What causes cracked heels?

Cracked heels are caused by inflexible skin being put under pressure. The inflexible skin can because by

• Thick hard skin around the heels (see thick hard skin for more details)
• Dehydrated skin around the heels (this can be caused by the weather, wearing open shoes, natural skin type, age etc)

The pressure on the heels can be caused by

• Walking or standing, especially for long periods
• Obesity or pregnancy can increase the pressure
• Lack of support around the heels from open-backed footwear