If you suffer from a thick layer of hard, dry skin on your feet or yellow, cracked heels you're not alone - it's a very common problem.
Typically caused by excessive pressure on parts of your feet or wearing shoes that rub, these types of problems are not a danger to your overall health but they can become painful or sore if left unattended for too long.
It definitely looks unsightly though, which is particularly a problem for women who want to wear open-backed shoes.
Here are some tips to help prevent your feet getting too dry in the first place:

• Wear shoes that fit you properly and don't rub.
  If necessary wear wide fitting shoes - there are many fashionable styles available.
  
• Choose shoes with cushioned insoles or slip a pair of soft foam insoles into your shoes.
  
• Have a bath instead of a shower once in a while or put the plug in whilst you shower to give your feet a soaking.
  
• Dry them thoroughly after washing before you put your socks on.
  
• Wear breathable socks in a natural fibre such as cotton.
  
• Wear slippers around the house rather than going barefoot and never walk barefoot outside.
  

If your feet are already dry or cracked here's how to alleviate the symptoms:

• Have a long soak in the bath or soak your feet in warm water (you can do this whilst you watch TV).
  Add some natural oil such as olive oil or almond oil to the water to help soften your skin.
  
• Once your hard skin has been softened it's time to remove it.
  Remove the surface of any very thick, hard parts with a corn and callous remover/ foot shaver.
  Although these handy tools are designed so that can't remove too much, you must still use it carefully and gently.
  Never use a razor or scissors as you can cut away too much and do damage to living skin.
  
• Next use a foot file or rasp to file away remaining hard skin, concentrating on the hardest areas such as the balls of your feet.
  This may take a bit of elbow grease! Once the worst areas are gone use a finer scrubbing tool such as a pumice stone or a foot exfoliating scrub for super-soft feet.
  
• Then rinse and dry your feet off well and rub in some moisturiser.
  Peppermint lotion is good for the feet as it is sweet smelling and cooling.
  If you have cracked heels, use a specific heel balm and continue to apply it once or twice a day until your heels are healed.
  
• Pop a pair of cotton socks afterwards on to keep that moisture in.
  If you wash and moisturise your feet before bed then wear the socks over night for lovely soft feet by morning!

How to maintain your happy, healthy feet: Once you've got your tootsies into tiptop condition, remember to follow the first batch of tips to prevent them from getting bad again.
Using a pumice stone every time you have a bath and then moisturising will help prevent too much dry skin from building up.
If you have persistent foot problems then it's advisable to go and see a podiatrist.