Effective Home Remedies for Cracked Heels: Soothe & Heal

Dry/cracked feet are a sign of lack of attention towards your body and one of the worst nightmares for most women. The skin on the feet tends to become drier as there are no oil glands present there. This dryness causes the skin to crack. Lack of moisturization, overexposure to pollution, and some medical conditions such as eczema, diabetes, thyroid, and psoriasis lead to dry and cracked feet.

Here is a list of 10 simple home remedies that will help soothe and give a makeover to your cracked heels, and let you step out in style.

Home Remedies For Cracked Heels

1. Lemon, Salt, Glycerine, And Rosewater Foot Mask
2. Vegetable Oil
3. Banana And Avocado Foot Mask
4. Vaseline And Lemon Juice
5. Paraffin Wax
6. Honey
7. Rice Flour
8. Olive Oil
9. Oatmeal
10. Sesame Oil

1. Lemon, Salt, Glycerine, Rose Water Foot Mask

You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons glycerine
• 2 teaspoons rosewater
• Warm water
• Pumice stone/foot scrubber

What You Need To Do

1. Take a basin of warm water and add raw salt, eight to 10 drops of lemon juice, one tablespoon of glycerine, and one teaspoon of rosewater. Soak your feet for about 15-20 minutes in this water.
2. Using a pumice stone or a foot scrubber, scrub your heels and the sides of the feet.
3. Mix one teaspoon of glycerine, one teaspoon of rosewater, and one teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply the mixture on your cracked heels. Since this will be a sticky mixture, you can wear a pair of socks and leave it on overnight.
4. Wash off with lukewarm water in the morning.

How Often Should You Do This

Repeat this for a few days till your heels become soft.

Why This Works

The acidic properties of lemon juice help to heal rough and dry skin, thus preventing cracking on the soles of the feet (1). Along with lemon’s acidic properties, the combination of rosewater and glycerin turns out to be an effective treatment for cracked heels. Glycerin softens the skin (which is why it is used in most of the cosmetic products) whereas rosewater has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties that help in healing cracks (2).

Caution

Lemon juice can cause irritation and dryness to your skin. Make sure you do a patch test to check for any allergic reactions.

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2. Vegetable Oil

You Will Need

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

What You Need To Do

1. Wash your feet and dry them up completely using a clean towel. Then apply a layer of vegetable oil on the cracked parts of your feet.
2. Wear a pair of thick socks and leave it on overnight.
3. Wash your feet in the morning.

How Often Should You Do This

Once every day before going to bed.

Why This Works

The fats in the hydrogenated vegetable oil nourish the skin and heal cracked feet (3).

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3. Banana or Banana and Avocado Foot Mask

You Will Need

• 1 ripe banana
• 1/2 avocado

What You Need To Do

1. Blend a ripe banana and half an avocado.
2. Apply this thick, creamy paste over your heels and feet.
3. Keep it on for 15 to 20 minutes and then wash off your feet with lukewarm water.

How Often Should You Do This

You can do this every day till your heels become soft.

Why This Works

Avocados are rich in several essential oils, vitamins, and fats that help repair dry skin (4). Banana works as a moisturizer and makes your skin softer and smoother (5).

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4. Vaseline and Lemon Juice

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon Vaseline
• 4 to 5 drops lemon juice
• Warm water

What You Need To Do

1. Soak your feet in warm water for about 15-20 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
2. Mix one teaspoon of Vaseline and a few drops of lemon juice. Rub this mixture over your heels and other cracked parts of the feet till it gets absorbed into the skin.
3. Apply this mixture and wear a pair of woolen socks. Keep it on overnight and wash off in the morning. Woolen socks help trap the body’s heat and increase the effectiveness of the mixture.

How Often Should You Do This

Regularly before going to bed.

Why This Works

Lemon’s acidic properties and vaseline’s moisturizing properties help you get rid of dry and achy feet (6).

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5. Paraffin Wax

You Will Need

• 1 tablespoon paraffin wax
• 2 to 3 drops mustard/coconut oil

What You Need To Do

1. Take some paraffin wax and mix it with mustard oil or coconut oil.
2. Heat the mixture in a pan till the wax melts properly.
3. Allow this to cool down to room temperature. Apply the mixture on your feet. To get the best results, apply before going to bed and wear a pair of socks.
4. Wash off properly in the morning.

How Often Should You Do This

Once or twice a week before going to bed.

Caution

Do not dip your feet in the wax when it is hot. If you’re a diabetic patient, then kindly do not try this treatment.

Why This Works

Paraffin wax acts as a natural emollient that helps soften your skin. It turns out to be a good treatment for cracked and painful heels (7).

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6. Honey

You Will Need

• 1 cup honey
• Warm water

What You Need To Do

1. Mix one cup of honey to half a bucket of warm water.
2. Soak your feet for about 15-20 minutes.
3. Scrub off gently to obtain soft and supple feet.

How Often Should You Do This

You can do this on a regular basis to get rid of cracked heels quickly.

Why This Works

Honey is considered to be a natural antiseptic that helps heal cracked feet, and its soothing properties help revitalize the skin (8).

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7. Rice Flour

You Will Need

• 2 to 3 tablespoons ground rice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 3 to 4 drops apple cider vinegar

What You Need To Do

1. Take two to three tablespoons of ground rice and add a few drops of honey and apple cider vinegar to make a thick paste.
2. If your heels are extremely dry and cracked, you can add a teaspoon of olive oil or sweet almond oil.
3. Soak your feet in warm water for 10 minutes and gently scrub it with this paste to remove dead skin from your feet.

How Often Should You Do This

You can apply this foot scrub twice a week.

Why This Works

Rice flour exfoliates, purifies, and remineralizes the skin, making it satin-smooth and soft (9).

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8. Olive Oil

You Will Need

1 tablespoon olive oil

What You Need To Do

1. Apply some olive oil with the help of a cotton ball and gently massage your feet in a circular motion for 10-15 minutes.
2. Wear a pair of thick cotton socks and wash off after an hour.

How Often Should You Do This

You can repeat this every day.

Why This Works

Olive oil is a miracle healer and has nourishing properties that make your skin soft and supple (10). It is one of the most natural ways to get smooth, soft, and healthy heels.

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9. Oatmeal

You Will Need

1 tablespoon powdered oatmeal
4 to 5 drops olive oil

What You Need To Do

1. Mix the powdered oatmeal and olive oil to make a thick paste.
2. Apply this over your feet, especially over the heels and any cracked parts.
3. Leave it on for about half an hour. Rinse off with cold water and pat dry.

How Often Should You Do This

Every alternate day till you get rid of cracked heels.

Why This Works

Oatmeal has anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties that help remove dead skin cells and soften the skin (11).

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10. Sesame Oil

You Will Need

4 to 5 drops sesame oil

What You Need To Do

1. Apply sesame oil on your heels and any other cracked parts.
2. Massage well till it is absorbed by the skin.

How Often Should You Do This

Daily before going to bed.

Why This Works

Sesame oil is considered to be very nourishing and moisturizing. It helps soften and soothe dry and cracked feet very efficiently (12).

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Now that you know how to get rid of cracked heels, what are you waiting for? Try out these home remedies for cracked heels and see the difference. Share your views and experiences in the comments box below.