Cracks in the skin round the heel might be both unpleasant and painful. This condition is because of the thick or dry skin, on and round the periphery of the heels. The skin on your feet is usually more dry and dehydrated compared to the skin elsewhere on the rest of the body probably because there are no sebaceous glands in the thicker epidermis on the bottom of the foot. Because of this, the skin around the heels may possibly lose suppleness and resilience because of that insufficient moisture. Due to the pressures of walking, that dry skin can start to crack and it can lead to nasty, painful cracked heels that could at times bleed. There are a number of reasons which increase the chance for the cracked heels such as higher pressure, greater bodyweight, unsuitable shoes (especially shoes which are open up at the back), inherited genes, unhygienic problems and inadequate footcare, and nutritional inadequacies.
To prevent cracked heels, always attempt to wear properly fitted enclosed shoes that enable your feet to breathe and avoid shoes that are open at the back. It is very important to remain well hydrated by consuming at the very least two litres of water every day as that can help. Exfoliate your skin regularly and moisturise every day with a decent ointment. When it is more severe, this probably should be carried out twice a day initially. There are a few suggestions that omega 3 and zinc supplements might help (but they really do need to be used with the other treatments and not in isolation). It would also help to avoid too much exposure of the feet to water or damp conditions. It is important that you rinse your feet with warm water rather than very hot water. If these types of strategies tend not to help, then see a skilled podiatrist. They can remove the thicker hard skin and provide further suggestions about the way to self manage.