There are several steps you can take to cure your cracked heels in the comfort of your home. Check below for a few of the most successful home remedies.

At home treatment.

• Applying a heavy-duty moisturizer twice a day can go a long way to reducing dry, cracked skin for some people. Try using an oil-based moisturizer instead of a water-based solution. There should be several viable options at your local drugstore.

• To help the moisturizer do its work, wear a sock after you apply the cream. (This works best if you do it just before you go to bed.) Socks are available for this very purpose (see Silipos gel therapy socks), but you can also keep quite a bit of moisture in just by sacrificing a cotton sock from your drawer.

• Use a pumice stone to buff of the dead skin on your heel. This gentle debridement technique can be done at home. Never try to remove dead skin with knife, razor or scissors. People with diabetes or lymphedema should leave all forms of debridement to their doctor.

• Change your shoes. Cracked heels are often caused by too much pressure being applied to the back of the foot. Avoid open-backed shoes. These allow the fatty skin of the heel to squeeze out over the heel in a way that promotes fissures. Instead, look for closed-heeled shoes with good arch support and a shock-absorbing midsole. Orthopedic inserts may be helpful if you are somewhere who carries a lot of weight on your heels.

If your cracked heels will not go away, or if they are the result of a disease such as diabetes, lymphedema, eczema or psoriasis, see a podiatrist for additional medical treatments. Your podiatrist may be able to provide you with a prescription moisturizer, or help you with the debridement process. In some situations where the fissured heel is causing a great deal of pain, a podiatrist may attempt strap the two sides of the heel together or even glue the skin. A podiatrist can also advise you when it comes to orthopedic shoes or custom orthopedic insoles.

Cracked heels may be stubborn, but most of the time they do not require expensive treatments. Remember: you may only be able to eliminate the fissured skin on your heel once you have eliminated the underlying problem (dry skin, inactive sweat glands, neuropathy, poor weight distribution, unsupportive shoes, obesity, etc.).