What should you know about black cracked heels?

Heel skin becomes vulnerable when it is dry and thick, then splits under pressure. A fissure may look black because dust or fibres have collected in it, because hardened surface skin has darkened, or because a small amount of blood has dried inside the split. Peeling or scaling between the toes may point to athlete's foot occurring alongside the heel changes. A clinician may need to examine colour that does not gently wash away, especially when the surrounding skin is warm, tender, numb, or changing quickly.

Wash the foot gently with lukewarm water, then pat it completely dry, including between the toes. Apply a thick, fragrance-free moisturiser or heel emollient to intact dry skin and wear supportive, closed-back footwear that reduces friction. Avoid cutting thick skin with a blade, digging material from a fissure, or using strong acids on an open or bleeding crack. A pharmacist or dermatologist can help select an emollient and decide whether scaling suggests a fungal treatment is also needed.

Arrange prompt medical assessment if the dark area is spreading, the crack is deep or repeatedly bleeding, or there is increasing pain, redness, warmth, swelling, pus, an unpleasant smell, or fever. Seek urgent care for rapidly worsening discoloration, severe pain, loss of feeling, or a foot that becomes unusually cold. People with diabetes, reduced foot sensation, poor circulation, or immune suppression should have a cracked or discoloured heel assessed early rather than treating it aggressively at home.

Ask whether the dark material is superficial or part of the skin, whether there are signs of infection or a fungal condition, and which moisturising ingredients are appropriate for an open versus closed crack. Also mention numbness, circulation problems, diabetes, recent injury, new footwear, and any product already applied, because these details can change the safest care plan.