Just walking around causes our feet to develop calluses on pressure points. And our feet are just as prone to drying as other areas of the body. Removing dead, dry skin cells about once a week and using a foot moisturizer every day should help prevent severe drying and cracking.
Step 1
Soak feet in warm water for about 2 to 5 minutes. Wash with soap and water to remove dirt and bacteria. The soap and warm water will soften your skin and calluses, making it easier to slough off the dead cells.
Step 2
Thoroughly dry feet after soaking them. Depending on how stubborn your calluses are, you may need to leave your feet in the water for a few extra minutes.
Step 3
Scrape the dry skin off of your feet the same way you would file your fingernails, in a back-and-forth motion. One side of the file should be rough and the other side should have a finer grain of sand. Use the rough side to remove the dead skin and the fine side to smooth the skin. You may need to soak your feet after a few minutes to soften the skin again.
Step 4
Massage your feet with a gently abrasive exfoliator containing alpha hydroxy acid formulated for feet to further wash away dried skin. Alpha hydroxy acid has been shown to improve the appearance of skin and treat dryness. It will also help remove dead skin cells and the skin you filed off.
Step 5
Rub feet down with a moisturizer after you thoroughly dry them. A 2004 study by the journal "Dermatitis" showed that moisturizers containing coconut or mineral oils can help increase skin hydration.
Step 6
Wear socks on your moisturized feet for at least a half hour. Socks will lock the moisture to your skin.
Tips and Warnings
- You can file your feet after a shower to save time. If you do it while you're in the shower, don't forget to sit down to avoid a nasty fall. Moisturizing your feet each morning before you put your shoes on will prevent calluses from forming as quickly. You may not be able to eliminate dryness, but it will cut down on how often you need to give yourself a pedicure. Most stores that sell cosmetics will have a section for pedicure products.
- If you have peeling skin and discomfort between your toes, you may have a fungal infection. Over-the-counter athlete's foot powder or spray could help clear it up.
Things You'll Need
- Foot file or pumice stone
- Exfoliator formulated for feet
- Moisturizer formulated for feet
- Socks
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