How to Get Rid of Hard Skin on Your Feet

We all want beautiful soft feet with no dry, hard or flaky skin, but these kind of feet don't just appear by themselves. Think about the work that your feet do everyday, they carry your whole body weight about all day long, they run, they walk, they do it all. They need to be taken care of, because of the weight they have to bear, they will very often need much more intensive treatment than other parts of the body.

With a few simple steps taken everyday, you can have beautiful, soft feet in no time!

Moisturise moisturise moisturise:

The key to healthy skin really is moisture, and the skin on your feet and ankles are prone to extreme dryness, cracking and peeling. Use an intensive moisturiser after bathing or showering. Apply the moisturiser whilst your skin is still damp and warm, this will help the moisturiser to absorb deeper into the skin and it will have a greater effect.

At least once a week, apply a liberal helping of an intensive moisturiser and put your socks on, try to leave it on overnight. If you can stand it, apply the moisturiser and apply polythene socks or even plastic bags, they will cause your feet to sweat, opening the pores and allowing the moisturiser to penetrate right into the skin.

Exfoliate:

Exfoliants that you use on your body will not be tough enough for the hard skin on your feet, choose one that is specifically designed for feet.

A common myth is that larger grains equals better exfoliation, this is simply not the case, very often all large grains will do is scratch the skin. Exfoliate in small firm circles whilst the skin is damp and rinse thoroughly.

Filing:

Of course, exfoliation is not always enough to tackle dry, flaky skin, more often than not, the rough scaly skin that builds up on the feet will need to be filed or pumiced. Choose a rough pumice or a file with small teeth that are close together, large tooth files that are spaced far apart will tear too deeply into your skin increasing the risk of infection. Always file the skin in one direction, never saw at the skin.

Socks:

Try to stick to socks that are made from natural material, these will allow the skin to breathe better and reduce the build up of bacteria which can result in fungal infection which can be potentially ruinous for the skin.

Hygiene:Keep your feet as clean as you can, communal changing rooms are a breeding ground for bacteria, but sometimes they are necessary, always wear shoes in the changing rooms, dry your feet thoroughly and always allow your shoes to dry for at least one day before wearing them again.