- Everyday care
- Darker Skin Tones
- Cosmetic treatments
- Public health programs
- Find a dermatologist
- For AAD Members
- Donate
- Coronavirus Resource Center
- Acne
- Eczema
- Hair loss
- Psoriasis
- Rosacea
- Skin cancer
- A to Z diseases
- A to Z videos
- Skin care basics
- Skin care secrets
- Injured skin
- Itchy skin
- Sun protection
- Nail care secrets
- Skin care secrets
- Hair care
- Hair loss
Welcome!
Diseases & conditions
Featured
Molluscum contagiosum: How to safely treat it Both the CDC and the FDA warn against treating this common childhood condition on your own with non-prescription treatments. See what they recommend.
Biosimilars: 14 FAQs Find answers to questions patients ask about this newer treatment option, including, “What’s involved in switching from a biologic to a biosimilar?”
Everyday care
Featured
Practice Safe Sun Everyone's at risk for skin cancer. These dermatologists' tips tell you how to protect your skin.
Relieve uncontrollably itchy skin Find out what may be causing the itch and what can bring relief.
Darker Skin Tones
Featured
Fade dark spots Find out why dark spots appear and what can fade them.
Untreatable razor bumps or acne? If you have what feels like razor bumps or acne on the back of your neck or scalp, you may have acne keloidalis nuchae. Find out what can help.
Cosmetic treatments
Featured
Laser hair removal You can expect permanent results in all but one area. Do you know which one?
Scar treatment If you want to diminish a noticeable scar, know these 10 things before having laser treatment.
Botox It can smooth out deep wrinkles and lines, but the results aren’t permanent. Here’s how long botox tends to last.
Public health programs
Featured
Free materials to help raise skin cancer awareness Use these professionally produced online infographics, posters, and videos to help others find and prevent skin cancer.
Dermatologist-approved lesson plans, activities you can use Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions, which can prevent misunderstanding and bullying.
Find a dermatologist
Featured
Find a Dermatologist You can search by location, condition, and procedure to find the dermatologist that’s right for you.
What is a dermatologist? A dermatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating the skin, hair, and nails. Dermatologists care for people of all ages.
How to care for dry, cracked heels
Following these tips from board-certified dermatologists can help prevent and treat dry, cracked heels.
It’s easy for the skin on your feet to become dry and cracked, especially in the winter. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to treat dry, cracked heels at home and prevent them from coming back.
To care for dry, cracked heels, follow these tips from board-certified dermatologists.
Limit baths and showers to 5-10 minutes. Bathing for too long can dry out the skin, making dry, cracked heels worse. Be gentle when blotting your skin dry with a towel.
Use a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser. This will help your feet retain their natural oils.
Moisturize within 5 minutes of bathing. Look for a moisturizing cream that contains 10-25% urea, alpha hydroxy acid, or salicylic acid, and apply it to your heels immediately after bathing while your skin is still damp and whenever your heels feel dry to lock in moisture.
Before bed, apply plain petroleum jelly. Consider wearing socks at night to avoid getting grease on your bedding.
Protect your heels. During the day, apply a liquid bandage over the cracks in your heels to create a protective barrier, which can help reduce pain, speed up healing, and stop germs from entering your skin.
Wear the proper shoes. If you have dry, cracked heels, avoid open-heeled shoes, such as flip flops or slingbacks, shoes that are worn down, or shoes that don’t fit properly.
Sometimes, cracked heels are caused by a medical condition, such as diabetes. If your dry, cracked heels are severe or do not improve after following these tips, talk to a board-certified dermatologist.
Related AAD resources
Last updated: 1/31/22
