What should you know about crack heel cleaner?

Heel fissures develop when dry, thick skin loses flexibility and splits under pressure. Harsh soaps, very hot water, blades, and aggressive scrubbing can increase irritation or deepen an open split. Scaling between the toes, itching, or peeling may point to Athlete's Foot rather than simple dryness. Look at the heel in good light and notice bleeding, discharge, odour, redness, or warmth.

Rinse with lukewarm water and a mild cleanser, then pat the heel dry, including between the toes. If the skin is intact, a brief soak can soften surface scale; do not soak an open, bleeding fissure for a long time. Apply a thick moisturiser soon after drying, and cover a painful split with a clean dressing. Wear supportive footwear that reduces heel friction and avoid walking barefoot on rough surfaces. A clinician or pharmacist can help choose an emollient therapy product.

Seek medical advice for increasing pain, spreading redness, warmth, swelling, pus, fever, or a crack that keeps reopening. Arrange assessment sooner if you have diabetes, poor circulation, reduced sensation, or immune problems, because a small fissure may need careful treatment. Stop a product that causes burning, swelling, or a new rash and ask a pharmacist or clinician what to use instead.

Is this ordinary dry skin or could Athlete's Foot be contributing? Should I use a cleanser, an emollient, or a dressing? Is it safe for me to file thick skin? What signs would suggest infection?