Why our 60% urea + 2% salicylic acid system works on thick, cracked heels
1. What this is
This is a simple summary of published dermatology research on urea and salicylic acid
for dry, thick, cracked heel skin. It explains why LOOSIA uses a very high 60% urea
plus 2% salicylic acid in our Soft-Heel Ritual. It is educational only and not medical advice.
2. Urea: the workhorse for very dry, thick skin
- Attracts and holds water in the outer skin layer, improving hydration.
- Supports the skin barrier so heels stay more flexible instead of splitting.
- Helps normalize over-thickened heel skin (hyperkeratosis) over time.
- At high strengths, acts as a keratolytic – it helps loosen dense, hard keratin so thick heel skin can soften and be smoothed safely.
A 2021 peer-reviewed review article in Dermatology and Therapy reported that
urea creams between about 5–40% improved dry, rough, thickened skin on the feet –
including in older adults and people with very dry, diabetic feet.
3. Why LOOSIA uses 60% urea
LOOSIA goes beyond everyday moisturizers. Our treatment step uses 60% urea
to target long-standing heel callus and deep cracks that have not responded to regular creams.
At this level, urea works primarily as a therapeutic softener for very thick, compact heel skin,
while still drawing in moisture and supporting the skin barrier.
4. Salicylic acid 2%: targeting painful hyperkeratosis & fissures
Salicylic acid is another dermatologist-standard keratolytic. In a published case report
on hyperkeratosis of the heels, a 6% salicylic acid cream used twice daily led to rapid
improvement in dryness, scaling, thickened skin, and heel pain over a few weeks – with no
irritation reported and the patient describing her heels as the best they had been “in years.”
LOOSIA pairs 2% salicylic acid with 60% urea to gently help:
- Break down compact, scaly heel skin and thick “rims” around cracks.
- Smooth painful fissure edges that catch on socks and shoes.
- Work with urea so skin becomes smoother, more flexible, and less likely to split again.
5. What this can mean for your heels
- Softer, less yellow or white heel calluses over time.
- Cracks that gradually become shallower and less painful.
- Heels that feel more flexible and comfortable in shoes and sandals.
LOOSIA products are cosmetic, not drugs, and have not been tested in formal drug-style
clinical trials. Individual results vary. If you have diabetes, poor circulation,
neuropathy, infection, or open ulcers, speak with your doctor or podiatrist before
using any high-strength keratolytic on your feet.
View full medical paper (PDF)
Sources
-
Piquero-Casals J, Morgado-Carrasco D, Granger C, et al.
Urea in Dermatology: A Review of its Emollient, Moisturizing, Keratolytic,
Skin Barrier Enhancing and Antimicrobial Properties.
Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2021;11(6):1905-1915.
PubMed:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34596890/
|
Free full text (PMC):
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8611129/
-
Bikowski J.
Hyperkeratosis of the heels: treatment with salicylic acid in a novel delivery system.
Skinmed. 2004 Nov–Dec;3(6):350-351.
PubMed:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15538090/