Embarrassment over a milder case of dry, cracked skin on your feet may make you want to bury them in the sand. However, moderate to severely dry skin on the feet, especially when accompanied by cracking and fissures on your heels, is often quite painful. A few practical steps and a little dedication to solving the problem may stop the pain and get your feet out of the sand and back in sandals.
Step 1
Determine the cause. Dry skin on your feet often comes from low indoor humidity caused by furnaces during the winter or air conditioners during the summer. However, eczema, fungal infections, complications of diabetes and other conditions can cause dry, cracking skin on your feet. If you suspect any of these issues as the cause of your dry feet, you should see your physician for further evaluation.
Step 2
Choose gentle cleansers and other skin care products free of fragrances, alcohol and dyes, which can irritate and dry skin further. While lotions and moisturizers need some form of preservative to maintain shelf life, avoid products that contain chemicals known to irritate skin, such as formaldehyde. Other, more natural preservatives include antioxidants such as vitamin E and vitamin C.
Step 3
Avoid soaking your feet or taking long baths or hot showers. Water, especially hot water, can actually remove naturally produced oils from your skin. Skin care specialists typically recommend warm water for baths or showers, that you stay in the water for no more than 10 minutes and suggest showers rather than baths for adults with dry skin, according to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
Step 4
Exfoliate calluses gently when your feet are moist, such as following a bath or after applying lotion. Podiatrists recommend using a pumice stone to reduce thickness of hard, callused areas. You can also choose an exfoliating scrub designed for the feet. However, ePodiatry advises you not to try to cut away thicker calluses with a knife or razor because this can remove too much skin and increase the risk of infection.
Step 5
Apply moisturizer regularly--at least twice daily and more often as necessary. Choose an oil-based moisturizer. Some manufacturers offer products designed especially for foot care. However, petroleum jelly also locks in moisture and offers a significant bargain to consumers. Because moisturizers are especially effective when skin is already moist, be sure to apply moisturizer to your feet within a few moments after a shower to skin that you have patted rather than rubbed dry.
Step 6
Wear the right shoes and control your weight. According to ePodiatry, wearing open-backed shoes when overweight often causes the fat pad on the bottom of the foot to expand sideways with standing or walking. This can result in the thick, dry, cracking skin and fissures around heels and the edges of your feet.
Step 7
Ask for help. If you have severe dryness or cracking of the skin on your feet, you may benefit from seeing your family physician, dermatologist or podiatrist for further treatment recommendations. These professionals can often prescribe a combination of effective therapies for chronic dry skin or identify an underlying cause of your symptoms.
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