Having crusty feet is a common problem but that doesn’t mean you can’t mend these cracks. It’s common to have dry, rough, or cracked skin on the feet. The feet have fewer oil glands than other parts of the body, and they go through a lot of wear and tear on a regular basis.
Some simple home remedies can help people with dry skin on their feet. Dry skin can be found on the heels, sides, and between the toes of the foot. It may cause itchiness, tightness, and sometimes discomfort in the affected area. This can be annoying, but it is rarely hazardous.
Simple foot soaks, moisturizers, and frequent cleaning can help to relieve dry skin on the crusty feet, remove dead skin and calluses, and prevent them from forming again. We’ll look at the reasons and treatments for Crusty feet having dry, cracked, or scaly skin.
Reasons why we have Crusty Feets
Dry skin on the feet can be caused by the following common factors:
There is a lack of moisture. Because the heel and sole have fewer oil glands than the rest of the body, they are more prone to dry, cracked, and peeling skin.
- Irritation. Standing for an extended period of time or wearing ill-fitting shoes can generate persistent pressure on specific parts of the foot or skin friction. As a result, the feet may become dry, swollen, or cracked in certain places.
- Humidity and heat. Closed shoes, such as sneakers and boots, put the feet in a very hot and humid environment. Heat and humidity dehydrate the skin, resulting in dry, thick, or cracked skin on the foot.
- Soaps. Soaps and body washes containing chlorine bleach or irritants can dehydrate the skin. These issues can also be caused by failing to remove extra soap from the feet.
- Aging. The skin’s ability to retain water deteriorates throughout time, making it thinner and less plump. As a result of the natural ageing process, older adults are more likely to have dry skin.
- Medications. Dry skin on the foot can be caused by some drugs, particularly diuretics.
- Athlete’s foot, for example, can cause crusty feet as a result of a medical disease. A fungal infection that forms a scaly rash between the toes and underneath the foot is known as athlete’s foot.
- Eczema. Eczema is a term used to describe a collection of skin disorders that produce irritation. Eczema can appear on any part of a person’s body. Eczema is characterised by dry, crusty, or itchy patches of skin.
- Psoriasis. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that develops thick, scaly skin patches. Psoriatic patches can appear practically everywhere on the body, including the foot.
- Hypothyroidism. People with hypothyroidism may experience abnormally dry feet as a result of their thyroid gland’s inability to control the sweat glands in their feet, causing them to dry out.
- Diabetes. Neuropathy is a complication of uncontrolled diabetes that results in damage to the peripheral nerves. The nerves that govern oil and moisture in the feet can be affected by neuropathy, causing the feet to become dry and cracked.
Remedies and treatment to save crusty feet
Dead skin cells naturally fall off the surface of the skin, and new cells grow in their stead. When dead skin cells accumulate on the foot, they can produce thick, flaky patches.
Dry patches, particularly on the heels, can grow thick and cracked with time. Infected feet can be made worse by cracked heels, and thick calluses can make walking difficult or uncomfortable. We’ll go over five of the finest techniques to cure dry skin and remove dead skin from your feet in the next part.
Exfoliate crusty feet
Exfoliation is the process of eliminating dead skin cells from the surface layer of the skin using a physical or chemical exfoliant. The following are examples of physical exfoliators:
- foot scrubs
- body brushes
- electronic callus removers
Foot scrubs can be purchased or made at home by combining honey, warm water, and sugar. Moisturizing creams or thin liquids are used as chemical exfoliators. Ingredients including glycolic acid, lactic acid, and alpha-hydroxy acid remove dead skin cells on the surface of the skin.
Foot wipes are chemical exfoliators made exclusively for the foot by manufacturers. Artificial perfumes and alcohols in some foot peels might irritate delicate skin, so check the ingredient list for any potential allergens or irritants before purchasing a foot peel.
Chemical exfoliators that are labeled as being suitable for face usage can be used for a softer foot peel. On the internet, people can choose from a variety of exfoliating product brands:
- shop for foot scrubs
- shop for foot brushes
- shop for electronic callus removers
Soak your crusty feet
Washing the crusty feet in warm water soothes and loosens dry skin while also boosting blood circulation, which can help prevent future dry skin. A foot soak with a tiny amount of vinegar may help treat mild cases of athlete’s foot. Vinegar contains antibacterial characteristics that can assist to disinfect and possibly eradicate foot odor.
Other substances to think about including in a foot soak are:
- Epsom salt
- honey
- Oatmeal
- lemon juice
- peppermint essential oil
Crusty feet file or pumice stone
To treat dry skin and calluses from crusty feet, persons can use a pumice stone or a metal foot file. They can do so by doing the following steps:
- To ease the dead skin on the feet, soak them in warm water.
- Warm water should be used to wet the pumice stone or foot file.
- Gently massage the dead skin or callus with a pumice stone or a foot file.
- Use a pumice stone in circular motions and a foot file in moderate back-and-forth strokes.
- Remove the dead skin from your feet by rinsing them. Step three should be repeated as needed.
- Using a clean towel, pat the feet dry.
- Use a cream, lotion, or oil to moisturise your feet.
- Pumice stones can be purchased in drug stores or online, with many brands available.
Moisturize your crusty feet daily
Moisturizing the crusty feet on a regular basis will assist to alleviate existing dry skin and prevent new dry skin from forming. After using an exfoliator or a pumice stone, moisturizing the feet will help the skin retain moisture.
Alcohol added scents, and artificial colors should be avoided in lotions, creams, and moisturizers, as these components can aggravate dry skin.
Instead, look for goods that include the following ingredients:
- humectants, such as urea, aloe, and hyaluronic acid
- emollients, which include plant-based butter and oil
- occlusives, such as petrolatum, lanolin, and coconut oil
Moisturizing socks to bed helps to relief in Crusty feet
A person might use moisturizing gel-lined socks for increased hydration. These can be purchased online, or they can be made by the user.
Natural oils and vitamins in gel-lined socks help to hydrate and restore dry skin on the foot. All that is required is for the person to put on a pair and walk around the house for a few hours. They can then wash the socks in the washing machine and air dry them.
People who use their regular moisturizer and a good pair of cotton socks can achieve similar benefits. They can apply a thick layer of moisturizer to their feet before slipping on a pair of breathable cotton socks at night. They should take off their socks and rinse their feet in early.
Crusty feet Prevention
The following are some suggestions for preventing dry skin on the feet:
Maintaining proper foot care, which involves cleansing the feet properly, eliminating dead skin, and moisturizing the skin with a suitable moisturizer avoiding alcohol, added scents, and colors, and other potential irritants in lotions, soaps, and body wash instead of frantically rubbing the feet after a wash, gently pat them dry with a washcloth using warm, rather than hot, water for showers, baths, and foot soaks wearing shoes that fit properly instead of vigorously massaging the feet after a shower, gently patting them dry with a washcloth
Dry, itchy crusty feet and regions of irritated or scaly skin might come from wearing the wrong shoes or spending too much time standing. Dry skin can thicken and split without treatment, leaving the feet exposed to infection.
People can remove dry skin from their feet at home with pumice stones, exfoliators, and foot soaks. Applying moisturizer and exfoliating dead skin on a regular basis will help maintain your feet healthily and nourished.
Eczema, hypothyroidism, and diabetes are among medical diseases that can produce extremely dry skin on the foot.