What the farmers do. Bag Balm. Comes in a green square can. Been using it my whole life.

Mine too.
I get such horrible cracked heels I've felt them snag on my throw rugs! Just used the Ped Egg on them last night. I also have a strip of "emery Cloth" or emery tape?? DH used it once on his feet and that isn't what its made for (think its for use shining up plumbing pipes?) its just the perfect size to cut off a strip and hold each end with a hand and "file" the rough spots!
In the winter when its so cold and dry I've had cracks break open and holy moley do they hurt!! I put vaseline on and wore socks to bed, then in the morning I'd put Triple Antibiotic ointment on before slipping socks on after my shower.

I need something to soften them more though, might look for bag balm, I know that is wonderful stuff!

Check out the BBB link below, I will vouch for this stuff forever. I "had" the worst cracked heels ever.
I always buy 2 when I go. I am always afraid they will discontinue it..

Trin

Here is a link that might be useful: Heel repair

Ped Egg is great. My heels are terrible, but after using the egg they look great! Worth every penny. Even though they are only $10.00 LOL.

I had a pedicure last week, and told her how my knee hi's snag on my heels. Asked if she would use the heel scraper with the razor, that my previous pedicurist used on my heels.

She said mine were too badly cracked and the razor thingie would just make it worse.

Thanks for all the info.

I think I am the Queen of Cracked Heels! I've had them crack so badly that they have bled...and have really hurt! Regular use of the Ped Egg, lots of lotion before bed, and wearing house shoes when running around on my tile floors have helped very much. Regular maintenance seems to be the key. Once "sandal weather" hits, I have to sand, grind, file, shave, whittle, saw...whatever it takes to keep those heels under control. I'm sure weekly pedicures would be a wonderful solution/treat!

Glenda, get yourself a pumice stone, and work on them. A little bit every other evening, and then lather Bag Balm, or even Vaseline on, put socks on to keep it there for overnight.

It will take time, but if you do the pumice often, it will get the dry stuff off, and they can heal then.

Moni

Cracked heels may well be a fungal infection. It's true. Try Tinactin or another fungicide for a week or two; you may see an amazing cure. I scoffed at the idea when my doctor suggested it, but that's exactly what it was.

Aquaphor

I used to get the awful cracked heels that would bleed. I'm with Oklamoni now - I keep a pumice stone in the shower and use it every day. I don't do a thorough job every day, but the regularity keeps the cracks away.

I also use Vaseline, but that didn't work on its own. It makes my feet softer now that I don't have the thick, cracked skin, though.

Certain product with Emu oil are good. There is a product made in Minn that is so good for dry skin. (when I remember to use it) Is you water hard? Certain soaps dry the skin.

For the first time in my adult life, my heels look normal because after trying many, many remedies I finally went to a dermatologist. She gave me a RX cream first to soften the hard skin on my heels for 10 days (I ended up using it for a month) and also prescribed urea cream ($5 for generic) that I use just about every day topped with a coating of vaseline. She told me not to pumice-it would irritate the skin which would then start to harden. The next time you visit the Dr ask for a RX of urea cream!

Lisa_fla, I think you posted that information before, about your dermatologist saying not to pumice your heels. I've been trying to find some support for that position, and haven't been able to find any negatives to pumice stones, except for diabetics. Not that I doubt that you're accurately reporting what she said, but I'm just wondering where she got that information. If you go back to her and happen to think of it, maybe you could ask.

I can't see how you can irritate dead skin. It's exactly the same as filing your nails, which are also dead. I suppose if you went down too far, you could get to live skin, but pumice goes slowly enough that it's very unlikely. And about the skin then hardening, well, I figure that hardened skin is why I'm using the pumice stone in the first place, so it's already there.

Bag Balm and socks while you sleep. Pumice stone after a good soak with Epsom salts.

She said something about the pumice causes the skin to feel irritated and it responds by producing more thick skin. I'm thinking about taking DD(13) to the dermatologist because she has acne on her back and chest area, so if I go back I will clarify the pumice comments she had made.

Glenda THE BEST product out there is found on QVC..Joan Rivers, Absolutely Magic..and that is just what it is..Your feet, cracked heels. whatever is problematic will disappear..so soothing and cool on your feet. 16oz pump container..fabulous.

june

I agree with Moni. I had that problem really, really bad for several years. I wouldn't wear sandals in the summer it was so gross looking. I finally got myself a rasp type thingy for skin, smoothed down the skin and applied Aveeno moisturizer. Did this for weeks and Voila! I've been wearing pretty sandals ever since.

Two words. Ped egg. You can get them for $10 in most drug stores.

Your timing is right on! Me and the pumice stone just had a Loooooooooooooong session. Then I used carrot cream, purchased at Walgreens(vaseine would work fine). "IF" they had cracked, I would use super glue to seal the cut shut, then continue using cream(with socks on)to keep any more splits from happening.

I have found Burt's Bees foot cream to be very effective.
Carol

I make bees wax salve and it works just great.

The absolutely BEST thing is to start wearing 2 pairs of socks. You can buy thin liner socks at sporting good stores or you can just wear 2 regular thin socks at a time.

I used to get terrible heel cracks and tried all types of lotions and abrasion gadgets. Once I started wearing 2 pairs or just wearing a single pair of Smart Wool socks, my heels have healed up nicely. (I do notice that in the summer when I wear sandals or Crocs my heels start getting rough again.)

I am very lucky and have not been bothered in years by cracked heels.

Sue

Glenda, have you tried Heeltastic? I heard it was good, check out this comparison page.
I bought some Dr. Scholls cracked heel cream for DH and it seemed to work well.

Here is a link that might be useful: heel creams

Glenda I have an awful time with cracked heels so I shave them...and them sleep in cotton socks after I've slathered my feet with palmers cocoa butter...being in the pool lots in the summer helps too...I bought this little shaver...it works but you have to be careful not to go to deep and you're heels are gonna be tender for a few days afterwards but if your like me...I want my feet to look good in the summer cause I live in flipflops!! Good Luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: callous remover

I use Heel Rescue. Makes your feet feel wonderful. Great on elbows and gardeners hands, too. I got mine at Walmart.

Here is a link that might be useful: Heel Rescue

I just started going to a foot doctor as I have Diabetes. He cuts my nails and then his assistant smoothes them with a dremel and she also uses it on the callouses. Then she gives me a foot massage with this really good cream and it makes my feet so soft. I asked her if I could buy that cream and she gave me two small sample bottles. I will be seeing that doctor every 4 weeks, so my feet should be sandal pretty all the time. Of course I had to put my own nail polish on, but I'm not complaining that's for sure.
Dee in Michigan

I think going barefoot and wearing open backed sandals causes the roughness and cracked heels. All I have to do is walk around in sandals for a couple of days or crocks with no socks and bam!...my heels start getting dry. I slather them with some heel stuff that my husband gets at Wal-Mart...It's great...but the best things is not to let it happen in the first place. It's not like it happens overnight.

Mine happened when I when changed mani/pedicurist, back in January, when I went on my last cruise. I noticed that when I dressed for dining and put on the knee hi hose, my heels were snagging the hose.

So when I went last week, I mentioned that to her.
My heels have always been smooth, with some exceptions during the winter. Never in summer.

Have gone barefooted all my life. Sitting here barefooted right now.

I'll just see what I can do with creams or maybe go BACK to the other mani/pedicurist.

As soon as I get out of the shower, I put Neutrogena Foot Cream on my feet, then put on an old pair of slippers that are well greased from the foot cream. 15 or 20 minutes later I put on socks & shoes or sandals. My feet are in great shape. There is also a Cracked Heel Cream, but I don't like it as well. Before you slather your feet with cream or vaseline or whatever you use, wash them, pat dry and immediately put on the cream. The cream keeps the moisture in and doesn't do much good if the feet are dried out.

I have dry skin all year round. Last winter for the first time the tips of my fingers cracked. I consulted a pharmacist and was told to use Aquaphor. It is wonderful! Cleared up my problem and keeps my feet soft as well.

I put vaseline on my heels, last nite. They are somewhat better, today.

Have vaseline on them, now, with a spa sock on, but I CANNOT sleep with the socks on. Too hot natured.

Glenda, buy yourself a Ped Egg. I used mine today because tonight I wore stockings for the first time in a couple of years. I went out to dinner and wore a new dress and I had to wear stockings.
Funny thing, I met my friend at the restaurant and the parking lot was full so I parked in the lot next door. After dinner it was dark when we left so he walked me to my car. I was parked next to an alley and it was kind of dark. While we were standing there talking, a police car drove through the lot. The officer must have seen us walking in the alley and came through to see if we were doing anything illegal I guess. Maybe he was just checking to see if things were OK.

I used to have the worst cracked heel and couldn't wear open back shoes. Here's how I fixed them:

- Use the ped egg once/twice a week or when heel are rough and need exfoliation - this is important
- After showering, apply a good foot moisturizer
- Applying vaseline a few times a week. Work it in well. Don't need a lot. It makes the heels so soft (I used it on my hands too)

If you keep up the maintenance, your heels will always look good.

Glenda,
I agree with using either the ped-egg or a pumice. I think Vicks does a much better job then vaseline, perhaps because it can also fight fungus.

BUT I found something I like even better.
Buy yourself a bottle of Aloe Vera Gelly and put a nice coating of that on your feet each night before bed. It's not greasy and only takes a short time to soak in. Your feet even feel refreshed after putting it on. It has lots of healing power. You don't have to wear sox over it and after a few days you will be able to work off the dead skin with the pumice or ped-egg.

Having sore feet takes the fun out of everything, so I hope you can get this cleared up quickly.

My podiatrist said, going without shoes is the best thing for your feet. They need to breathe. We weren't born with socks and shoes, and our feet weren't meant to be enclosed 365 a year.
But ladies please if you do have cracked and bad heels, don't put them on display with flip flops and sandals until they get repaired.