What should you know about foot peel for cracked heels?

Heel fissures form when thick, dry skin loses flexibility and splits under pressure. Standing for long periods, open-back shoes, dry weather, friction, and some skin conditions can contribute. Athlete's foot may also cause scaling or cracking, particularly between the toes, so the appearance and location matter.

Peel products contain exfoliating ingredients that separate layers of surface skin over time. They can cause burning, redness, rawness, or worsening cracks when applied to broken skin. A peel cannot treat a fungal infection or replace emollient therapy, which helps restore the skin barrier.

Do not apply a peel to bleeding, inflamed, infected, or deeply split skin. Instead, wash gently, pat dry, and apply a thick moisturiser to the heels regularly. Covering a fissure with a suitable dressing can reduce friction while it heals; avoid cutting hard skin with blades.

If the skin has healed and you still want to use a peel, check the ingredient instructions, avoid combining it with other exfoliants, and stop if burning or swelling develops. A clinician can recommend an appropriate product and check whether dry skin, fungal infection, eczema, or another cause needs treatment.

Seek medical advice for deep or painful cracks, bleeding that keeps returning, pus, spreading redness, warmth, fever, or difficulty walking. Arrange assessment if careful moisturising does not help, if scaling affects the spaces between toes, or if you have diabetes, reduced sensation, or poor circulation.

Ask whether the cracks are due to simple dryness, athlete's foot, eczema, psoriasis, or another condition; which emollient is suitable; whether a peel is safe for your skin; and how to protect the heel during walking and exercise.