3 Natural Cures For Hard Skin On Your Feet + 4 Amazing Foot Callus Removers

by Lynnette

barefoot, foot care products, pedicures

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Hard skin can form on the soles, balls, and heels of your feet, as well as on your toes.

It can be caused by many different things, including uncomfortable shoes, prolonged periods of exercise, and health problems.

Hard skin similar to calluses can be unsightly, embarrassing, and even painful if left untreated.

foot-callus-remover

Here are 3 natural ways to remove the hard skin on your feet, plus 4 great products to make it even easier…

3 Natural Ways To Smooth Your Feet

#1 Olive Oil

Olive oil is an excellent natural skin softener that can be used to treat many different skin conditions. It is particularly good for treating cracked heels and hard skin on the toes and ball of the foot. For best results, apply a thick layer of extra virgin olive oil to your feet before going to bed. Cover your feet with thick socks to avoid staining your bed sheets, and leave the oil overnight to soak into your skin.

#2 Sea Salt

Sea salt, added to warm water, helps to soften the skin in preparation for removal. Add a handful of sea salt to a bowl of warm water and wait for the salt to dissolve. Soak your feet in the salted water for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the skin on your feet time to soften. Once the skin has softened, use a pumice stone to gently scour away the thick skin patches on your feet.

#3 Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil contains properties to help heal and soften the skin on your feet. The healing properties of lavender are especially useful in the treatment of cracked heels and for use on areas where the skin is broken. Add 15 to 20 drops of lavender essential oil to a bowl of warm water and soak your feet for 10 to 20 minutes. Alternatively, blend 5 to 10 drops of lavender oil with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and massage the mixture into your feet.

Like most natural remedies, each of the above DIY treatments must be repeated several times in order to be effective.

I started by trying each of them, one by one, and following the directions religiously for about 2 weeks straight.

In my case, I had the best luck with the olive oil. (I think for the same reasons that olive oil works so well on my dog’s dry skin.)

I would encourage you to do the same thing in order to find the one that works best for you.

Each of them will successfully lessen the amount of hard skin on your feet… over time.

4 Foot Callus Removers

If you’re in a hurry and need to have smooth feet right away, these are the steps that I would recommend:

1. Start with a pumice stone.

There are lots of varieties (Some are thick and rectangular-shaped, others are thin and affixed to a handle. Some are very coarse & are best for advanced foot problems, others are very fine and take a lot of work to remove the thick skin.) I like the brick-looking rectangular ones.  My favorite is the purple 2-sided Mr. Pumpice stone.

2. Consider a foot razor.

You really need to use this with care, because most people tend to take off too much skin the first time they use one. (Self included.) It’s deceiving because it doesn’t seem like you’re taking off much skin when your feet are wet and the skin is soft. It’s not until your feet are completely dry and you start walking around that you realize how much actual skin you’ve removed. Trust me, it can be painful. Luckily, it’s only temporary.

3. Try the Ped Egg.

Ever since the Pedegg first came out, I’ve been a fan. I like it because it’s a quick and easy way to remove a large amount of hard skin from your feet at once. And the built-in cover catches all of the loose dry skin that you’re removing, so there’s no mess. However, the Ped Egg can definitely tear up your feet if you’re not careful. Think of it as a cheese grater. That’s exactly how it looks and feels on your feet. So be sure to use the included emery pads as the final step, so your feet will feel smooth.

4. Enjoy the Emjoi.

The reason the Emjoi MicroPedi foot buffer works so well is because the rollers spin 30 times per second. That’s a lot faster than the human hand alone could do. Plus, the rollers provide the perfect amount of abrasion that seems to smooth your feet at the same time. The only downside is the dead skin falls all over the floor where you’re using it.