape Heals Cracked Heels

Bethany (San Diego CA) on 09/12/2024
5 out of 5 stars

Duct tape healed my heel cracks! One week day we decided that on Saturday we’d take the family to the beach. The day before I developed painful heel cracks on one foot. The kind that pinched and just hurts when you walk! I thought we couldn’t go to the beach because that sand would get stuck inside my heal cracks. I read all the suggestions online and settled on duct tape. Sounded crazy but worth a shot. Well, the duct tape WORKED! I was amazed after wearing the duct tape overnight the cracks healed enough that my feet felt well enough to go to the beach. Now I read for the duct tape whenever this issue arises. Also learned over time that likely causes are B deficiencies, but in a “pinch” the duct tape helps immensely!
REPLY   4      
Comfrey-Aloe for Cracked Heels/Feet

Jeri (Colorado) on 06/15/2024
5 out of 5 stars

I struggled with cracked heels even though I was rubbing coconut all over my feet after every shower for toenail issues. I just so happened to buy a product that has Comfrey and Aloe Vera for comfrey's ability to help mend bones, and while looking at the reviews for this product, I read that someone used it successfully for cracked heels.

So, I started rubbing it on my feet everyday and it totally works for me. I haven't had to file my feet in years. However, it does nothing for toenail issues. I learned this the hard way once I realized by abandoning my coconut oil, my toe nails started having issues again (fungus, I assume). Now I rub the coconut oil into most of my feet, especially toe nails, and the comfrey-aloe product into my heels and any other dry areas. My feet have been looking and feeling pretty good with this routine.

REPLY   4      
Flax Seed Oil for Cracked Heels

Arn (Kenmore, Wa.) on 01/29/2024
5 out of 5 stars

I used to have a crack in the end of my right thumb. It was always in the way, and hurt worse than a broken leg. By the way, I found that a drop of tea tree oil immediately takes the pain away.

But I had that open crack in my thumb for several years, no matter what I did. Until one day I took a couple of capsules of flax oil. The very next day the fissure had closed up and was healing. First time in years.

Since then I have used Flax oil for heel cracks with the same results. I should have learned by now to take it regularly, but I get lazy.

REPLY   3      


Mentholated Vapor Rub for Cracked Heels

Cara (Fort Collins, CO) on 07/03/2022
5 out of 5 stars

After 5 years of painful cracked heels, I finally tried Mentholated Vapor Rub on my feet. UNBELIEVABLE! The pain was completely gone in 24 hours and has not returned. Cracks closed up. No more walking around on my tippy toes because of severe pain.

I wrapped my heels in plastic wrap and tape after applying the Vapor Rub. I kept both heels wrapped overnight and by morning my feet were healed. AMAZING!!!

REPLY   7      
Vicks Vapor Rub for Cracked Heel

Suzanne (IN) on 04/04/2022
5 out of 5 stars

I take vitamin A, it cured my cracked heels.
REPLY   2      
Vicks Vapor Rub for Cracked Heel

Nancy (Mesa, Az) on 04/02/2022
5 out of 5 stars

Ive been using Vicks vapor rub for years on my cracked and rough heals and it works great. Around 6pm or so I will take off shoes, clean feet, rub in the mentholatum on the whole bottom of foot, put on socks til I go to bed, then take socks off as can't wear them at night. Baby soft heels in the morning.
REPLY   4      

A kindred spirit (U.K. ) on 06/21/2019
5 out of 5 stars

I have been gluten free for a week, and was surprised on day 3 to find my cracked heels had disappeared, and the overall smoothness of the skin on legs and arms had dramatically improved!
REPLY   2      
Coconut Oil for Cracked Heels

Megan (London) on 10/22/2018
5 out of 5 stars

I have severely dry feet with horribly cracked heels, esp in the fall and winter months. I have been testing various remedies to see which one works best the past few years. My remedy tests include pure shea butter, olive oil and coconut oil, all applied externally and massaged into the bottom of the feet. I have also tried taking borage, fish and evening primrose oils (not altogether, one at a time).

Hands down, fastest and best results were applying coconut oil and then putting a cotton sock on. I do this twice at night, before or after dinner and then again before going to sleep and in the morning my feet are impressively softer with less indentation in the cracks. Not terribly fond of the coconut oil smell, but learning to live with it!

REPLY   5      
Castor Oil for Cracked Heels

Angelique (British Columbia) on 10/03/2018
5 out of 5 stars

Castor oil for cracked heels.

I recently read how castor oil helped someone with cracked heels. My girlfriend has been suffering with this for many years. I suggested that she try it. She said within days of applying it and rubbing it in before bed at night, that her heels have never been so smooth and crack free.

REPLY   6      
Onions for Painful Cracked Feet

Denni (Australia ) on 02/10/2017
5 out of 5 stars

In response to the post by Kathyp (Cedarburg, WI) on 03/15/2014 in the cellulitis section...

Have you tried for cracked feet and it sounds crazy, slices of onions on the soles of your feet? Wrap with glad wrap and don socks. Do this overnight for several nights.

Onions have many benefits including anti microbial. But Google the benefits first. It's an old remedy and it works.

I had cracked heels, to which until then I prided myself on having none. This crack was deep raw and painful. It cleared up quickly after using this remedy. The onion will sting for a little bit, but is worth it. I heard cracked feet are a sign of bad digestive system.

There are many essential oils you could look at for cellulitis.. It best to see a qualified aromatherapist and also a bio chemical tissue salt consultant for options to help with all your needs

I hope this helps cheers from Australia

REPLY   4      
Yogurt and Henna Foot Wrap Cured Cracked Heels/Feet

Leesa (Ca) on 05/28/2016
5 out of 5 stars

Hi, I had a friend with very bad cracked feet. I went on this site and others to find out remedies. I forwarded her everything from, ACV, Coconut Oil to Vic's Vapor Rub! Yes, there were rave reviews with those remedies. Her Mom told her to put yogurt and henna mixed on her feet and IT WORKED within days! She put 1/4 cup of plain yogurt and same of henna. I know she did put it on and wrapped her feet with clear plastic and then put socks to soak it in. Maybe at night while you sleep. Good Luck!
REPLY   2      
Apple Cider Vinegar, Kefir Helping Cracked Heels

Anon (Us) on 08/07/2015
5 out of 5 stars

We stumble onto things as we try to alleviate our sufferings. My heel backside was itchy, red, dry, cracking and painful, from what, who knows, blister on bottoms of feet and sides of foot.

I used the apple cider vinegar with the mother and it felt better but not cured, so in the neck of the KEFIR bottle I discovered a thick white paste forms and I put a finger in there and collect it and apply on top the vinegar and it feels so good .

Skin looks much better. Must be the enzymes. Kefir facials on top of diluted 50/50 apple cider vinegar are also nice. Pour Kefir in hands and apple to all my skin, leave on till next shower.

Kefir soaks LEFT on scalp and hair for an hour before shampoos NICE.

REPLY   2      
Apple Cider Vinegar, Castile for Cracked Heels

Blindedbyscience (WNC, US) on 08/12/2014

My feet went south about 8 yrs ago. Cracked, dry, peeling all the time. My little toes and one other are thickened. Moisturizers and oils, and antifungals don't have much effect. Finally I thought maybe I need to wash them with soap to make sure the shampoo and conditioner are off. So I've been washing them last in the shower with Castile soap and soaking them in full strength vinegar every couple days. Instead of getting drier and hurting they immediately started looking better. The toes are starting to look better too. One day I put some oil on to moisturize before work and that had a bad effect. It's been a week and they aren't perfect but I'm no longer peeling chunks off (tmi! )
REPLY   3      
Superglue for Painful Cracked Heels

Sarah (Burlington, Nc) on 09/21/2013
4 out of 5 stars

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.
REPLY   1      
Castile Soap Helped Cracked Heels

Gwen (Peru, Il) on 07/08/2013
5 out of 5 stars

I as well tried Castile liquid soap after seeing the below post. Put peppermint scented on my feet and wore either plastic bags or socks to bed and in 15 days they were 90% better. It's coming back again but that lasted 6 months should've kept up with maintenance treatments but am starting the regimen again!
REPLY   3      
Castile Soap for Cracked Heels

Marilyn (Salem, Oregon, United States) on 06/25/2013
5 out of 5 stars

I have been using Castile soap on my cracked heels for about 10 days and I'm amazed. I think I have purchased every cream on the market for my dry feet but the soap seems to work so much better. I don't use any creams and think this will solve my problems but will need more time. My feet are at least 90% better!
REPLY   4      
Oregano Oil Smoothed Cracked Heels

Jasmine (Asheville, NC) on 04/28/2013
5 out of 5 stars

Cracked heels are hard to beat but recently I broke an oregano capsule and rubbed in on my heels and between my toes before doing my gardening. I didn't think it worked because my feet were quite dry afterwards so I put vaseline on them and went to work well that night they were much smoother. Different than just using vaseline. Also for skin I have had luck with tea tree oil, put it on a facial blemishes as soon as you notice them. One I felt coming up under the skin, I put it on and went to bed it was gone in the morning. If you have red spots on your face or scar tissue I find flax oil is the most antiinflammatory.
REPLY   1      
Cracked Heel Advice

Nancy (Tuscaloosa, Al) on 03/11/2013
5 out of 5 stars

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.
REPLY         

Wecair (Moose Jaw, Sk. Canada) on 11/22/2012
5 out of 5 stars

I have had extremeley dry, cracked and caloused feet for years. Sometimes the cracks were so deep I was concerned they would become infected. Somewhere I had heard that mentholated rub applied to them and covered with clean dry socks overnight would help so I tried it. I smeared my feet with a generous amount of rub and put my socks on, by the very first morning the layers of dried skin peeled off. My feet after just 2 treatments are soft and have not looked and felt this good in years! Even the deep crack is almost gone. Thank you Vapo rub.
REPLY   10      
Borax for Cracked Heels

Gloria (Gaithersburg, Maryland) on 08/07/2012
5 out of 5 stars

I wanted to pass on the success I've been having with treating my cracked heels and athlete's foot/toenail fungus. First, for a long time I didn't realize that all three of these were related ailments, especially the cracked heels which I had attributed to aging and dry skin. Now I realize it was symptomatic of a fungal infection.

I recently developed a "rash" on my ankle near my heel. At first I thought it was bug bites. It was a small cluster of red itchy dots. At first I tried ACV and H202 on them, but in a halfhearted way. It didn't really seem to help much. Then I got the idea to use borax, for some reason.

After bathing while my feet were still moist, I took about a teaspoon of borax powder in my hand and rubbed it all over my feet, heels, ankle, between toes, etc. The itching from the rash stopped and my feet felt "good. " I left the powder on my feet (a very thin coat remained) and went to bed. I repeated this for a few nights. The rash has been scabbing over and healing (I still don't know what caused it -- fungus or something else).

But the remarkable thing is the skin on my heels! It is healing, getting softer, younger-looking. My heels had been cracked, dry and ugly for about 5 years! I've been doing this for two weeks now, and the improvement is remarkable.

As well, my toenail fungus and athlete's foot between my toes is going away. I now have "pretty feet" and I am not ashamed to go out wearing my sandals (and no nail polish, either, to hide the ugly nails! They look normal, now).

I have also started applying a homemade ointment to my feet each morning, consisting of coconut oil, aloe, tea tree oil and lavender. This feels soothing and I think it's helping, too, but the borax seems to be the main thing.

REPLY   10