How to Get Rid of Cracked and Callused Feet

Once you reach the age of 30 or so, you will probably find that your feet are just not as lovely and smooth as they used to be. You may notice dry and even cracked skin around the heels. It's not related to how much you exercise, it's not because of the shoes you wear (it happens to people who go barefoot all the time, too), it's not because you are not taking care of your feet--it's just a natural change in your body. But you need not succumb to unsightly, dry heels. You can incorporate a few steps into your grooming routine to return your heels to a softer, more youthful appearance and feel.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pumice stone
• Callus remover
• Shielding lotion

1. Soak feet in a bucket of warm, soapy water for at least 10 minutes to soften the rough areas of your feet. Another way to do this is to relax in a tub of warm, soapy water for at least that amount of time.

2. The hard, dry areas of your heels are calluses. Use a callus remover to scrape away the rough edges, being sure to get the heel, the balls of the feet and the edges of the big toes (see Resources below).

3. Use a pumice stone. As you attack one spot, count the strokes. Do between 20 and 30 stokes per spot, and then move to the next spot. This way you're sure to cover all the necessary areas.

4. Apply a shielding lotion to the rough areas of your feet after you've dried off. Shielding lotions, unlike mere "moisture" lotions, actually shield your skin--both from moisture escape and from the outside. A shielding lotion acts like a thin barrier that effectively keeps your skin moist naturally, and it lasts a long time (see Resources below).

5. Apply another layer of a shielding lotion to your heels before going to bed at night. This is important because nighttime is the perfect time for the lotion to shield, protect and treat your feet.

6. Repeat these steps over the next few days until your feet look youthful and smooth. Then do a weekly maintenance to maintain the effect. At the very least, apply shielding lotion each night before bed.

Tips & Warnings

• Store your shielding lotion bottle beside your toothbrush, as it will help you remember to apply after brushing your teeth at night.
• Do not use a callus remover that involves a separate blade! These are dangerous and a good way to cut your feet. Sure, they are effective in removing the hard skin, but they make no distinction between dead, callused skin and live skin.
• Don't expect to remove all of the calluses on the first round. This process takes time, especially if your calluses are deep.
• Other types of lotion will not work as effectively as shielding lotions. You must use a shielding lotion to get the full benefit of this grooming treatment.

Resources

• Click here to buy a safe and effective callus remover.
• Click here to buy Skin MD Natural shielding lotion.
• Click here to buy Gloves in a Bottle shielding lotion.

[sneedc]

on 1/12/2009 Though some body parts are good "hard," feet aren't one of 'em. Thanks for the post 5*

[Felicity]

on 11/16/2008 Very helpful info, thanks!