your questions, answered

Cracked heels happen when the skin on the heel dries out and thickens into hard skin called callus, loses its elasticity, and splits under the pressure of standing and walking. The most common causes are standing occupations, going barefoot, open-backed footwear, hot dry conditions, body weight, pregnancy and diabetes. They are usually mechanical, not a sign of illness.

Summer combines the main drivers of cracked heels: bare feet, thongs, beaches, pools and dry heat. Winter, when your feet live in socks and enclosed shoes, is actually one of the best seasons to repair them - the balm is held against the skin for hours after every application, locking in the moisture.

Shallow cracks are usually painless. Pain means a crack has deepened into a fissure that reaches living skin - it will pull at every step and can bleed. Painful fissures respond quickly to treatment, but they are also the stage where a podiatrist can help most: reducing the callus around a deep fissure gives immediate relief.

Yes. A crack is a break in the skin barrier, and deep fissures can let infection in. Redness, swelling, heat, throbbing or any discharge around a crack are signs of infection - see a podiatrist promptly rather than treating it at home, and don’t apply balm over an infected crack until it has been treated.

Usually not - for most people they are caused by mechanical load and dry skin. They are not caused by not drinking enough water, and on their own they are not a sign of a vitamin deficiency or diabetes. If a proper routine has made no difference after four weeks, or you have diabetes and the skin has broken, get them looked at. More detail: Are cracked heels a sign of something else?

Twice a day - morning and night - while the skin is being restored, then once a day to keep it that way.

Mild to moderate cracked heels usually look and feel noticeably better within one to two weeks of consistent use alongside gentle filing. Deep fissures take longer. If nothing has changed after four weeks, it may not be ordinary cracked heels - see a podiatrist.

Yes - anywhere the skin is dry or hard: the soles, the balls of the feet, and around the toes. Its 25% urea formulation is designed for the thick skin of the foot, which ordinary body moisturisers cannot penetrate properly.

Yes. Bondi Heels 25% urea heel balm absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave a greasy residue, so socks aren’t necessary - but socks over freshly applied balm hold warmth and moisture against the skin and work well, especially in winter.

Urea is a compound your skin already makes - part of its own natural moisturising factor. In a heel balm it both draws moisture into the skin and gently breaks down hard, dead callus so the skin sheds. At 25%, both actions work at genuine strength, which is why 25% is the benchmark concentration for cracked heels.

For everyday use, yes. Above 30% the exfoliating action becomes aggressive - useful for very thick, stubborn callus, ideally under a podiatrist’s guidance, but unnecessarily harsh for typical cracked heels. 25% balances real exfoliating power with daily-use gentleness. Full comparison: Heel balms compared.

Yes. Bondi Heels is non-occlusive and formulated for daily use. If you have a diagnosed skin condition on your feet such as psoriasis or dermatitis, the balm won’t make it worse - but it won’t treat it either; those conditions need their own care.

Yes - heel balms with 10–25% urea are considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Pregnancy is one of the most common times cracked heels first appear, through the combination of weight gain, swollen feet and more time barefoot.

Yes - Bondi Heels is diabetic friendly and suitable for daily use on intact skin. If you have diabetes, the caution applies to filing and to broken skin, not to the balm: have cracked or broken skin assessed, and if you have neuropathy, poor circulation or a history of foot ulcers, leave hard-skin removal to your podiatrist. Full guidance: our cracked heels guide (diabetes section).

Yes - Bondi Heels is formulated by a practising podiatrist specifically for clinic recommendation and retail. Wholesale pricing is available to registered practitioners: see our practitioners page.

Yes - a pump bottle is available for treatment-room use, so the balm application can finish every consult the way it does in Ben’s own clinics. Details on the practitioners page.

Yes - we offer free samples to podiatry and GP clinics so patients can try the texture before buying. Request them via the practitioners page.