Calluses are areas of thick or hardened skin that can appear on the heels and soles of your feet. Dermatologist Ranella Hirsch states, on Allure magazine's website, that calluses are your body's defense mechanism, and they form when your skin is rubbed repeatedly in the same spot, most often by your shoes. While not typically painful, calluses may feel rough and can be embarrassing if you want to wear sandals. Home remedies can help you get rid of calluses and soften your skin, so your feet are prepared to go bare all year round.
Step 1
Fill a large bowl with equal amounts of warm milk and warm water, and soak your feet in the solution for about five minutes. According to the Cosmopolitan magazine website, the lactic acid in the milk helps dissolve the buildup of dead skin on your feet. The warmth from the water and milk also softens your skin and makes the exfoliation in Step 2 more effective.
Step 2
Remove your feet from the water and milk solution and rinse them with lukewarm water. Wet a pumice stone and rub it gently and repeatedly over your calluses until they have become softened. Do not rub too harshly or go beyond the point of removing your calluses, so that you don't harm the more delicate skin underneath.
Step 3
Rinse your feet again, dry them thoroughly with a soft towel and coat them with a repairing foot cream. Allure suggests using a foot care product that contains urea, which dissolves dead skin cells and deeply moisturizes your feet. You can also use petroleum jelly for intense hydration and skin-softening benefits, states Cosmopolitan. Apply a generous amount of foot cream over both your feet, massaging a little extra onto your heels and the areas where your calluses form most often. Pull on a pair of cotton socks, and keep them on at night while you sleep. Remove them in the morning.
Step 4
Repeat this process nightly until you remove your calluses. Continue to exfoliate your heels with the pumice stone once or twice a week, and apply the cream or petroleum jelly nightly.
Things You'll Need
- Large bowl
- Warm milk
- Warm water
- Pumice stone
- Foot cream or petroleum jelly
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