People can use pumice stones, exfoliators, and foot soaks to remove dry skin from their feet at home. Regularly applying moisturizer and removing dead skin will help keep the feet healthy and hydrated. Certain medical conditions, such as eczema, hypothyroidism, and diabetes, can cause very dry skin on the feet.
You can remedy dry, cracked feet at home by doing a foot peel, using petroleum jelly (Vaseline), sealing cracks in the skin and moisturizing daily. In some cases, cracked feet can be caused by an underlying health condition, like psoriasis, certain vitamin deficiencies, or eczema.
There are many causes of dry skin. They range from simple matters of age, shoes that don't fit the foot properly, nutrient deficiency, or dry skin due to heat and low humidity, to problems such as athlete's foot, psoriasis, thyroid disease, diabetes, or various skin conditions.
Lack of B vitamins, particularly B3 or niacin, and B7 orbiotin, can lead to dry, flaky skin, contributing to heel fissures. To combat cracked heels, it is beneficial to eat a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which are all abundant in vitamins and nutrients.
What does athlete's foot look like? Athlete's foot can affect the skin between your toes, the bottoms of your feet, the tops of your feet, the edges of your feet and your heels. Your skin may appear irritated (red, purple, gray or white), scaly or flaky.
Epsom salts are the classic staple of a foot soak, aid to help with everything from arthritis to plain old swollen feet. The salts break down into magnesium and sulfate in water, and some believe that these minerals can be soaked in through the skin for the body's benefit.
If your feet are dry even when you moisturize, you may not be using the right moisturizer at the right time. It's best to moisturize right after showering or bathing in order to seal in the moisture and prevent evaporation.
Exfoliation and hydration are essential for soft, smooth soles and heels. We recommend a salicylic acid foot cream like CeraVe Renewing SA Foot Cream that helps eliminate a build-up of dead cells and provides long-lasting hydration.
Look for thick moisturizers (Eucerin, Cetaphil, others). Some moisturizers contain urea, salicylic acid or alpha hydroxy acid. These are skin-softening agents that may help remove dead skin. They also may cause slight stinging or irritation, so apply this type of product no more than twice a day.
The Benefits of Wearing Socks After Lotion
Wearing socks after applying lotion can create what beauty experts call an "occlusive effect." This means the socks help trap moisture against your skin, allowing the moisturizing ingredients to penetrate more deeply.
“The best practice is to avoid over-scrubbing because you want to maintain a healthy and intact skin barrier,” Dr. Khalifian notes. Going too hard can leave your skin red and irritated. Use it after cleansing, and always follow with moisturizer to lock in hydration.
After washing and drying your feet, apply an antifungal product. The antifungal terbinafine (Lamisil AT) has been shown to be very effective. Another option is clotrimazole (Lotrimin AF). You may need to experiment to find the product and formulation — ointment, gel, cream, lotion, powder or spray — that work for you.
Your feet may be bright red. But they'll soon turn pale, clammy and white as your blood vessels narrow. Once you're out of the cold, the skin of your feet will start to change color. If your skin is lighter, it may look blue or purple due to poor blood flow.
For example, if you have dry skin on your feet, you might notice a rough texture and even itching sensations. Sometimes dry skin is accompanied by cracked heels, also known as heel fissures. Athlete's foot, on the other hand, is a kind of fungal infection that creates a red rash.
Gentle Exfoliation: Exfoliating hard skin is a crucial step in foot care. A pumice stone is a natural, abrasive stone that can be used to gently rub away the dead skin cells on hard areas.
We recommend scrubbing dry skin instead.
As corns and calluses are the result of friction, irritation or pressure against your skin, they can return at any time if you haven't addressed the cause. In other words, if poorly fitted shoes were the cause and you continue to wear those same shoes, the corns and calluses will likely return.
Soak the feet in warm water to soften the dead skin. Wet the pumice stone or foot file with warm water. Gently rub the pumice stone or foot file over the dead skin or callus. Use circular motions with a pumice stone and gentle back-and-forth motions with a foot file.