How To Remove Thick Dead Skin From Feet At Home?
One of the body parts that is often overlooked in terms of caring for the body is the feet. Most people spend tons of time and products on developing great facial skin and lovely hair, ignoring feet. Feet are often considered a beauty sign in many cultures, as in ancient China, women with smaller feet were considered more charming (albeit wrongfully).
Regardless of the size of your feet, it is crucial to take good care of them. One of the most challenging problems many beauty freaks encounter is how to remove thick dead skin from feet.
How do I get dead skin off my feet?
Feet develops dead skin primarily due to a lack of moisture. They naturally lack the presence of sebaceous glands that are responsible for providing moisture to the skin. It causes the skin to become thick and dead, compelling you to resort to dead skin on foot removal.
Moreover, as feet remain in closed shoes for a long, the skin becomes rigid if not treated in time. It also happens if the feet are not scrubbed off properly or exfoliated to remove dead skin. Before jumping on to know the best ways to remove dead skin on feet, it is essential to understand what causes it.
Causes of Dead Skin on Feet
Dead skin on feet is largely related to skin dryness. However, there are multiple other factors responsible for the thick dead skin on feet, such as;
- Weather: As the weather becomes cold, the skin becomes dry, especially on your feet.
- Diabetes: Diabetic patients are prone to developing thick skin on the feet as the nerves responsible for controlling moisture no longer work due to diabetes.
- Excessive Showering: Getting into a shower frequently or washing feet with warm water too often leads to dry skin.
- Skin Conditions: Certain skin conditions, such as athlete’s foot, scaly patches, psoriasis, etc., could cause dry feet.
- Calluses: The pressure exerted on the feet, either because of specific footwear or sports activities, builds up calluses.
- Wrong shoes: Tight shoes or not wearing the same pair of shoes could lead to poor blood circulation in feet and make them dry.
How to remove thick dead skin from feet – 4 tested tricks that work!
You should make an effort to remove dead skin cells from your feet. But don’t worry! You don’t need to go to a salon or a clinic. Wondering how to exfoliate your feet? For starters, home remedies can do wonders. Here are some of the tested tricks for dead foot skin removal.
Foot Soak
Preparing soak baths is one of the best ways to remove dead skin from feat. A soaking bath features a pool (or tub) of water filled with active ingredients to penetrate the top layer and loose skin to remove dead cells.
Thinking about what to soak feet in to remove dead skin? The answer is Epsom Salt. Epsom salt is a famous ingredient in foot soaks used widely in buffing feet for dead skin removal.
What is Epsom Salt: Best dead skin remover for feet
Developed as a crystal from magnesium sulphate – a mineral compound- Epsom salt is a natural ingredient to remove dead skin on your feet. You can either use an Epsom salt scrub or the following foot soak;
- Add 3 cups of Epsom salt to a tub of water
- Add a few drops of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
- Soak your feet afterwards for 15-20 minutes
- Scrub it well and gently to remove dead skin cells.
The Epsom salt soak effectively removes dead skin from the feet. It is a most common foot soak to remove dead skin and calluses from feet.
After gently scrubbing away the dead skin with a pumice stone or foot file, apply lotion or Vaseline and enjoy smooth feet. Epsom salt soak is the best answer to how to get the dead skin off feet easily.
Pro Tip: Add a few drops of coconut or olive oil to the foot bath for extra softness.
Exfoliate: How to exfoliate feet?
Exfoliation is vital in removing dry skin and addressing cracked heels. As feet catch most of the dirt during walks or running, their skin becomes more rough, resulting in dry patches, cracked skin, hard skin, and so on. Exfoliating regularly ensures regular removal of dead skin and healthy cell turnover.
What is the best way to exfoliate feet?
Method 1: Use Pumice stone( Dead skin remover)
Pumice stone is an excellent tool for naturally exfoliating the skin and works wonderfully as a dead skin remover. The pumice stone or foot file is made of lava and water. This natural lava stone has an abrasive texture that effectively removes dead skin.
Gently use the pumice stone to buff off the excessive dead skin on the feet, around the heels, and toes’ side. Use the stone on wet skin and rub it gently rather than harshly. After using, wash your feet well and apply baby oil or moisturizer to maintain the smoothness.
Pro Tip: Foot file is a good pumice stone alternative for sensitive skin.
Method 2: Use a Scrub
Scrubbing is another effective way to handle dead skin. Use mild foot scrubs if your skin is too delicate for a pumice stone or feet grater. You can purchase these scrubs from the store or make one using home remedies. Do you need to learn how to use foot scrub? Here is a formula for our favorite oatmeal scrub.
- Mix equal parts of oatmeal and milk
- Develop into a thick paste
- apply it on the feet and leave it on for five minutes
- gently rub in circular motions using a hand or a scrub brush
- Wash it away with cold water
- Apply a moisturizer and enjoy healthy feet
Many people question how long to soak feet before exfoliating. The answer is at least a few hours. Soaking feet before exfoliation delivers excellent results.
Moisturize
The feet’ skin has fewer oil glands, often making it dry and flaky. This is why your feet need more moisturization than the rest of your body. Moisturization is the best way to remove dead skin from feet. Invest in a good quality moisturizing foot soap or feet cream to keep the feet moisturized for a long time. However, if the issue persists, feel free to review the board. Podiatrists often recommend investing in a foot cream featuring the following.
- Lactic Acid
- Potassium
- Ammonium Hydroxide
- Sodium Lactate
You can also make a DIY mask to moisturize the skin on the feet.
- Add 1/2 cup honey and 1/2 cup coconut milk into a cup of boiled water
- Mix well and add 1tbsp cinnamon powder
- Mix well and apply evenly on the feet
- Leave it for 5-10 minutes and rinse with cool water.
If you feel tingling or sensation, wash it off immediately. Cinnamon powder can sometimes cause irritation on the sensitive skin of the feet. Pedicure Socks are a great investment to retain the effects of a pedicure for a long time.
Paraffin Wax Treatment
Paraffin wax is the favourite of salon owners to remove dead skin from feet. It is a soothing and relaxing way to get rid of dead skin. Paraffin wax is a soft wax used for removing dead skin before or during a pedicure.
The paraffin wax is melted around 125°F (51°C) and applied to clean skin. When removed, it peels away the dead skin gently. Usually, the treatment is offered at salons, but you can get a paraffin wax kit and enjoy at-home treatments.
Ensure not to overheat the wax, which could cause irritation or burns. Also, remove it before the wax hardens on the skin.
Valuable tips for how to get rid of hard skin on feet permanently?
If you want to ensure your feet don’t grow thick skin, you need to follow a skincare routine for feet.
- Avoid dryness: You must invest energy to nourish your feet if you have dry skin. Moisturize your feet at least twice a day to keep dryness at bay.
- Remove Dry Skin: If you have developed dry skin in a particular area on your feet, treat it immediately before it becomes a significant issue.
- Remove Socks: No matter like it or not, you should remove the socks for at least a few hours to let your feet get fresh air. Wearing socks throughout the day could cause dryness, irritation due to continuous friction, or fungal infection.
- Cleanliness: Cleanliness is key to maintaining healthy feet. Trim your nails on, use clean water to soak your feet, use a clean bath sponge and filers, etc.
- Water Temperature: Always prefer lukewarm or warm water over hot water. Taking extremely hot showers or baths results in irritated and dry feet.
- Quality Products: Whenever buying skincare products, make sure to invest in quality ones. Get only those foot creams, foot cleaners, or lotions that depict the product manufacturer’s addressed safety.
- Avoid using Abrasive sponges: Get a super soft exfoliating bath sponge if you use foot filers or sponges. Use pumice stone only to remove the dead skin on the heels.
Conclusion
Feet care is often neglected, yet a crucial step in skincare. To get healthy and clean feet, you must regularly remove dead skin from your feet. If you take care of your feet well, you won’t be questioning why my feet get so dry. Remember, clean, moisturize, exfoliate, and rely on a good foot soak for dead skin removal from feet. All it takes is a little effort and commitment to take care of yourself, including your feet.
