What causes heels to get calloused, dry and crack?

Find information on dry, cracked heels at FootSmart, including causes and treatments such as foot creams, foot balms, heel wraps and more. ... Prolonged standing in ill-fitting shoes can become a problem due to added pressure. Poorly structured feet can sometimes lead to abnormal gait that produces calluses to the heel. read more

Cracked heels, or fissuring as it is sometimes called, is a condition that is sometimes overlooked by many. Your skin becomes cracked, usually around the heels but your skin can crack on other parts of the foot. Unfortunately what cracking does is that it stops the greatest defense system from working effectively. read more

Disease and disorders such as athlete's foot, psoriasis, eczema, and thyroid disease may cause cracked heels. Excess weight can create extra pressure on the feet. Prolonged standing in ill-fitting shoes can become a problem due to added pressure. Poorly structured feet can sometimes lead to abnormal gait that produces calluses to the heel. read more

Cracked heels are caused by cracking or splitting of the skin. This splitting may be due to dryness or thickening of the skin (callus) that cracks and breaks under pressure. When the skin around the heels becomes thickened or dry, it loses it's suppleness and elasticity, and can split under simple pressures such as that from walking. read more

But we don’t want that to happen. Cracked heels are a good foot condition because they can be treated readily, at home with very little inconvenience. But like most treatment methods they need to be treated regularly. We now know that it is dryness and pressure that causes our cracked heels. read more

Skin loses its ability to stretch with age, so cracks are more common as you get older. Diabetes can interrupt the body's ability to produce oils, making the skin less supple and more susceptible to extreme dryness. Disease and disorders such as athlete's foot, psoriasis, eczema, and thyroid disease may cause cracked heels. read more

Some heels get thick very thick callus but don't crack where as others have no callus at all but crack badly after a day on the beach. Long standing at work or home, especially on hard floors Increased weight which causes increased pressure on the heels causing callus. read more