Home Spa Treatment for Dry Cracked Feet

Reveal the soft skin underneath the dryness.

Dry, cracked feet are unsightly and may become extremely painful if the skin splits. If the heels and toes end up cracking and splitting, you may open yourself up to infection. Pedicures, however, often come at the end of the list of things people have money to spend on in this economy. But don't worry--there are lots of at-home spa treatments that you can do yourself.

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Exfoliate

One of the most important steps in the treatment of dry, cracked feet is exfoliation. If there is a build up of dead skin cells on your feet it will not matter how much lotion you slather on them, because the dead skin cells will act as a barrier to the lotion and the moisturizer will never even penetrate the live skin. There are several different methods of exfoliation; you can use a pumice stone, readily available in drug stores, or you can use an exfoliator. You will want to stick to an exfoliator that is sugar based rather than bark or bead based, as it has more exfoliating power for the tough skin on your feet. Make sure you soak your feet before exfoliation; right after a shower is the perfect time

Soak

Try doing an at-home foot soak. It feels great on tired feet, especially if you have been standing all day. You can buy packets of oatmeal foot soak, which is great for dry and cracked feet. If you are more interested in a natural method, try an at-home foot mask made of mashed oatmeal, bananas or avocados, all of which have soothing and moisturizing properties.

Dry

Make sure you dry your feet completely. Damp feet can bring on cracking. Heel cracking can be brought about if you step in a puddle and leave your feet in a damp environment for an extended period of time. Pay special attention to drying in between your toes where the skin can become painfully cracked and dry.

Moisturize

After soaking, exfoliating and drying your feet, you should have brought to the surface the healthy new skin underneath. Remember, no moister will be able to get through a thick layer of dead skin. Make sure to use a good-quality moisturizer; one that is peppermint-oil based feels fabulous on tired feet, but olive oil, sunflower oil or shea butter are also recommended. Choose something thick and creamy; beware of moisturizers that are mostly water and perfume.

Socks and Shoes

Get flip-flop worthy feet.

Cracking and drying of the feet usually happens in the summer, when you expose your feet in sandals, or in the winter, when your skin is its driest. If you have problems with cracked heels, you might want to wear shoes that have backs on them. Sandals and clogs make cracked heels worse. After your at-home spa treatment, put on cotton socks to help lock in the moisture. You will wake up in the morning with soft soles.

References

• Great Home Remedies: Cracked Heels
• Health and Wellness: Natural Remedies For Dry Cracked Feet
• Article Base: Get Rid of Dry, Cracked Feet