Skin changes: Nerves control sweat and oil glands in your feet, but when they no longer work, your feet can get so dry that they peel and crack. Make sure you moisturize your feet every day.
If you want to help lock in moisture after using a foot cream, then wear socks after application. Wearing socks overnight can help keep your feet hydrated, though it's probably best to try this trick out in the colder months when feet are more likely to dry out.
“Wash feet with non-foaming hydrating cleanser (typically in a cream or milk form) to keep foot skin from drying further and moisturize still-damp feet after every bath or shower,” she recommends. “That's when it's time to apply products with petrolatum, glycerin, shea butter, vitamin E or jojoba.
Socks keep your feet drier.
It's a common misconception that socks cause sweat. In fact, activity does, and no matter how you slice it, feet just have a lot of sweat glands. Socks actually keep your feet drier by absorbing some of this excess moisture.
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.
After you slather your soles in foot cream or moisturizer, slip on a pair of cotton socks. The socks will help hold moisture in and keep any dust or dirt from sticking to the cream on the bottoms of your feet.
The one downside to wearing socks while you sleep is overheating. If you do overheat or feel too hot, kick off your socks or leave your feet outside your blanket.
Less Oil. Most people have fewer oil glands in their feet than they do elsewhere on their bodies. This means that there's not as much natural moisture for the feet as there is elsewhere. This can cause dry feet and means that feet may struggle with dryness even if you moisturize your feet regularly.
It's no good using a moisturizer once a week – it needs to be done daily. Typically a small pea sized amount will spread all over one foot top and bottom. (Don't do between your toes – if it gets too moist there you can get a fungal infection).
Antifungal powders, sprays and/or creams are often used to treat athlete's foot. However, ensuring that your feet are clean and dry before applying any lotion could prevent any fungal or bacterial infection.
The area between your toes is an ideal environment to hold in moisture, and so when feet are kept moist and warm after lotion is applied, bacteria and fungus can begin to grow. This can lead to conditions such as athlete's foot and fungal nail.
Hand lotion can help by retaining and increasing moisture on your feet. You can apply hand lotion on your dry feet 1-2 times a day until they get better.
The main difference between foot cream and hand cream is their thickness and absorption. The skin on your feet is usually rougher and thicker than the skin on your hands; therefore, foot creams are designed to be thicker and take more time to absorb into the skin. The skin on your body is not all the same.
Sleeping naked together might improve your rest by reducing your stress and anxiety levels. Skin-to-skin contact between adults can increase levels of oxytocin, the “love hormone”. That increased oxytocin can help to reduce your stress levels. It can also make you feel more connected to your partner.
If sleeping naked helps you receive the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night, then it's worth trying. Research suggests that sleeping naked may potentially positively impact reproductive health, connection with a partner, and self-esteem.
There's nothing wrong with wearing a bra while you sleep if that's what you're comfortable with. Sleeping in a bra will not make a girl's breasts perkier or prevent them from getting saggy. And it will not stop breasts from growing or cause breast cancer.
Average lotions usually aren't moisturizing enough unless they're super greasy and slick. A better solution is something like Flexitol Heel Balm, which softens and hydrates dry feet and cracking heels, has little to no scent, and is not greasy. It's inexpensive and the nearly 400 Amazon reviews are very positive.
Use an Overnight Treatment – Vaseline® Jelly can be used as an effective overnight cosmetic treatment for dry, cracked feet and heels as it helps create a sealing barrier, locking in the essential moisture your feet need to repair themselves .
Put on a pair of socks and go to sleep. When you wake up, take a pumice stone or foot file and scale off the dead skin, buffing your heels until they are smooth and soft. This will ensure that you have softer and smoother feet the next morning.
Try petroleum jelly.
It may take a while to soak in, but petroleum jelly is a good way to restore moisture to cracked heels. Try coating your feet in petroleum jelly at night before bed, slip on some comfy socks, and let it soak in overnight while you are asleep.
Walking around barefoot, especially on warm surfaces such as outdoor concrete, can cause dry skin, too. The issue also flares up during winter.
Another common cause of dry, cracked heels is footwear without a proper back, such as open sandals and flip-flops, because they expose your heels to the elements and don't provide adequate support.
Wearing socks all of the time is generally regarded as perfectly healthy if done properly. There are myths that wearing socks 24/7 can lead to fungal growth and result in foul smelling feet. If changed regularly, there should be no health problems associated with wearing fresh socks all day and night.