I used to put baby oil all over my feet in the winter and then put on white socks. I used white, because you have to wash them in hot water with bleach to get the oil out of them. I found a foot cream in Key West at a shoe store. It's called Bette K foot cream and it works much better than baby oil without the mess. I googled it and found it for sale online after I ran out.

I have found that no matter how much goop/grease I put on my heels, it won't prevent the cracking unless I actually get rid of the callouses on my feet. There is just all that extra thick skin that is basically dead (hence the dryness). I absolutely LOVE my Microplane Foot File. It takes off the excess without too much effort. And once that's gone, I use Heel Balm by Flexitol.

Someone mentioned that it just doesn't make sense to use Vaseline on your feet, but that really isn't true. I also have eczema on my hands and for a couple of years I tried nearly every moisturizer on the market. I kept going for something that didn't make my hands feel greasy, because I hated that feeling. But when I finally broke down and saw a doctor about it, he gave me a steroid ointment and told me to also use any petrolatum based ointment over that. That's exactly what Vaseline is. And yes, it's greasy (and I still hate that), but I wear some fingerless gloves for work when it flares up and I have to use the ointment, and I'm fine. I use a petrolatum based cream like Eucerin Original Moisturizing Creme or Aquaphor Healing Ointment.

Here's how it works: the petrolatum products don't moisturize your skin. They act as a barrier. On the outside of the barrier it keeps the water away from your skin. One way your skin becomes dry is that too much water (and soap) on your skin actually dries out your skin. And on the inside of the barrier, it keeps the natural moisture (oils) your skin already has - in and on your skin.

First I use a pumice sponge in the shower -- after my feet have soaked for awhile.

THEN as soon as I dry them off -- I use those four-sided black-and-colored semi-hard sanding "sponges" that nail technicians use on false nails to shape them. I buy them cheaply at Sally Beauty Supply. Literally that ugly dead skin on the heels is just sanded off!

I do use cream and then Vaseline -- and put on white socks -- and wait about 20 minutes or so. While I do my hair -- and those heels look great!

Jan

Here is a link that might be useful: Sally Beauty Supply 4-way block

I no longer have cracked heels since I started using a foot brush in the shower. Just soap it up and scrub your feet and heels. I now have nice smooth feet. The brush costs about $3 at Target.

I have to 3rd and 4th the pumice stone or foot file. Let the tub fill with water while you shower and then use the pumice stone. Bag balm is also pretty good for this. It is going to take some time. Start now so you can wear sandals soon. Bad balm, any heavy cream, coconut oil. I also have picked up coconut body butter and used that on my feet also, white cotton socks.

Another thing to consider is that in some cases the cracking skin on your feet can be caused by a fungal infection...

Shea butter & goat's milk lotion is the most wonderful thing I've found for cracked feet & heels.

I got mine at a craft fair;
you probably can google it.

(You can buy *pure* shea butter, which starts out cold but liquifies when put on your warm skin, but it's expensive & it's so oily that it will liquify & ruin your socks or sheets.)

Coconut oil pure is great!

Someone told me years ago that her daughter was big in gymnastics. Using that bar caused bad rough areas on the hands, she and all her friends used Preperation H. After that a friend told me she uses it on her feet. And it does work! I once read tht models use it under their eyes for puffiness. Haven't tried it for that.

PedEgg, PedEgg, PedEgg!!!

I read about this on another GW forum and bought one. It's an egg-shaped device with something similar to a tiny cheese grater inside and a smoothing pad on the outside.

I was skeptical in spite of the rave reviews, but my heels and big toes were badly callused and as you said, summer is coming.

I used it on my clean, dry feet, and even after the first gentle sanding I could see a big difference. I've used it three times in the past couple of weeks and my heels are almost as smooth as a baby's. I finally got rid of the uncomfortable calluses under the balls of my feet too.

As is recommended, I wait until after using it to apply cream to my feet.

They cost $10 each and are sold at most drug stores -- if you get those 20% off coupons from Bed Bath & Beyond you can get one there for $8.

Finally, someone mentioned the Ped Egg. I got mine at BBB.

There is a prescription lotion you can now buy over the counter, cvs is one place that sells it, it is called Lac-hydrin or AmLactin 12%. Not cheap, but a thin layer every night before bed will pretty much dissolve all that thick skin in a short time.

I don't really have major problems, but that is because at least 2 or 3 times a month I soak, then buff my feet with a pumice or file, then use the LacHydrin and Avon's Cracked Heel relief cream. Usually at this point I use cuticle remover and do my polish. I use the creams most nights. For soaking, use the natural products recommended in one of the above posts, and spend the money you save on the LacHydrin. Some things you can get by with on the cheap, our kitchens are full of wonderful ingredients we can use for skin care! If you would rather buy your stuff, then Avon makes some pretty decent foot care products at a good price, especially when they have their BOBO sales. I can't say enuff good things about their cracked heel cream, great even if you don't have cracked heels.

I bought the Ped Egg and that's the problem now!!! I shaved off too much and now my heels hurt and are cracking because the skin is too thin! We're going on vacation in 1 week and I'm in a panic that my feet are going to be hurting with cracks, and bleeding while we are out of the country. Help! What in the world should I do?

Murrells, glob antibacterial ointment/cream on them and keep them covered with cotton socks. You have to wait for the new skin to grow, but this will keep your feet from cracking and bleeding in the meantime. Hope your vacation is good, and I hope you don't have much walking planned!

Murrells, I am very sorry you got carried away and overdid it. Let's hope your feet will heal quickly with some cream/lotion.

I said that I did, "gentle sanding... three times in the past couple of weeks." I made sure my feet were clean and dry first, scraped off a little (sanding in one direction, not back & forth) waited a few days and did a little more. I applied lotion after each treatment.

The directions for use that come with the Ped Egg are helpful, and they also say that this item is not for use by diabetics.

Here is a link that might be useful: ASOTVI review of Ped Egg

I'm still stunned at how well the Ped Egg works! Tried it a couple months ago for the first time. My feet look and feel better than they have in years!

Had been using a foot file and AmLactin (suggested by doc), but my feet rarely improved much. Heels were always cracked and sometimes very painful.

Now I use the Ped Egg, the emery file, and fragrance-free Aveeno. I'll definitely buy another when the micro blades start to dull.

natal,

Does that Ped Egg work a lot better than the foot file graters you can buy at he dollar store? I can't imagine what the Ped Egg is doing that those don't. The dollar store ones are just a little smaller and a different shape, right? Have you used both and can you (or anyone) offer a comparison?

Thanks.

carla35, I checked out the foot files at our 99 cents Only store the other day. They had three different kinds and all were very different from a Ped Egg, more like improved versions of a pumice stone or emery board. Those may work well for some people's feet (not mine).

Donna Loomis posted that she uses a Microplane Foot File, and I think that may be similar to the Ped Egg, without the receptacle.

The functional part of the Ped Egg is like a small stainless-steel cheese grater. I followed the instructions and for me it worked the best of anything I've tried. It includes a fine-textured buffer/smoother on the lid.

I researched video reports on it, and saw a funny v-blog series where a guy mail-orders from the TV ad. When it finally arrives, he goes wild, tossing the instructions aside and grating away like mad -- probably ended up with sore feet.

Anyway, what I learned made me glad I did not buy mine by mail order. The blogger showed that the TV "two for the price of one" offer actually sends you only one Ped Egg and a free coupon for another, which means you have to pay tax and shipping on the second one and wait for delivery.

It looks like the 20% off coupon from Bed, Bath & Beyond is the cheapest way to go, so you end up paying $8 plus tax. I paid $10 at Walgreen's and for me it was worth the money.

Carla, can't tell you how many foot files I've gone through over the years. It really wasn't until I used the Ped Egg that I started seeing real results that last! I've been using it off and on for almost 4 months now. I'll definitely buy another when the little blades start to dull.

When I read this post I ran right out and bought myself a ped-egg and it did work great.
However, I go barefoot (usually only around the house) and now it is nearly impossible to get my feet clean where I filed them.

Ljs, you wouldn't believe how filthy my feet get when I 'm working outdoors. I wear garden clogs without socks and have to scrub my feet after each gardening session, but they eventually come clean.

__________________________________________________

Just opened the September issue of Consumer Reports and saw a little blurb on the Egg. "CR's take: Crack open a PedEgg. It was easy to use, very good at removing calluses, and good at removing dry skin. It did better overall than the pumice stone and buffing pads smoothed leftover roughness. But some filings escaped, so use PedEgg over a wastebasket."

Couldn't have said it better myself, lol!

Natal, I didn't think there was a way to "gross-out" my boys but they were horrified when they saw what I was doing and what came out of the egg--eeewww!

I use the pumice stone in the shower and a $1.99 tube of Udder Cream that I purchased at Wal Mart. My heels have never been smoother. I tried vaseline, Zin's, and had no results. This cheap trick works for me.

Just last night, I used vinegar and just a little warm water and soak my feet for 20mins or so.. then I dried my feet and used my stone to removal excess skin, and it worked. I could see and feelthe difference. I also used generic antibiotic to closed up the open cracks. I have the same problem w/my hands and part of my skin is hard and I soaked my hands w/vinegar and water and I could see a difference the next morning. I also used vit E on my feet and hands and covered them overnite. You will see a difference. Because my heads and feet are so bad, I will do this for a week and let you know the results. Also Avon feet care products are very good w/ callus and dry skin. And if you have fungus or foot order use vinegar as well it will kill the order and you can tell a difference as soon as you dry you feet.

Kudos to duct tape girl! I've been doing this for years, but I also add lotion (sometimes petroleum based, sometimes not) under the duct tape in a little drop right on the crack. Then make sure tape seals in lotion on all sides. I wear it for a day or two under socks before taking it off (use your old socks). Never fails, feet are healed completely. I also lightly sand my feet in the shower for maintenence. Hope this helps and thanks for all the input.

I am diabetic and my boyfriend gets really bad cracks in his feet. We use the Miracle Foot Repair. It has aloe vera in it and is not greasy. Has a peppermint smell. You can get it @ BBB and Wal-mart. It's about $10 and works great.

LacHydrin. Rite Aid sells it. It's one of those glycoloic acid cremes. Sorta pricy, but worth every penny for heels, kneecaps, dry wrinkly elbows. Doctor recommended in my hospital. Get a pedicure, or give yourself one once a week. Use a metal file to get off what you can. soak your feet in milk or vinegar and water. After they dry, rub in some of the LacHydrin, then after that soaks in (give it a few minutes) use a thick, rich heel/foot cream, like Avon's cracked heel cream or real shea butter, or Eucerin creme. Put on socks and leave them on the whole night.

On non pedicure nights, just use the LacHydrin and the creme. If after a few weeks you see NO improvement, go see a doctor and get a prescription strength lotion or creme.

I can't sleep all night with socks on. They are too hot, so I end up kicking them off halfway through the night. I have tried almost everything, but will give some of the ideas here a try. Thanks for all the info.

I haven't conquered my problem but I did find one thing that helped at night instead of socks. It's gel heel socks that I bought at Sally Beauty Supply for $15 but I see online they are available for as little as $8. I can't stand socks on all night either, too hot. I can usually get a season out of a pair. They do feel good at night though. This is what they look like:

http://tinyurl.com/3lp3b6y

I've lived with this so many years I sort of gave up and the cracks seem to get worse the older I get. I have the PedEgg and that works pretty well on the edges but the center of the heel gets slits too and I have to shave them off. Sometimes I go too far and take too much skin off then I'm in trouble.

Good luck, we just keep trying stuff till we find something that works.

If wearing socks at night is too hot, just find an old pair and cut off the fronts, you'll have a heel sock for just the price of an old pair of socks.

My heels were so bad! Tried everything until I tried Footworks Pedi Peel from Avon. I got great results. It worked wonders on my feet. Avon has a whole line of products the will combat dry cracked feet. They also have a cracked heel relief cream that as well as socks that have vitamin e and natural conditioning oils in the heels. I have those as well.

All Avon Footworks are super affordable. Good luck

I have also suffered from cracked heels for several summers (not in the winter when I wear socks and closed shoes).
What everyone with a magic cream seems to be describing is a basic principle of hydrating the skin and then sealing in the moisture. You can do that with an expensive cream that has moisture and an oil component, or something so thick that the skin can't dry out. My "tightwad" procedure is to bathe at night (even a shower if you can't stand to soak in the tub), then apply regular old vaseline, with or without socks. Bathing hydrates, grease seals in the moisture. Scraping the callouses yourself or having professional pedicure will help a lot, but for me the solution has been keeping the skin moist to avoid cracking.

Okay so my feet I always joke about as my own 2 personal grand canyons! The cracks were so massive! It was disgusting. I was invited to this really nice work party of by my boyfriend, and it was by the beach so I wanted to wear a strappy high heel but there was NO way I was going to let anyone see my feet! So, in desperate need of a quick fix, I know it sounds crazy, but I used a sander (yes a REAL sander for wood) and it totally worked! The cracks were pretty much gone! And it didn't hurt at ALL, only tickled a little! So after that, the next two night I used vasoline ( which usually never works, but after the sander did most of the work, the vasoline did the rest) and voila! My feet were like new!

I had the worst case of cracked,bleeding, and sore feet. I could not walk for about 3 days after they would crack. I was reading about home remedies for cracked feet and I found the best idea. The web page suggested using apple cider vinegar as a foot soak for 30 mins a day. I did it and my feet instantly felt better, at first it burned where the open sores were. After the 3rd day of soaking, I knew I had found my answer. I also use Vaseline on my feet at night just put some cotton socks on and your feet will thank you in the morning.

Thanks for all of excellent suggestions for relieving crack hills. I have tried all sorts of lotions to keep my feet from cracking and to treat painful heel cracks, but so far, the only one that seems to work consistently is bag balm that you buy at Farm and Fleet or probably on amazon.com. it stinks to high heaven but it is thick and sticks to your feet. just put it on at night, put on socks, and do that for a few days. I also routinely do it when I put on my shoes. I believe that it is the lanolin in it that is doing the most good but have not checked it out.

I used Heel Tastic and it worked great on my cracked rough heels last year. I need to start using it again as I have gotten lazy this winter and my heels show it! I got it at Walmart but have seen it other places too, such as Walgreens.

The best stuff ever is O'Keefe's foot cream.
It can be ordered on line or is found at a hardware store.
Our Ace's hardware carries.
I have used it on my cracked heels and it works well.....and I have given it to friends who have tried everything.
Try it....it really works well.

Since my last post, I started using the Heel Tastic again at night with socks. Now, just a few days of using it, my heels are so much better & I'll continue using it for a few more days at least. To maintain them, I will try using a body lotion to save on the Heel Tastic. I think I paid around $10 at Walmart, it is like stick deodorant.

My dad worked in the mill for years and he had cracked hands/fingers he always put Vicks Ointment and white socks on his hands. The next day all the little cracks/splits were healed and his hands were softer. I think the menthol heals the cracks and the vasilene base helps to protect/heal them too. I also think since Vicks is warm, that it opens the pores for the vasilene to penetrate.

I've used it on my feet and it really helps. I don't get cracks but I do get hard callouses on my heels and toes. I do get pedicures every other month.
Another poster mentioned the Creative Nail Cucumber mask, I've used it and it really does help and it has a nice fresh scent.

Give the Vicks a try - you will be amazed how it helps !!

Lucky me! I happened on some info a few years ago that made me think my cracked heels were a fungal situation. I treated it with a fungicide, can't remember which. Probably some jock itch medicine that was in the house, or oreganol which I use for everything. Went away post haste and never came back since.

I've had good results using unrefined african shea butter purchased from Amazon. Used consistently my callouses are softer & more easily removed with the pumice stone. No cracks this summer!

I also have the same problem and I have tried literally everything. The best thing I have found is Sally Hansen Cracked Heel Repair Cream. I have only found it at Walmart near the nail polish. It costs less than $8 so it is practical, but you have to apply either after a shower or before bed and put on socks for at least 20 minutes after. I quit for a while b/c I was just so busy and my heels got bad again. If used everyday, my heels are almost back to normal. Hope this helps!

My calluses were so thick I could (and did) walk on glass and lit cigarettes without feeling it.

Scrub feet in the morning. Tea tree oil followed by A&D ointment. Put socks on. Repeat at night.

I have only been doing this for one week, they are nearly healed. The cracks are tiny lines. The thick, thick calluses are so thin that I can see my feet change to bright pink in a hot bath. (At best, my calluses would change to a water logged ghost white after being in the water for any length of time)

I had deep, painful cracks in my heels that didn't get better using pumice stones, lotions or Vasoline.

Upon hearing it could be a fungal-related issue I tried a generic fungal cream 2x a day and wore socks. They healed so quickly (2-3 days) and haven't cracked again in about 6 months.

All it takes is some Vaseline rubbed in at night, then sleep in cotton socks. My neighbor's son had very bad cracks, He followed my advice and his heels were healed in a few days. I had never seen cracks like he had.

I sliced my foot open a while back and I found using just plain old vegetable oil and then using a gallon zip bag. You have to first understand that your feet have NO oiling mechanism like the rest of your body.......they simply depend on sweat to moisturize. The worst thing you can do is go barefoot and take super hot showers!! I learned quite a bit about feet as we have had so many family members with diabetes and foot issues that coincide.
Now I soak my feet in lemon juice and water for half an hour-warm water, then apply a coat of Flexitol Foot Balm, and I use the zip bags because you can zip it but it isn't strangling the leg and blood supply but it's enough to create plenty of moisture. This method has worked very well for me.

For me nothing worked. The only thing that kind of work was to slap my feet full of Vaseline and put some socks on overnight but thxe doctor said my feet were so bad and so cracked and bleeding that I had to get a perscription and used. XVIATE is wat they use n is 40 percent of urea which is what finally worked its a KEROLYTIC n after 2 or 3 days to care 4 the problem and as long as I used it a couple times a week I have no problems!!

I always used to wash my feet in hot water, at night, and use crack heal cream on it.

I soak my feet in warm water with soap for about 30 minutes then scrub with rough stone which I bought from the supermarket ( stone used for foot scrub). Dead cells (calluses) are taken off through scrubbing then rinse with warm water. After that I apply some drops of lemon directly to my feet concentrating on my heels. This really works for me.

You can use petroleum jelly on your cracked heels and put socks on it. Do this before going to bed. This will help you to reduce crack on your heels. You can also soak your feet in warm water and foot soak and slightly scrub it to remove the dead skin cell. Do this at least once a week.