I would suggest a warm nightly soak in a plastic or metal dishpan with epsom salts.
Take a shower first and let your feet get wet, then soak in the epsom salts with water as warm as you can stand it. Soak for at least 20-30 minutes or until the water gets cool. Then, with just a dry wash rag or towel, wipe your feet to rub that dead skin off. Put on cotton socks to run around the house until ready for bed and your feet are good and dry. Then let your feet get air while you sleep and do the same thing the next night.
I broke my leg and my skin was so dry and gross after getting the cast off. Talk about gross! I couldn't believe the amount of stuff that came off my skin by just soaking my leg in a huge cooking pot. The first time I did it, we changed the water about 4 times because without even rubbing, the salts started fizzing that icky stuff off. And it feels so good! You can even buy epsom salts at Safeway, it's not hard to find, very inexpensive, and just soaking will help exfoliate.
Once you've soaked some of that stuff off you can get a pedicure and my favorite is the warm wax treatment. Your feet will be SO soft!
Keep in mind that calluses could be forming from wearing ill fitting shoes.
My advice is to soak, soak, soak. Then try the creams.
I fight with callouses, as well as with fungus in my toenails. While I'm not good at keeping up a good routine, I find that soaking my feet several times a week in warm water is a good way to start. I put either some baking soda (you could substitute epsom salts) or Listerine in the water. Some folks also recommend cider vinegar in the water, but I haven't tried that yet. The idea is to put something in the water that a. softens the skin - b. helps kill the bacteria. I like my water as hot as my feet can stand it, but I think whatever temperature is most comfortable for you is the way to go. I like to do my soaking in the evening while I watch TV. I then use a one of the handled scrapers that looks like a grater, and/or a pumice stone to get the worst of the callous removed. After finishing that, I trim my toenails, if needed, then apply a soothing spray I have (my products are from Melaleuca.com). I then apply a lotion to my feet and put on white socks and wear them to bed. If you can't stand wearing the socks to bed, just use them until you go to bed and then remove them.
Someone mentioned Clotrimazole cream and that is another good thing to use. I tend to use it not as often as the other lotions, because of the expense, but it does definitely help.
Mainly, I think, we need to be more aggressive with keeping our feet soaked and clean... beyond what they get when we shower. Then we need to find a good cream or powder to apply to kill the fungus, bacteria, or whatever it is that is causing the callous, and the cracking.
I think everyone has adequately covered the topic of topical treatments for dry scaly skin on the heels, but alas, often it is what is going on INSIDE our bodies that is the cause. Keep in mind that this is simply a suggestion and not a diagnosis, but dry scaly heels are a common sign for low thyroid function. You should see a professional health care specialist for further evaluation. So many women go underdiagnosed for subclinical hypothyroidism. It is worth it to at least rule it out!
I have been a manicurist for almost 10 years. I highly encourage you to stop using the pedi egg and the pumice stone. They are harsh on your feet and often create the skin to grown more. We grow calluses to protect our feet so the more you try to cut them off (which is what the pedi egg is doing) the worse they get. Try using the foot paddle from OPI foot file http://www.theindustrysource.com/content/opi-pedicure-opi-professional-pedicure-foot-file
Keep this one in your shower and at the end of your shower use the ruff side first and then the smooth side.
and the Checi foot file for out of the shower. http://www.theindustrysource.com/content/checi-pro-nickel-foot-file-coarse-9
Use once feet are dry and then apply a heavy cream and socks. http://www.spablends.com --has great body butters and scrubs.
You have to be very consistant and try to wear cream and socks as much as possible. It will take time. They didn't get that way over night and won't heal overnight either. I would stay away from prodcuts with salt as they are drying. If you are going to soak them I would suggest soaking them with a moisturizing solution. Good luck!
** haven't read other responses, so sorry if it's a duplicate **
I rely on Kerasal during the summer months when I'm not wearing socks. Lifesaver!! http://www.kerasal.com/ You can get it at any drugstore like Walgreens or CVS & you just rub a small bit in, then wear socks overnight & voila! Beautiful feet again :) The key to prevention is, of course, wearing socks as much as possible or better yet, lotioning your feet after a shower, then wearing socks. But during the warmer months, just put on the Kerasal at night & you're good to go!
Hi,
I am a massage therapist and love doing foot treatments for my clients. A favorite is doing a scrub, rinse, then a shea butter. I then wrap the feet in cellaphane, then put the socks on. Leave on for about 1/2 hr. to let the cream get to body temp. and absorb better. That way it doesn't get all in your socks first! I have heard that if you are too agressive with the exfoliation the skin goes into heal mode and over produces cells. A light filing with a foot paddle (i can send you one) is ideal.
Good luck!
Someone gave me a tube of Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme a while back, and I find it to be pretty good. You just rub it in before bed, and then sleep in a pair of light cotton socks (so it doesn't stain your sheets). The first time I used it I was amazed because the next morning I could actually see and feel the difference. Worth a try.
I am glad to help a fellow parent and foster parent.
Since I didn't read any of your responses I am sure that you recieved many great ideas. I just want to tell you some of what I do for my feet.
Since I don't wear shoes all the time the bottoms of my feet are like mocacins. I do use the "egg" and all the rest. I have found that if I use Avon's skin-so-soft on my feet and then wear socks at night. This has been a wonderful solution.
You might want to check with your local beauty school and see if they take care of toes and feet. This is very cheap to have done there. You might want to make an appt. with a foot specialist, and get advice. Because we have family members that are Diabetics, so they have to be very careful they have thier feet done weekly by a foot specialist. I really wish you luck and hope that youwill let us know how you do with this. My friend Pat invited me to a Aurbon party ( natural products) she used a dishpan with regular pebbles in it and scented oils to soak our feet and then do a massage with rubbing the feet over the rocks. It felt like heaven. NANA GLENDA
Hello,
My my dried feet. I put lotion on them after my shower almost everyday. Others I know, will always applied lotion to their feet before going to bed.
This will help.
I have this same problem in the winter... the only thing I've found is to soak my feet and then consistently use the pumice stone on it... I usually try to soak once a week and do some touch up quick scrapes towards the end of the shower mid week. Bath and Body Works makes a peppermint oil for soaking feet that is sooo good, it really helps to soften those calluses before you scrub them! Good luck... Consistency is the key!!! ;0
I know exactly how you feel. I'm going through the same thing myself. I have used the Ped Egg and while that does help it's not enough. The thing that seems to be working for me right now is always wearing socks, but I put alot of lotion on my feet first. I never go bare foot around my home in the winter, because when I do the trouble starts again. Good Luck.
Use super glue or super glue gell inside the cracks. Experiment-one holds deeper and the other stays put longer on top. Have someone help you if you can't reach a crack. Experiment with the glue and the gell to see which works best for you. When I was in emergency for a bad nail scratch/cut, the doctor glued it right up. But it was my dermatologist who gave me the idea. It works well around the fingers too. It may have to be redone frequently. Before I used petroleum jelly and socks at night and still use the jelly and bandaids when I don't have superglue on hand or if the crack is to small for me to apply the glue by myself with my nondominant hand.
Please don’t be mad at me. But I almost threw up a little bit when you sai they were thick. I’m sorry I’m not trolling or anything but just go see a doctor or something, btw I’m a happily married man who’s wife has beautiful well taken care of feet.