Painful crack in heel, what helps?

[LaTristesse]

This seems so trivial, I'm sorry, but it is getting quite sore now. It's basically a very deep crack in the hard skin on my heel, not bleeding, but painful to walk on. I got some of that cracked heel cream stuff they advertise but that seems more cosmetic than anything... Does anyone know how I can help this thing heal up? We're going on holiday in a few weeks which will inevitably mean lots of walking, I'd rather not be the one holding up the party!
Thanks

Cracked heel cream - any of the brands sold at Boots are good. Get some and apply it in a thick layer, then wrap your feet in clingfilm. Leave overnight. In the morning, wash it off with soapy water and then use a pumice stone (gently). Repeat next night. Within three days it will be better. But you need to keep on top of it because it may come back if you don't keep using it regularly (about once a month in my case).

Flexitol do a good cracked heel cream. I find I have to use it most nights. I also find mine is worse if I wear summery sandals or mules. Much better when encased in socks and a proper shoe.

This is what I do.

Soak feet for half an hour in a bowl of fairly hot water while you are watching TV, then get a heel file and file the hard skin on your heel while still in the water. Towel dry and apply Sudocrem zinc cream really working it into the crack and smear over rest of heel as well. Do this just before bed and put a sock on. Repeat every night for a week. Sudocrem will sting a bit for a minute or two but it does the trick.

It sounds counterintuitive but keeping the hard skin on your heel filed away will stop your heel cracking. Keep doing the treatment once a week once the crack has gone or it will come back.

You can get a heel file at Boots.

I suffer with sore heels from time to time and have found ccs to be the best for me!

I second flexitol. It is wonderful!!!!!!

I had cracked heels for 6 years, used flexitol morning and night for 2 - 3 weeks and now they are completely healed.

I cannot recommend Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream highly enough for this. Put some on after a bath, wear cotton socks to bed at night and after a few days of this it will be smooth as a baby's bottom.

See if you can get some salicylic acid (should go upstairs to check spelling but am tired!). It was prescribed for me by a very understanding doctor - heel cracking was so bad that I could no longer walk properly, and in fact had huge trouble with painful hips later on; it was only much later I realised it was because I'd been walking so badly. You might be able to get it over the counter, but I was prescribed such a vat of the stuff I haven't got through it yet. Anyway, it sounds grim, but it's a white vaseline-like paste that you smear on every night and it works like magic: it keeps the skin soft and lets it slough off (yes, this thread is not for the squeamish), but in a good way.
The trouble with filing manically is (a chiropodist said to me) that it sends a signal to the brain that you must build up more skin on your heels, which promptly cracks. I found I couldn't file enough to keep the skin down.
Like you, I found the standard foot creams just didn't do much after a while.

Lasinho

Flexitol, Scholl or Boots own brand are all good - the ones that contain urea, which helps get rid of the hard skin.

I recently got a fiendish looking scholl hard skin remover - seems to work, followed by the cream.

Flexitol is a miracle cream, I swear by it, particularly in the summer! DH has been nicking it and his feet look almost like real human feet now!

The other thing that helps if you've got to walk with a cracked heel is simply a plaster - maybe obvious, but I find it makes it much more bearable. It also stops sock fibres getting in there which is really horrid!

some heel creams are useless - Flexitol is the best I've found. But you must put it on all the way through the summer, I've found. I use a corn remover, that has a razor in it, to slice away the hard skin, but use it when my feet are softenened up by a bath. Anyway, you have my sympathy, I've got a horrible one at the moment too.

flexitol heel balm 25%urea, CCS heel balm 25% urea, ureka heel cream 25% urea +foot files...........footcare4me.com - beautiful feet here we come :)

Honestly, the only permanent solution to this problem is amputation. This is a relatively minor surgery that can be accomplished in the comfort of your own home.

Blister plaster over it - works brilliantly to soften & allows to heal from underneath. Takes a few days.

Damn it zombie thread. Oh the shame

Hi to all,

I have cracked heels used all the usual creams
Ect but they never worked I need something stronger.
I have just put an elastic bandage on my ankle to pull the crack together again really sore to walk on.

Dolphin5005.

A chiropodist or podiatrist will shave the calluses skin down for you if you book an appointment. Its not dear and is the only real solution.

It's not hard skin. It is calluses skin so needs proper attention or crack will get deeper and worse.

*callused

Flexitol

@Waddlelikeapenguin

Blister plaster over it - works brilliantly to soften & allows to heal from underneath. Takes a few days.

Yes this. A Compeed squidgy plaster. Amazing.

I blame the carpets!
I was a barefoot in the house person …. Suffered terrible cracked heals.
Used the creams to clear it up.
Now wear socks and slippers …..healthy heels!

I was prescribed flexitol cream by my gp . I suffer from this problem due to medication and I use the cream but also use a foot blade ( like a razor ) to get rid of the surrounding skin . My skin splits where there are big areas of hard skin on heals . So if I cut away the hard skin cut isn’t as deep iyswim

I used to suffer with this because of my job to the extent they bled. I got a drs precription for a steroid based cream and it worked wonders .