Calluses and dead skin can be increasingly uncomfortable, especially if allowed to go unnoticed for a prolonged period. Calluses are typically hard, thick areas of skin that tend to emerge on any part of the skin, typically the feet. These are caused by excessive pressure or rubbing, and hence, are common with excessive walking and exercise.
Dead skin and calluses may not be a serious ailment, but they require immediate attention to prevent aggravated damage to your skin. You can remove calluses and dead skin with a few simple remedies, regular foot soaks, moisturization and exfoliation. This article will walk you through three incredible foot soaks to restore the health and beauty of your feet.
However, before we dwell on the natural home remedies we've lined up, let's look at some pressing concerns and repetitive questions raised by our audience.
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Does Listerine Get Rid Of Dead Skin On Feet?
Listerine foot soaks are extremely popular when it comes to removing calluses, dead skin, toenail fungus, and even athlete's foot. People use Listerine not because of its ability to combat foul odor but rather for the antifungal properties boasted by menthol and thymol. They work to soften the skin, fight off fungus, and allow the dead skin layers to shed off so the healthy skin can emerge from underneath.
A Listerine foot soak with white vinegar will help speed up the calluses and dead skin removal process if practiced regularly. It will help clear up the fungus and soften the dead skin layers so you can easily scrape them off with a pumice stone. If you can't make time for a Listerine foot soak, consider applying some Listerine directly onto the dead skin areas using a cotton ball.
The results won't be instant, but you will spot some noticeable changes right away.
What Is The Best Homemade Foot Soak?
Epsom salt foot soaks are the best natural home remedy to eliminate dead skin and naturally soften the feet and skin. Epsom salt also referred to as magnesium sulfate, is a powerful natural moisturizer that boasts a rich concentration of magnesium and a profound ability to moisturize the skin's deepest layers. It penetrates deep into the lowest layers of the skin, making the feet soft from the inside out.
Epsom salt and white vinegar foot soaks are ideal to naturally soften the skin and slough off dead skin with immense ease. You can then use a pumice stone or nail file to gently remove the thick layers of dead skin.
How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calluses On Your Feet?
Eliminating hard calluses requires patience and time. While these corns and calluses are not dangerous, they can be increasingly uncomfortable. The trick is to use warm foot soaks and soapy water to soften the skin with calluses and corns. The hard, thickened skin will soften with regular foot soaks and warm pedicures. You can make it a regular part of your bathing regime or use a foot soak with Epsom salts and essentials oil to relax and unwind after a long day.
Once you've soaked your feet for about 10-15 minutes, take a pumice stone or a nail file to remove the thickened layer. Don't be too aggressive while removing the toughened skin, or you can cause bleeding and bruises. Instead, focus on exfoliation and keeping your skin moisturized, alongside using skin-softening compounds in your foot soaks. Maintain a regular exfoliation and moisturizing routine, and keep your feet covered with cushiony socks and shoes until the calluses disappear entirely.
Is It Bad To Cut Dead Skin Off Your Feet?
Cutting off or even shaving dead skin is not a healthy practice, and it is widely discouraged by dermatologists and skin experts. You may not feel anything while cutting off dead skin, but it is extremely easy to cut a nerve or exert pressure on a nerve, which can lead to a sharp pain in your feet. It is crucial to avoid cutting your dead skin or calluses as you may end up cutting too far into the skin, which can damage your nerves or tissues.
Now that we've discussed these pressing questions, let's turn out attention towards the three most incredible foot soaks that will revolutionize your foot care regime with miraculous results:
1. Epsom Salt Foot Soak
Epsom salt, unlike the salt that we add to our meals, is intensely hydrating and moisturizing. Magnesium sulfate, popularly known as Epsom salt, interacts with water in a strikingly different manner than regular sodium. In order to understand why this foot soak can work wonders at eliminating dead skin and softening feet, it is crucial to note that magnesium is a potent electrolyte that boosts hydration.
Epsom salt is a powerful electrolyte supplement for the skin, as it aids the skin in restoring and retaining moisture and maintains the cellular balance of electrolytes. It can be increasingly challenging to keep the skin on our heels and knees hydrated because the skin on these parts tends to thicken as part of our body's natural mechanism to shield sensitive joints and feet.
This thickened skin results in dead skin cells that are flaky and tend to build up into hard layers. A topical Epsom salt treatment or foot soak will help you soften these patchy dry skin areas and hydrate the innermost layers of your skin. As the layers of dead skin cells will soften, you can use an exfoliant to easily scrub away the dead skin layers.
Instructions
¬ Pour half a cup of Epsom salt into a footbath filled with warm water.
¬ Soak your feet in this solution for at least 20 minutes, allowing your mind and body to relax.
¬ Without drying your feet, take a pumice stone or a foot brush to peel off the dead skin layers.
To create an Epsom salt bath, you can add a full cup of Epsom salt to a warm tub filled with water. You can also add other beneficial compounds to boost the effectiveness of your foot soaks, such as olive oil, coconut oil, white vinegar, and aloe vera.
For a topical treatment, mix a handful of Epsom salt with olive oil on a bath sponge or your hand, and gently use it to exfoliate and soften the dead skin layers. After massaging gently for a few minutes, use a foot file or pumice stone to gently slough off the dead skin.
It is advisable to continue using Epsom salt as a skin softener as a regular part of foot care and skincare regime, so you never have to resort to heavy scrubbing and can prevent dead skin patches in the future.
2. Vinegar Foot Soak
Vinegar is a highly versatile and incredibly beneficial form of diluted acetic acid, and it has numerous purposes, from cooking savory meals to restoring the softness and beauty of smooth feet. Vinegar is an immensely popular ingredient for DIY foot baths and home remedies that treat aching feet, athlete's foot, foot fungus, and even foot odor.
So, if you're suffering from foot odor and dryness alongside dead skin and calluses, this is an excellent foot soak to put an end to all skin qualms. Research reveals that vinegar boasts powerful antifungal properties that cannot be compared to those with any food or compound. This antifungal activity allows the vinegar to serve as a powerful solution to remove dead skin layers and calluses by hydrating and cleansing the innermost, deepest layers of the skin.
Vinegar is highly effective at curbing dryness and foot fungus. A vinegar foot bath will help soften the toughened layers of calluses and dead skin, making it easy to peel off those thick layers that cause discomfort. You can use any kind of vinegar that you have in your pantry, while white vinegar and apple cider vinegar are the most popular choices for effective foot soaks. It is strongly advisable to use cold water with vinegar as hot water can quickly dry out the skin and cause more harm than good.
For this foot soak, we will walk you through both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar.
Instructions
Apple Cider Vinegar
¬ Add one-part apple cider vinegar to three parts of cold water in a large foot bath or tub.
¬ Dip your water into the solution and let them soak for at least 20 minutes before you rinse them with normal water.
¬ The dead skin layers will start peeling off as you dry your feet.
¬ For excessively tough dead skin layers and calluses, use a pumice stone or foot file to gently scrape off the peels.
White Vinegar
¬ Add one-part white vinegar to three parts of cool water.
¬ Let your feet soak in for at least 20 minutes before rinsing them with normal water.
¬ Use a pumice stone or foot file to gently peel off the dead skin layers and calluses.
It is crucial to dilute vinegar while making a foot soak because it can prove too abrasive for the skin. However, if you are not noticing any visible differences with this ratio, consider increasing the quantity of the vinegar to make a stronger foot soak. If you're worried about the odor of vinegar, don't be, as it will dissipate once the vinegar dries out.
It is strongly advised to apply essential oils to retain moisture and hydration and give your pretty feet a delightful scent once you're done.
Listerine Foot Soak
Listerine is one of the best ingredients for effective foot soaks to remove calluses and dead skin, alongside healing cracked skin and rejuvenating skin cells. This is the ultimate DIY pedicure to treat a wide array of foot ailments, including dead skin, calluses, toenail fungus, and athlete's foot.
People commonly use Listerine to soften dead skin layers and peel them off easily. You see, Listerine is brimming with various active ingredients, including thymol and menthol, which aid in fighting fungus and softening the toughened layers of dead skin and dryness. This DIY foot soak is very easy to administer, and the results are terrific.
Instructions
¬ Fill a large tub or foot spa with Listerine and two parts of warm water. (Make sure that the water has enough length and depth to cover your feet entirely.)
¬ You can also alternate water with two parts of white vinegar, which boasts higher concentrations of acidity to combat fungus and soften the skin.
¬ Allow your feet to soak in the solution for at least 45 to 60 minutes for effective results.
¬ Once done, use a pumice stone or foot file to peel off the softened layers of dead skin and calluses before rinsing your feet with normal water.
For effective results, it is crucial s to prepare a Listerine foot soak every day until the calluses and dead skin cells disappear entirely. Once they disappear, using a Listerine foot soak once a week is an excellent preventive measure. On days you can't make time for a Listerine foot soak, consider topically applying Listerine on the dead skin patches twice a day.
When it comes to using Listerine for dead skin and calluses, it is crucial to be patient instead of focusing on instant results. It can take a few weeks or even months, depending on the severity of your dead skin and calluses, for the results to emerge.
Summing Up
The DIY foot soak recipes mentioned above require consistency, patience, and diligence. It is crucial to regularly practice these natural remedies to allow smooth dead skin removal by naturally softening your skin. Aside from regularly enjoying foot soaks, it is crucial to establish a holistic and rewarding foot care regime.
Calluses and dry skin typically emerge due to neglecting foot care, so, while you're focused on eliminating dead skin from feet, you must also focus on maintaining a regular moisturizing, exfoliating and hydrating regime. Be sure to invest in a pumice stone or foot file, essential oils, foot scrubs, and a good feet moisturizer.
If you want to elevate your foot care game, investing in a foot bath will allow you to set up your own foot spa-like pedicure sessions at home. Regularly moisturizing and exfoliating your feet will keep the skin smooth and soft, and it will prevent the emergence of tough layers and dryness spells.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-remove-dead-skin-from-feet#:~:text=remove%20dead%20skin.-,To%20use%3A,to%20help%20remove%20dry%20skin.
https://www.familysavvy.com/listerine-vinegar-foot-soak-for-soft-smooth-feet-help-or-hype/
https://www.bustle.com/p/the-3-best-foot-soaks-to-remove-dead-skin-19632451