Dry skin can be annoying, especially when it persists, no matter how many creams and lotions you slather on your feet. Definitely not a good look when you’re out and about in those sexy sandals! So, if you would rather be showing off gorgeous, healthy feet, we’re here to help.
Causes of Dry Feet
The feet are the most common part of the body that gets dry because of a lack of oil glands. The dryness leads to cracked heels, which tend to make people embarrassed.
There are several reasons why you get dry feet – one of which is the tremendous amount of pressure that your feet handle all day long. The constant pressure from walking and holding up the body causes dry skin to form on the foot’s pressure points. Standing for long periods of time, especially on hard flooring, can also cause dry skin on the feet.
Moreover, aging may have something to do with the dry skin on your feet. As you age, your skin becomes thinner and loses its ability to retain moisture, leading to dry, cracked skin. The dry, cold weather can cause skin dryness, too.
Related: Why Does Dead Skin Come Off After I Shower?
Dry Feet Remedies
The good news is, you can make a big difference by trying these remedies to get dry skin off your feet.
- Use baking soda to break down tough skin.
Baking soda is one of the most popular home remedies for your dry skin. However, it may not be for everyone. Those with super sensitive skin may experience irritation and redness after using baking soda. The best way to determine that baking soda is safe is to check with your dermatologist or podiatrist.
If you’re given the signal to use baking soda, remember not to use it in excessive amounts so as not to disrupt your skin’s natural pH balance. You may only use 3 tbsp of baking soda for a 20 minute-warm water foot bath. Dermatologists recommend that you moisturize immediately after soaking your feet. The best moisturizer is one that contains the ultimate moisturizing trio- dimethicone, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid.
- Treat those puppies to an Epsom salt foot soak.
Besides baking soda, you can also use Epsom salt for a foot bath. You will find it in pharmacies and drug stores. This healing salt is a combination of sulphate and magnesium, which helps soothe dry skin and reduce inflammation. While sulphate eliminates harmful substances from your body, magnesium relaxes your muscles and regulates your electrolyte levels.
For the footbath, dissolve 3 tbsp of Epsom salt in warm water and soak your feet for 20 minutes.
- When a soak isn’t enough, remove dead skin with a baby foot peel.
If you’re up for a disgusting yet effective method of removing dry skin off your feet, check out baby foot peel.
Baby foot peel works this way: Its clear gel removes thick dead skin and destroys odor, leaving silky, soft feet.
Let the booties sit on your feet for about an hour or two. The shedding process will begin after a couple of days and will last for about a week. This process is entirely painless. While it’s effective, it can do more harm than good if your feet have sores, cuts, wounds, and infections. The acids in the peel may make their way into your wounds, so make sure to check with your dermatologist before starting on a baby foot peel.
- Wear moisturizing gel-lined socks
For extra hydration, you may want to consider wearing moisturizing gel-lined socks. You can create your own moisturizing gel-line socks, but if that sounds like a lot of work, you may wish to purchase one via online stores.
What makes these socks great is that they contain hydrating natural oils and vitamins for dry skin. You just need to wear a pair of moisturizing gel-lined socks for a few hours and let it do its wonders. These socks are easy to maintain, and you can just throw them into the washing machine and let them air-dry.
Alternatively, you can reap the same benefits from wearing your old pair of cotton socks and your usual moisturizer. You can slather on a generous amount of moisturizer to your feet at night before slipping on cotton socks. Then, remove the socks in the morning and wash your feet.
- Let your podiatrist remove the dry skin off your feet.
If you’d rather have your podiatrist do all the work, you may do so. When you need to have the dry skin on your feet dealt with instantly, you should go to a podiatric clinic and get the proper treatment.
Podiatrists often deal with issues like dry skin, so even when yours have gone so bad, your podiatrist will be able to allow your feet to heal back to normal using specialized tools and essential lotions.