Wearing footwear that exposes the feet, such as sandles, can cause your feet to become dry and cracked due to exposure to cold air, it also allows fat under the heel to expand sideways increasing the likelihood of getting cracked heels.

As you age your skin loses some of its elasticity and becomes dryer leading to cracked heels if left uncared for.

Standing for long periods of time means more pressure is being put on your heels and can lead to the skin on your heels being stressed and overworked.

If you notice the beginnings of dry cracked heels and leave it, it's likely to progress and get worse, so if you think your heels are feeling drier than usual you should treat them early.

If you have naturally dry skin your heels will also become dry leading to cracked heels.

Lack of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin c and calcium, in your diet can cause cracked heels and leave people asking - how to get rid of hard skin on feet?

Much like standing for long periods of time, gaining weight increases the pressure on your heel leading to it being overworked.

If your feet are getting sweaty from exercise or wet frequently, this strips the skin of its natural oils and will cause dry cracked feet.

How to get rid of hard skin on feet can seem like a big task, but with the right methods you can get your feet back to normal using these methods:

• Pumice stone - a pumice stone should be used on cracked heels in or after a shower when your cracked skin has softened from the warm water. You should then wet the pumice stone and rub it over the hard skin on your feet, rinsing and repeating with the stone, you should finish by applying a moisturiser to lock in moisture.
• Foot scrub - using a foot scrub either from a pharmacy or made at home using sea salt and oil is a way of gently exfoliating the dead skin cells away, and this should be done regularly to help get rid of cracked skin.
• Hydrating moisturiser - dry skin is one of the main causes of dry cracked feet so applying an intense moisturiser will help to keep them hydrated and bring a little life back to them. Try the NIVEA Creme which can be used on any part of the body to offer a hydration boost to the skin.

If you stick to these simple tips and implement them regularly into your skincare routine, cracked heels will become much easier to prevent:

• Moisturise
  
  Moisturise your feet regularly after showering to lock in moisture and prevent your heels from drying out.

• Oils & Ointments
  
  Oils and ointments are especially good at hydrating the skin so applying these regularly if you do find you often suffer from cracked heels will keep the hard skin on feet at bay.

• Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin C
  
  Making sure you're including these in your diet will help keep the skin on your feet healthy and prevent them from drying out, so try to eat foods such as:
  spinach, brown rice, avocados, kale, almonds and tomatoes.

• Avoid Lotions With Alcohol
  
  Although lotions containing alcohol are cleansing, the products strip the skin of it's natural oils and dry them out, which will contribute to getting cracked heels. Therefore, you should avoid these products and instead use lotions that are caring and hydrating, such as the NIVEA Oil In Lotion Coconut & Monoi Oil which is fast-absorbing and pampering for your skin.

• Soak Your Feet Weekly & Exfoliate
  
  Soak your feet regularly and once the skin is soft , use an exfoliator to prevent the build up of dead skin cells leading to cracked heels, if done regularly your feet will thank you for it.

• Avoid Water That's Too Hot When Showering 
  
  Really hot water strips the skin of it's natural oils so using lukewarm water instead of really hot water will help the skin to retain some of it's natural hydration.

NIVEA Repair and Care Body Lotion nourishes and repairs dry and tight skin, providing 72 hour relief. Caring for dry cracked feet, the lotion works in harmony with your skin's microbiome; the natural bacteria which maintains healthy skin. Infused with an intense moisture serum and dexpanthenol your skin is able to hold water, hydrating your cracked heels. To apply NIVEA Repair and Care Body Lotion, first of all you massage the caring formula into your dry or irritated areas for an instant relief. Next we advise you to reapply to areas of extreme dryness in need of extra hydration.