Cracked Heel Treatment in Hull: How to Heal Split Heels

If your heels are dry, hard and starting to split open, the honest answer is that moisturiser alone rarely fixes it. Cracked heels happen when thickened skin around the heel rim loses its flexibility and then splits under the pressure of walking. Effective cracked heel treatment in Hull and the surrounding villages usually means two things together: reducing the hard skin that is causing the splitting, and then keeping the skin soft enough that it stops happening again.

This page explains what is actually going on, what you can do yourself, and what happens if you decide to have them treated.

What cracked heels actually are

The medical name is heel fissures. The skin around the edge of the heel builds up into callus, which is the body's way of protecting an area that takes a lot of load. Callus is tough, but it is not stretchy. Every time you take a step, the fat pad under your heel spreads sideways, and the rigid rim of hard skin has to give somewhere. It gives by splitting.

Shallow cracks look unsightly and catch on your socks. Deeper ones reach the living skin underneath, which is when they start to sting, bleed or feel sharp when you stand up in the morning.

What makes them worse

• Open-backed shoes, sandals and slippers. With nothing holding the heel in place, the fat pad spreads further and the skin splits more easily.
• Standing all day on hard floors, particularly at work.
• Dry skin generally, which gets worse in winter with central heating, and in summer with bare feet.
• Carrying extra weight, which increases the pressure going through the heel.
• Long hot baths and harsh soaps, which strip the skin's natural oils.
• Some health conditions, including diabetes, an underactive thyroid and certain skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Age plays a part too. Skin gets thinner and drier over the years, and the fat pad under the heel thins as well, so there is less natural cushioning.

What you can do at home

Plenty of people get good results at home if the cracks are still shallow and the skin is not too built up. The key is being consistent rather than doing one big effort and then forgetting about it.

Choose the right cream

Ordinary hand cream will not do much. Look for a foot cream containing urea, usually somewhere between 10% and 25%. Urea holds water in the skin and helps soften hard skin rather than just sitting on top of it. Creams containing salicylic acid or lactic acid can also help break down thickened skin.

Apply it at night, work it into the heel rim and the sides of the heel, and put a cotton sock on afterwards. Avoid putting cream between your toes, where the skin stays damp anyway.

File gently, and never cut

Use a foot file or pumice on dry or barely damp skin, a little at a time, a few times a week. Soaking the foot first and then filing hard tends to remove too much and leaves the skin sore. Never take a blade or scissors to your own heels. It is very easy to go too deep, and the wound that follows is far worse than the crack you started with.

Change what is on your feet

If you live in backless slippers or sandals, try a shoe that holds the heel in. A cushioned insole or a silicone heel cup can also take some of the load off. This one change makes a real difference for some people.

When to get help rather than keep trying

It is worth having your heels looked at if:

• The cracks are deep, bleeding or painful to walk on.
• There is redness, heat, swelling, or any discharge, which can suggest infection.
• The hard skin keeps coming back within a few weeks however much cream you use.
• You cannot reach or see your own feet comfortably.
• You have diabetes, poor circulation or reduced feeling in your feet.

That last point matters a great deal. A heel fissure is a break in the skin, and on an at-risk foot any break in the skin needs to be taken seriously and kept clean. If you have diabetes, please do not file or pick at your heels yourself. Have them checked, and see your GP or a podiatrist promptly if a crack is not healing, looks infected or you have lost sensation. Our page on diabetic foot care explains how we approach at-risk feet, and there is more background in our article on looking after your feet when you have diabetes.

What treatment here involves

A cracked heel appointment is straightforward and usually comfortable. Deon Bowman is a qualified Foot Health Practitioner, and treatment starts with a look at both feet and a few questions about your footwear, your health and how long the problem has been there.

The thickened skin around the heel is then carefully reduced using a sterile blade and a handpiece, working down to a level where the skin can flex again without splitting. This is the part that makes the difference. Once the rigid rim of callus is gone, the crack has a chance to close and your cream can actually get through to the skin that needs it.

Deeper fissures may be dressed, and you will get specific advice on which cream to use and how often, plus anything about your shoes that is contributing. If there is hard skin or a corn elsewhere on the foot, that can be dealt with in the same visit as part of corn and callus treatment.

Most heels need more than one visit to get on top of, and if the cause is something ongoing like standing at work, a maintenance appointment every couple of months usually keeps them comfortable. Appointments are £32, with home visits at £5 extra.

Where we see people

There is a clinic in Hessle and a mobile service covering Hull, Hessle, Beverley, Cottingham, Anlaby, Willerby, Kirk Ella and Brough. Home visits suit people who find travelling difficult or who would rather not stand on sore heels in a waiting room.

If you would like your heels looked at, you can get in touch to book an appointment or call 07450 239894. If you are also after tidy, comfortable feet more generally, a medical pedicure combines the treatment side with a proper finish.

Common questions