Not a face cream, not collagen: dermatologists say this overlooked kitchen oil softens dry elbows and heels overnight

The woman on the train kept rubbing her elbow through her jumper. Not scratching, exactly – more like checking whether that familiar rough patch was back. When she finally pushed her sleeve up, you could see the story: greyish, dull, a little cracked around the edges.

Across the carriage, a teenager in leggings kept tugging at her sock, then pressing her thumb into the back of her heel. A businessman in brogues shifted his weight as if his shoes hurt. You didn’t have to see their skin to know what was going on. Winter doesn’t just chap lips; it turns elbows and heels into sandpaper.

We tend to throw face creams and serums at the problem, or start googling “best collagen for dry skin”. Yet dermatologists keep pointing to something far less glamorous, often already sitting by the hob in a glass bottle.

Why elbows and heels go reptilian every winter

The first cold week of the year usually feels crisp. Then your skin starts to complain in very specific places. Your shins itch. Your cuticles fray. Your elbows and heels, however, seem to skip straight to “cracked and hopeless”.

Those areas live a tougher life than the rest of your body. Heels take your entire weight with every step, squeezed into boots, trainers and office shoes that trap sweat and friction. Elbows lean on desks, car doors and kitchen worktops all day. Both zones spend most of their time uncovered, in direct contact with air and fabric.

The skin there is structurally different too. It’s thicker, with fewer oil glands to naturally lubricate it. In cold weather, when humidity drops and central heating runs non‑stop, water escapes from that thickened skin even faster. The result is a hard, dull surface with tiny micro-cracks that can eventually split and sting.

Dermatologists call this xerosis – very dry skin that’s lost both water and protective fats. They see the same pattern every year: people arrive insisting they’ve “tried everything”, from retinol body lotions to collagen powder in their coffee, but the backs of their heels still snag on bedsheets.

The problem isn’t that you’re not moisturising at all. It’s that most everyday lotions are designed for flatter, thinner skin on the arms or torso. Elbows and heels need something heavier, greasier and frankly more old‑fashioned.

The kitchen oil dermatologists quietly recommend

Ask a group of dermatologists what to put on cracked heels at night, and a surprisingly unsexy answer pops up again and again: plain vegetable oils. Among them, one cheap, stable staple keeps being mentioned – sunflower seed oil.

Not the fancy cold‑pressed version in a tinted bottle, just the standard, refined cooking oil you pour into a frying pan.

Sunflower seed oil is rich in linoleic acid, a fatty acid that your skin barrier uses as raw material. Unlike some heavier oils, studies suggest it helps restore the outer layer of the skin without clogging, and can reduce water loss through the surface. It doesn’t try to exfoliate or “renew” anything. It simply feeds the “mortar” between your skin cells so they can lie flatter and feel smoother.

One consultant dermatologist in Manchester describes it to patients as “liquid bandage for budget days”. When a thick heel balm isn’t handy, she tells them to raid the kitchen: sunflower seed oil on damp skin, covered by cotton overnight, often makes more difference in 48 hours than a week of half‑hearted body lotion.

The logic is simple. Your regular moisturiser might contain excellent humectants – ingredients that attract water, like glycerin or urea. But unless you trap that water in, it evaporates quickly in winter air. An oil layer on top acts like cling film over leftovers: it keeps what you’ve just added from disappearing.

Sunflower seed oil does that job without fragrance, preservatives or long ingredient lists that might sting already broken skin. It’s not a cure for underlying conditions such as eczema or diabetes-related foot issues, but as an occlusive top coat, it has one big advantage: you’ll actually use it, because it’s already in the house.

How to turn a basic oil into an overnight heel and elbow treatment

The most effective routines for rough heels and elbows are almost boringly simple. The challenge isn’t complexity; it’s consistency.

Step 1: Soften first, don’t scrub hard

After a shower or bath, when the skin is warm and slightly wrinkled from water, gently pat it until just damp. If there are obvious thick, white patches on the heels, you can use a soft foot file or a washcloth to lightly buff them – never on broken or bleeding skin.

Dermatologists warn against going in with aggressive rasps or blades at home. Removing too much in one go just triggers more thickening as the skin tries to protect itself.

Step 2: Add a humectant layer

On that still‑damp skin, apply a plain moisturiser that lists glycerin, urea or lactic acid high up the ingredient list. This step pulls water into the outer layer and starts to loosen tight, flaky patches.

For very sensitive skin, a simple glycerin-based cream without fragrance is usually safest. Let it sink in for a minute, but don’t wait until everything feels bone dry.

Step 3: Seal it with sunflower oil

Now pour a small amount of sunflower seed oil into your palm – about half a teaspoon per heel, less for each elbow. Massage it over the moisturiser, paying attention to any deep lines and the outer edge of the heel where cracks often form.

The aim is a thin, glossy film, not slippery puddles. If the skin looks shiny but you could still safely walk on a tiled floor, you’ve got the amount right.

Step 4: Lock it in with fabric

For heels, pull on cotton socks straight away. For elbows, an old long-sleeved cotton top or even stretchy tubular bandage will do. That fabric layer has two jobs: it keeps the oil where you put it, and it stops it ending up on sheets or pyjamas.

Sleep in the “oil sandwich”. In the morning, wash with lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser if needed. Many people notice softer skin after the first night; a week of this routine usually transforms how those areas feel against clothes and bedding.

Why face creams and collagen powders don’t fix cracked heels

When your elbows look older than the rest of you, it’s tempting to throw high‑end face products at them. Retinoids, vitamin C, peptides, collagen supplements – the entire anti‑ageing toolbox. The problem is that none of these directly address the basic mechanical issue: water evaporating and fat “mortar” missing from the outer layer.

Face creams are carefully designed for thinner, more sensitive skin, and they emphasise lightness and quick absorption. That’s the opposite of what a cracked heel needs. You want something that sits there, doesn’t sink away too fast and actively blocks moisture from escaping.

As for drinking or swallowing collagen, dermatologists tend to be blunt: your gut breaks it into amino acids, which your body then uses where it sees fit, not necessarily in the driest patch on your ankle. Even if supplements help improve overall skin elasticity in some people, they don’t replace direct barrier repair where the damage is.

An overlooked bottle of cooking oil, on the other hand, offers exactly what a neglected heel is crying out for: an occlusive coat that stays put for hours, costs pennies per use and can be repeated every night without drama.

A realistic winter plan for softer elbows and heels

The biggest mistake people make with dry elbows and heels isn’t using the “wrong” product. It’s doing the “right” one three nights in a row, then forgetting for three weeks.

A winter routine that actually survives busy weeks tends to look like this:

• Keep a cheap, fragrance‑free cream in the bathroom where you shower.
• Store the sunflower oil either next to it or by the bed in a small, labelled bottle.
• Stack cotton socks and a long‑sleeved top where you can grab them one‑handed.
• Aim for three to four oil nights a week rather than perfection.

On days when you’re exhausted, skip the humectant step and just massage a few drops of oil into damp skin after your shower. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than nothing. The barrier likes “good enough” done often more than “perfect” done once.

If cracks are deep, painful or bleeding, most dermatologists suggest pausing acids and perfumed products, and sometimes applying a medicated ointment prescribed by a professional before any home oiling. Sunflower seed oil is gentle, but even gentle things can sting on raw splits.

When kitchen oil is not enough

There are situations where simple home remedies should take a back seat:

• If you have diabetes or poor circulation and notice foot cracks.
• If heels are so thick and yellow they feel like horn rather than skin.
• If redness, oozing or intense itching develops around dry areas.

In those cases, see a GP, dermatologist or podiatrist. Fungal infections, eczema and psoriasis all like to show up on feet and elbows, and they need more than a pantry fix.

What your elbows and heels are quietly asking for

There is a small, private moment where you really feel how dry your skin has become. You turn over in bed and your heel drags against the sheet. You lean on your desk and your elbow catches on your sleeve instead of gliding. It’s not dramatic, but it’s a message: this bit of you is unprotected.

Responding doesn’t require a luxury haul or a supplement regime. It can be as unglamorous as pausing in a cold kitchen, picking up the bottle you usually reserve for roast potatoes, and deciding some of it belongs on your skin tonight.

A few nights of that simple, oily ritual – damp skin, cream if you have it, sunflower seed oil, cotton – can quietly change how your body feels in its own clothes. You don’t suddenly grow new skin. You just give the skin you already have a better chance of staying soft, even when the weather isn’t.

FAQ:

• Can I use olive oil or coconut oil instead of sunflower seed oil? You can, but dermatologists tend to favour sunflower seed oil because it’s lighter, rich in linoleic acid and less likely to feel sticky. Olive and coconut oils are more comedogenic for some people and can feel heavier, though they can still work on thick heel skin.
• Will this make my feet slippery and unsafe? Use only a thin layer and always put cotton socks on straight after applying oil. Avoid walking on hard floors barefoot until the oil has had time to soak in through the night.
• How long before I see results on cracked heels? Mild roughness often feels better after one or two nights. Deeper dryness usually needs consistent care for one to two weeks. If there’s no improvement at all after that, it’s worth getting a professional opinion.
• Is it safe to use sunflower seed oil on eczema-prone skin? Many people with dry or eczema-prone skin tolerate refined sunflower seed oil well, but everyone is different. Patch test on a small area first and avoid using it on actively inflamed, weeping or infected skin without medical advice.
• Can I skip the cream and just use oil? You can, and it’s still helpful as a barrier. However, combining a humectant-rich cream underneath with oil on top generally gives better, longer-lasting softness, especially in very dry winter air.