When we hear the word skin care, or simply the word skin, we most usually imagine the skin on our faces and our daily routines. The skin on our chests, arms, and legs might be second best. But how many of us give any thought to the skin on our feet? Which body area do you think receives the most attention in the shower?
Not only is the skin of our feet harder, but it is also more prone to becoming dry, cracked, and infected. Luckily, many foot issues are merely caused by a lack of adequate care, but they can also lead to one of the most difficult reasons to worry- calluses. If you want to avoid getting pedicures on a regular basis, you can consult a dermatologist for information on calluses and how to treat them on your feet.
Can foot calluses be permanently removed?
Yes, calluses can be permanently removed with a non-invasive in-office treatment that reduces the underlying region of bony pressure. This rarely needs stitches, and most patients are back in their usual shoes within a few days.
What happens if you cut a callus?
There are two major dangers of cutting or trimming a callus.
- The first is that cutting too deeply into the skin can damage the tissue in your foot.
- The second possibility is that you will become infected. As a result, cutting calluses is highly dangerous for diabetic people.
Then there’s the reality that removing a callus does nothing to keep it from developing again. Calluses are an immune system function, and the only method to prevent them from developing is to cease whatever is irritating the skin. Yes, you can shave, cut, pumice, and chemically peel away the hardened skin, but this is unpleasant and dangerous.
Steps of getting calluses permanently removed
Your doctor will check your foot to rule out other possible reasons for thicker skin, such as warts and cysts. If a physical condition is producing the callus, he or she may prescribe an X-ray.
Treatment
Calluses are often treated by avoiding the repeated behaviors that caused them to form. Wearing correctly fitted shoes, utilizing protective pads, and doing other self-care steps might help you address problems.
If a callus grows or becomes irritating despite your self-care efforts, the following medical treatments may help:
- Excess skin is removed. During an annual checkup, your doctor can use a scalpel to trim thicker skin or a big corn. Don’t do this at home because it might result in an infection.
- Medication for eliminating calluses. Your doctor may also administer a salicylic acid patch containing 40% salicylic acid (Clear Away, MediPlast,others). These patches may be obtained without a prescription. Your doctor will advise you on how frequently you should change this patch. He or she may advise you to smooth away dead skin with a pumice stone, nail file, or emery board before putting a fresh patch. You can also obtain a prescription for salicylic acid gel to be applied to bigger sections.
- Inserts for shoes. If you have a foot abnormality, your doctor may recommend custom-made cushioned shoe inserts (orthotics) to avoid recurrent corns or calluses.
- Surgery. In rare cases, your doctor may prescribe surgery to reposition a bone that is creating friction.
How to Treat a Callus at Home?
Check with your doctor before treating a callus on your own if you have diabetes or another disease that causes poor blood flow.
If you don’t have any underlying health issues, use the following remedies to help clean up a callus:
- Make use of over-the-counter pads. Protect the area where a callus has formed with a pad. When utilizing over-the-counter (nonprescription) liquid corn removers or medicated corn pads, be careful. These include salicylic acid, which can harm healthy skin and cause infection, particularly in those who have diabetes or other diseases that produce poor blood flow.
- Wash your hands or feet with water. Calluses can be softened by soaking your hands or feet in warm, soapy water. This may help remove the thicker skin simpler.
- Rub a callus using a pumice stone, nail file, emery board, or washcloth during or after washing to assist remove a layer of hardened skin. Trim the skin without using a sharp instrument. If you have diabetes, avoid using a pumice stone.
- Skin should be moisturized. To keep your skin smooth, apply moisturizer to your hands and feet.
- Put on a pair of comfy shoes and socks. Wear well-fitting, cushioned shoes and socks until your callus has gone away.
Home Remedies for Removing Calluses on Feet
- Warm water
You must soak the region in warm water for 20 minutes. After towel-drying your skin, try gently rubbing a layer of the callus away with your finger. You may be able to eliminate the callus one layer upon layer over the course of several soaking periods. The first treatment suggested is a simple warm-water bath
- Non-medicated callus pads
Callus pads made of felt, silicone, and a mild adhesive can be placed to the affected region and worn underneath socks, shoes, gloves, or shirts to relieve pain. These pads will protect your callus from irritation as it heals. It is recommended that you avoid medicated callus pads containing salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is a skin irritant that can cause it to break down.
- Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar’s acidity helps soften the firm skin of a callus. Soak your callus in a mix of four parts water and one part apple cider vinegar for around 20 minutes. When you withdraw your skin from the soak, you may be able to remove a layer or two of the callus more easily. Try not to pull too aggressively and to be patient. An infection can occur if the skin around or on top of the callus is broken.
- Castor oil
Castor oil is a natural skin lubricant due to its characteristics. This might be useful when attempting to condition your skin in order to massage a callus off. Soaking your callus in a warm water combination with 5 tablespoons of castor oil should be adequate to soften the tight skin while also soothing the troubled region.
- Pumice Stone
A pumice stone is useful if you have a callus on the soles of your feet or on your elbows, where it is difficult to notice. After completely soaking your callus, apply pressure to it with the pumice stone and rub in a circular manner. Don’t try to remove the entire callus at once. The goal is to massage the skin away with this treatment over a few doses.
- Baking soda and lemon juice
This treatment combines an acid component, such as lemon juice, with a chemical component, such as sodium hydrogen carbonate, commonly known as baking soda, to cause a reaction that makes calluses easier to remove.
To begin, you’ll need warm water, a basin, and 2 to 3 teaspoons of lemon juice. After soaking your callus in this solution for a few minutes, add the baking soda. The fine granules of baking soda, along with the bubbly action of adding it to the lemon juice, may give this soak more callus-dissolving power.
- Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic properties. Soak your callus in a basin of warm water with a few drops of tea tree oil until you feel the skin relax and lift. Do not soak in this treatment for more than 15 minutes since the tea tree oil is quite powerful and might harm your skin layer if exposed to it for an extended period of time.
- Sandpaper
Calluses can also be removed by gently sanding with a fine-grade sandpaper. For optimum results, use this treatment with one of the other soaking solution therapies on our list. It is recommended to soak your callus first before attempting to remove it with sandpaper.
Gently push on the callus to check whether you can rub off a layer of it or if it can entirely separate from your skin. If the callus is stubborn for removal, repeat the soaking procedure or try again another time. Never massage your skin forcefully with sandpaper.
- Epsom salt
Epsom salt is used as an exfoliant. This treatment is incredibly useful if you’re hoping to relax after working with your hands while also removing a callus. The salt’s tiny granules dissolve to calm your muscles and soothe your skin. Before soaking your callus, mix 2 to 3 teaspoons in a basin or bowl of warm water. This may make it easier to peel off.
Is peroxide good for calluses?
Yes, soaking your feet with hydrogen peroxide is great. Hydrogen peroxide can destroy the fungus on the foot’s surface as well as any surface bacteria that could cause an infection.
So, make a foot soak of one part hydrogen peroxide to three parts warm water and soak your painful feet in it. The same treatment can help prevent athlete’s foot fungus from spreading and will soothe calluses.
Why do calluses keep coming back?
No matter how you do it, those painful bumps on your foot tend to return. You may be worried about what you’re doing incorrectly.
Calluses are the body’s defense mechanism against excessive pressure and friction on the skin. As a result, as long as those conditions remain, the calluses will reappear. Also, the skin retains memory, so the callus may reappear after the underlying causes have been treated.
Shoe or toe pressure is the most common cause of calluses on the toes. Wearing shoes with extra room or flexibility in the toe box, as well as spacers or cushions between the toes, can significantly relieve strain.
Calluses on the bottom of the foot can develop as a result of dryness or from walking patterns that result in high pressure regions. A thick moisturizer, such as a lotion or ointment, will minimize friction and aid in the healing of calluses. Often sweat ducts in the foot get clogged, demanding the use of an extra exfoliating treatment. Padding or insoles can also play an important role in the case of calluses from high pressure regions.
Why do my feet get calloused so quickly?
Your feet may be too dry, and they require moisture:
Moisturizing your feet with lotion, oil, or another form of water enclosed inside a barrier lipid helps your body to shed skin cells properly. The tiny skin cells within a callus loosen up when there is an increase in moisture. The friction that contributed from the callus can then be gently taken away, although exfoliating and soaking surely help!
You always wear sandals:
When it comes to the roots of calluses, sandals are the most common offender. Shoes with open toes and flip flops allow the feet to move about, causing friction and dead skin collection.
Another disadvantage of sandals is that they expose your feet to the elements, causing them to dry up. While sweaty feet might cause issues on their own, wearing shoes and socks can provide the body with adequate moisture to prevent calluses formed by everyday walking. There are exceptions because shoes that move around too much or restrict too much can also produce calluses.
There is also nothing wrong with letting your feet soak up the rays in your favorite pair of flip flops, remember to take care of them at the end of the day. Moisturize them and exfoliate them using a clean loofah, pumice stone, or another exfoliator.
Also, change out your sandals for a decent pair of cotton socks every now and again, particularly if you’re going to be walking or trekking a lot that day.
Your shoes do not fit properly:
Tight shoes suffocate your feet, generating pressure and friction that can lead to calluses. Loose shoes may achieve the same thing if they move sufficiently to create friction.
Check that your shoes are properly sized, and avoid heels if the pressure causes your toes to pinch. Prepare a pair of nice, comfy, and supportive tennis shoes or ankle boots to provide your feet with the necessary support to avoid creating skin disorders.
You don’t exfoliate on a regular basis:
Some skin requires a little help to shed naturally, particularly in regions of our bodies that suffer a lot of wear and tear, such as our feet. A slightly abrasive scrubber, loofah, or stone in the shower is a simple method to ease the body out. However, many people have trouble keeping these items clean, so be sure to let yours dry down and sanitize them on a regular basis. They should also be replaced every 1 to 2 months.
A bath may be necessary if you have a severe case of calluses. Fill a basin with warm water mixed with Epsom salts, 1/4 cup vinegar, and a teaspoon of your favorite moisturizing oil, such as coconut or avocado oil.
You have a rough routine:
There are several conditions that can cause calluses, ranging from being pressured to walk too much at work to sitting too long in a way that puts pressure on your feet. Others must make repetitive foot actions, such as if you drive for kilometers every day.
If your daily routine appears to be intended to leave your feet with a layer of calluses, they may require extra treatment in addition to the above care suggestions. Consult a podiatrist to determine whether you need special footwear, socks, inserts, or lotions for your specific case. These can help you keep your feet moisturized while avoiding situations that lead to the formation of calluses.
What is the best callus remover for feet?
Own Harmony Electric Callus Remover
Looking through hundreds of five-star reviews, we discovered that many clients were delighted with how effectively this rechargeable callus remover worked.
Besides, one of our testers tried loofahs and masks that didn’t make much of a difference in eliminating calluses, so he unhappily purchased this instead. But, to his shock, it just took one session with this electric callus remover to remove the extra skin and smooth out his heels.
Another tester, who had severe calluses on his big toes, says that she could certainly detect a change after the first usage.
We think the Own Harmony is simple to use and manage, especially for the elderly or those with restricted mobility.
From personal experience, I consider this the ideal treatment for calloused feet since it properly molds to fit in the palm of your hand and is not at all difficult to hold while moving at various angles to reach the problem regions.
Rikans Colossal Foot Rasp Foot File And Callus Remover
This callus remover is comparable to a “cheese grater.”
One of our most passionate testers sent before and after photographs, which clearly indicated a huge difference. He actually opened the package and completed the task in under a minute, which is faster than professional pedicures.
Another tester on our team who purchased this likes how easy it is to use, how it has an excellent grip for holding, and how it is ideal for any feet if used properly.” She went on to say that her feet are just like a newborn’s. You may get this if you want to feel the grass on your feet again, or if you want to glide on the wooden floor without socks.