Calluses on the heels and balls of the feet normally serve to protect the feet – but if they become too thick, they can tear. This not only looks ugly, but also causes pain. Here you can find out how to remove and prevent calluses.
Thickened calluses are favored by external influences, such as too much pressure and friction from tight or uncomfortable shoes. But dust, heat and sweat also promote hard skin by drying out the skin. This is particularly evident on the heels and balls of the feet during the hot summer months when most people wear thin shoes such as sandals or flip-flops. However, if the keratinized areas tear, bacteria have an easy time of it – they penetrate the skin and trigger painful inflammation. It is all the more important to regularly care for calluses, calluses and cracked heels by removing the calluses. How this works best is summarized below.
Remove calluses step by step: Here’s how
1. Start with a footbathIn order to remove the excess calluses, you must first soak them – with a footbath. Use lukewarm water to which you add either 100 milliliters of apple cider vinegar, some tea tree oil or Dead Sea salt. On the one hand, your feet are cleaned in this way, on the other hand, salt in particular has a germicidal effect. Place your feet in ankle-deep water and let the foot bath soak in for ten to a maximum of 15 minutes.
2. Use a pumice stoneA variety of tools help to remove excess skin. A classic is the pumice stone, which was already used in ancient times for foot care. In contrast to a planer or rasp, the coarse-pored volcanic rock only removes the upper layers of skin, so there is no risk of removing too much callus and leaving your feet unprotected. Alternatively, you can also use a callus file.
3. Apply lotion to your feet After the treatment, it is important to care for the sanded skin. It is best to use a cream that provides your feet with sufficient moisture and at the same time helps to prevent new calluses from forming again so quickly. Alternatively, you can also use so-called foot butter, which absorbs quickly into the skin and leaves a smooth, supple feeling.
New beauty trend: foot mask instead of pedicure
In order to save time and money, more and more people are doing without a professional pedicure – and instead are opting for a new beauty trend: so-called foot masks. This is a kind of sock that you simply have to put over your feet. The special thing about the foot masks is that they contain a nourishing moisturizing emulsion (including milk, aloe vera and papain) that penetrates your skin and softens it. Depending on how much callus you have, your feet can even “peel”, i.e. the old layers of skin are shed – and new, soft skin appears underneath.
Important: If you have particularly sensitive skin, you should test whether you are allergic to the foot mask before use. To check, dab some liquid from the mask onto your skin and wait ten minutes.
The best home remedies for calluses
Of course, there are also popular home remedies that you can use to remove calluses. This includes:
This is how you can prevent calluses
You can take preventive measures to ensure that the skin on your heels and balls of your feet does not dry out and become calloused in the first place:
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