Cracked Heel Treatment: What Heals Deep Heel Fissures?
The best cracked heel treatment depends on how deep the cracks are: shallow, dry cracks usually heal with a thick moisturiser that contains a skin softening ingredient such as urea, applied at least twice a day, while deep heel fissures also need the broken skin protected and sealed so it can close. This guide explains how to tell the two apart, which cream heals deep heel fissures, how long healing takes and when to stop treating at home.
Key takeaways
- Mild heel cracks usually respond to moisturising at least twice a day with a thick cream that contains urea, salicylic acid or alpha hydroxy acids.
- Deep heel fissures are a break in the skin barrier, so they need protection and sealing as well as moisture, because they can bleed and become infected.
- In a randomised trial in 167 people with diabetes, only 6.4% of those using a urea, glycerine and petrolatum cream still had a deep open heel fissure after 4 weeks, compared with 24.1% on placebo.
- Gently filing the hard rim of callus before moisturising helps, but deep cracks should never be cut or filed aggressively at home.
- See a podiatrist or GP if cracks bleed, look infected or do not improve after a week or two, and always if you have diabetes or poor circulation.
What is the best treatment for cracked heels?
For most people, the best treatment for cracked heels is a simple routine: moisturise at least twice a day with a thick cream, gently reduce the hard skin around the rim of the heel, and protect any deeper cracks while they heal.
Mayo Clinic advises thick moisturisers, and notes that products with urea, salicylic acid or alpha hydroxy acids soften the skin and help remove dead skin. Because these ingredients can sting a little, they recommend using them no more than twice a day.
DermNet explains why heels crack in the first place. Pressure on the fat pad under the heel makes it spread sideways, and if the skin around it is dry and thickened, the callus splits. That is why cracks almost always sit on the outer rim of the heel, where the callus is thickest.
So a good treatment does three jobs at once: it brings water back into the skin, it softens the thick callus so it stops splitting, and it keeps the crack protected while new skin forms underneath.
How do you know if your heel cracks are mild or deep?
Mild cracks are shallow lines in dry, hard skin that do not hurt, while deep fissures go into the living layers of skin, hurt when you stand and may bleed.
DermNet describes the progression clearly: it starts with dry, thickened skin around the heel rim, small cracks then appear in that callus, and with continued pressure they deepen until walking becomes painful and the cracks may bleed. The table below gives a simple way to judge where you are.
| Stage | What you see and feel | Home approach | See a professional? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry heels | Rough, hard, yellowish rim of skin, no visible cracks | Daily urea cream, gentle filing once or twice a week | Not usually |
| Shallow cracks | Fine lines in the callus, no pain or bleeding | Moisturise two to three times a day, socks overnight | If no improvement after about a week |
| Deep fissures | Open cracks, painful when standing, may bleed | Protect and seal the crack, a fissure cream twice daily, no aggressive filing | Yes, if painful, bleeding or slow to heal |
| Infected or high risk | Redness, warmth, swelling, pus, or any crack in a person with diabetes | Do not self treat | Yes, promptly |
What cream heals deep heel fissures?
A cream that heals deep heel fissures needs to do more than moisturise: it should hold water in the skin, soften the hard edges of the crack and form a protective layer over the broken skin while it closes.
The New Zealand Best Practice Journal (bpac) notes that heel products combining water retaining (humectant) and skin softening (keratolytic) properties are the most effective, and that 10% urea cream is the most commonly used option. They also point out an important detail: urea is meant for the thickened, dry skin around the crack and can sting if it gets into an open fissure.
That is why many foot care professionals separate the jobs. A urea cream works on the surrounding callus, while the open crack itself benefits from a protective, barrier forming product. DermNet adds that liquid, gel or spray bandages and special tissue glue can hold the edges of a crack together, reduce pain and help it heal faster.
The strongest evidence for creams in deep fissures comes from a double blind trial in people with diabetes published in Diabetic Medicine. A cream combining urea, glycerine and petrolatum, used for 4 weeks, led to clearly fewer deep open fissures than a placebo cream, and also improved overall dryness.
How do you treat cracked heels at night?
Night is the best time to treat cracked heels, because the cream can stay on the skin for hours without being rubbed off by shoes or walking.
- Soak briefly. Mayo Clinic suggests about 10 minutes in warm plain or soapy water, then pat dry. Keep it short: the American Academy of Dermatology warns that long baths and showers dry the skin out further.
- Soften the rim, not the crack. Gently rub the thick callus around the heel with a loofah, foot scrubber or file. Leave open, painful cracks alone.
- Apply while damp. Use a urea cream on the dry callus and a protective fissure cream on the cracks themselves.
- Cover up. Put on clean cotton socks so the cream stays in place overnight.
- Repeat in the morning. Moisturise again before putting on shoes, and choose closed heel footwear; the AAD advises avoiding flip flops, slingbacks and worn down shoes while heels are cracked.
For the deep cracks in step 3, our Imperial Feet Foot Fissure Cream was developed for exactly this situation. It is built on the idea that a deep heel crack is a break in the skin barrier rather than just rough skin, so it is not a basic moisturiser stretched to cover it. Its formula includes zinc oxide, a classic skin protectant, which helps seal the crack while the skin underneath heals. Apply it twice a day, morning and evening, directly onto the cracks. For the dry callus around them, a 10% urea cream such as our Urea Foot Cream is a good partner.
How long does it take for cracked heels to heal?
Shallow cracks often look better within a week of consistent moisturising, while deep fissures usually need several weeks of twice daily care before they close fully.
In the Diabetic Medicine trial, the difference between the active cream and placebo was already clear after 2 weeks: 24.7% of people on the cream still had a deep open fissure, against 42.7% on placebo. After 4 weeks, that fell to 6.4% versus 24.1%. In other words, most deep cracks responded within a month, but not all of them.
DermNet recommends inspecting your feet daily and starting a moisturising routine two to three times a day at the first sign of cracking. If you see no improvement after a week of self treatment, or the cracks are severe, they advise seeing a podiatrist.
Once the cracks have closed, do not stop. Cracks come back quickly when the callus is allowed to build up again, so keep moisturising daily and file the rim gently once or twice a week.
When to see a doctor
See a GP or podiatrist promptly if a crack is very painful, keeps bleeding, shows signs of infection such as redness, warmth, swelling or pus, or does not improve after a week or two of home care. DermNet notes that deep cracks can become infected and lead to cellulitis, which needs medical treatment.
If you have diabetes, poor circulation or reduced feeling in your feet, do not self treat cracked heels. bpac and DermNet both warn that in people with diabetes, heel fissures can develop into foot ulcers. The AAD also notes that cracked heels are sometimes caused by a medical condition such as diabetes, so severe or stubborn cracks are worth having checked.
Frequently asked questions
What cream heals deep heel fissures?
Deep heel fissures respond best to a combination: a protective, barrier forming cream on the crack itself and a softening cream with urea or salicylic acid on the thick skin around it. Apply twice a day and cover with cotton socks at night. Deep cracks that bleed or hurt should be checked by a podiatrist.
Is urea good for cracked heels?
Yes, urea is one of the most commonly used and best studied ingredients for cracked heels. It attracts water into the skin and softens thick callus so it stops splitting. Apply it to the dry, hard skin around the cracks rather than into open fissures, because it can sting on broken skin.
Should you file cracked heels?
You can gently file the hard rim of callus around cracked heels, ideally after a short soak, but never file or cut deep, open or bleeding cracks. Aggressive filing can tear the skin further and let bacteria in. Use light strokes once or twice a week and moisturise straight afterwards.
Does Vaseline help cracked heels?
Petroleum jelly can help cracked heels by sealing moisture into the skin, and Mayo Clinic suggests applying it, or a heavy oil based cream, at night under cotton socks. On its own it does not soften thick callus, so it works best alongside a cream that contains urea, salicylic acid or alpha hydroxy acids.
Can cracked heels be a sign of diabetes?
Cracked heels are very common and usually caused by dry skin and pressure, but dermatologists note they are sometimes linked to a medical condition such as diabetes. If you have diabetes, any heel crack needs professional attention, because fissures can turn into foot ulcers. Ask your GP if cracks are severe or keep returning.
Related reading
- Cracked Heels: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention
- Winter Foot Care: Choosing the Right Urea Cream for Cold Weather Dryness
Sources
- Mayo Clinic Staff. How to heal cracked heels. Mayo Clinic, 2025. mayoclinic.org
- American Academy of Dermatology. How to care for dry, cracked heels. AAD, 2022. aad.org
- Ngan V. Cracked heel. DermNet NZ, 2006, updated 2013. dermnetnz.org
- Best Practice Advocacy Centre New Zealand. Cracked heels. Best Practice Journal, issue 65, December 2014. bpac.org.nz
- Gin H, Rorive M, Gautier S, Condomines M, Saint Aroman M, Garrigue E. Treatment by a moisturizer of xerosis and cracks of the feet in men and women with diabetes: a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study. Diabetic Medicine, 2017;34(9):1309 to 1317. doi:10.1111/dme.13402
Written by Sylke Bommel, founder of Imperial Feet.
Editorial note: the author is a formulator, not a medical practitioner. This article is for general information and is not medical advice.
