The picture of the cracked heels is so unsettling, I almost didn’t want to include it. But that’s the reality of cracked heels. It looks terrible! But even worse, cracked heels can be very painful and can lead to infection.

What causes cracked heels? If the skin on your heels thickens around the edge of your heels because of calluses (or other reasons), you could be in trouble. Thickened skin is tight and inflexible. So as you walk around and apply pressure to the fat pad under your heel, the fat pad expands. This causes the thickened skin on your heel to crack and split.

If you’re pregnant, generally overweight, walk around barefoot, or have a job that requires standing on your feet a lot, you’re at greater risk for cracked heels. Cracked heels can also result if you’re deficient in vitamins, minerals, and zinc. Finally, illnesses like diabetes, thyroid problems, and more can cause cracked heels. If left untreated, cracked heels can become infected, bleed, and lead to cellulitis.

In this article, Debolina shares 10 simple home remedies for cracked heels. There are several remedies that use lemon juice, which makes a lot of sense. Lemon juice contains salicylic acid, which softens and loosens thickened skin.

The other category of home remedies uses oils like olive oil to moisturize your heels. A nice thick pair of socks helps the oil to soak into your heels and soften them.

One thing  to note: There are a variety of health concerns over the use of paraffin wax and Vaseline. Consequently, I wouldn’t use those home remedies. The good news is there are many more remedies to choose from in this article.

Click on the 10 Simple Home Remedies For Cracked Heels link below to see all of the remedies.

10 Simple Home Remedies For Cracked Heels