Though the shoeless days of summer and wear sandals is about to come to an end, keeping your feet healthy is still a priority. We are about to present you with 15 ingredients that help you learn how to get rid of dead skin on feet for you to consider.
However, before we do, understand that these are not all inclusive cures. Some foot conditions are an indicator of a much more serious health condition and need to be attended to by a health care professional.
What is Hard Skin On Your Feet?
Before we share how to get rid of dead skin on feet, what is this hard, scaly texture? These are rough patches of hard skin usually around the heel or ball on your foot. As this texture is thicker than the surrounding skin on your feet, you’ll find it’s less sensitive than other areas on your feet.
There are many factors that cause hard skin on your feet and most popular experience this in their lifetime. Wearing tight shoes or regularly walking can contribute to hard skin on your feet since you’re applying heavy pressure to this area of your body.
The Importance of Removing Hard Skin On Your Feet
It can feel like a chore to remove hard skin on your feet if you’ve been neglecting your feet. Perhaps the most obvious reason to take care of your feet is how it looks. Cracked and dry heels don’t look attractive in heels and can massively affect your confidence when walking around barefoot.
Everyone wants to feel the best versions of themselves, which involves taking care of yourself and putting aside time to invest in your health and appearance. If you don’t invest in a regular pedicure, you can find your feet become more painful and ache when you spend time on your feet.
By not regularly grooming yourself, the hard skin on your feet will become more sensitive and leave to cracked and swollen feet. As you can imagine, this can affect your confidence and mean you’re less likely to walk or run. If left untreated for a long time, you might find that the dry patches worsen into more serious skin conditions. We created this article to teach you how to get rid of dead skin on feet and find an effective regime that works for you.
15 Ingredients to Get Rid of Dead Skin and Have Fresh Feet
1. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is loaded with properties that are very beneficial when just learning how to get rid of dead skin on feet. Among its abundance of antioxidants and vitamins, coconut oil has antifungal and antimicrobial properties. These help to cleanse and moisturize the skin of your feet and help in the regeneration of new skin cells.
What to do:
- Before bedtime, soak your feet in warm water and scrub with a loofah.
- Dry your feet thoroughly and then generously apply coconut oil to your feet.
- Cover your feet in clean cotton socks overnight.
- Remove the socks and wash your feet the following morning.
- Repeat this daily until you achieve the results you want.
2. Mentholated Rub
Another way to learn how to get rid of dead skin on feet is through the use of mentholated rub. Mentholated rubs have a blend of several essential oils, one of which is menthol, which helps to soothe any burning or irritation your feet might have. It also helps to get rid of any microbial or fungal infections which might be causing the issue.
What to do:
- Apply mentholated rub to clean, dry feet before bedtime.
- Wear clean cotton socks overnight, remove and wash your feet the next morning.
- Repeat daily until old, dead skin is gone.
3. Epsom Salt
The magnesium content of Epsom salt not only draws out toxins and encourages the regeneration of new skin cells, but it also relieves inflammation and promotes better circulation. These factors make soaking your feet in Epsom salt a top performer in how to get rid of dead skin on feet.
What to do:
- Add ½ cup of Epsom salt to warm water in a foot tub.
- Soak your feet for 10 minutes.
- Rub your feet with a pumice stone for a few minutes and then put your feet back in the soak for 10 minutes.
- Dry your feet and add moisturizer.
- Repeat this daily for several days.
4. Vinegar
Vinegar is also an effective item on our list that teaches you how to get rid of dead skin on feet. The acetic acid in vinegar helps to soften the skin so that it is easier to exfoliate. The soak encourages circulation and exfoliation helps encourage the growth of new skin cells.
What to do:
- Pour ½ to 1 cup of white or apple cider vinegar into a foot tub with 2 to 3 cups of water.
- Soak your feet for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Use a pumice stone or foot scrubber to rub off loosened dead skin.
- Rinse and dry your feet and apply moisturizer (like coconut oil).
- Repeat several times per week.
5. Bananas
Among the many remedies for how to get rid of dead skin on feet is one that will surprise you; bananas. Overripe bananas, if you can spare them from your banana bread make an excellent remedy for getting rid of dead skin on your feet. They not only help to moisturize, but have tons of nutrients to encourage new skin cell regeneration.
What to do:
- Mash a couple of overripe bananas into a creamy paste.
- Apply this paste to your feet and allow it to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing.
- Remove any loosened skin with a pumice stone or foot scrubber and rinse once more.
- Use this remedy daily until you see the results you want.
6. Oatmeal
Another item in your pantry that is useful for learning how to get rid of dead skin on feet is oatmeal. Packed with vitamins and minerals, oatmeal is one of the best substances found in your kitchen when it comes to skin care and regenerating healthy skin cells. Additionally, oatmeal helps to moisturize your feet.
What to do:
- Mix 1 Tbsp of powdered oatmeal with coconut oil to create a thick paste.
- Apply the paste to your feet and allow it to sit for 30 minutes.
- Rinse, rub away any loosened skin and repeat daily.
7. Baking Soda
Baking soda makes both a great exfoliant as well as reducing the acidity surrounding skin cells, which helps to encourage new skin cell growth. Because of these functions, baking soda is one of the best ingredients among our remedies for how to get rid of dead skin on feet.
What to do:
- Mix 3 Tbsp of baking soda in a foot tub half filled with warm water.
- Soak your feet in it for 10 minutes.
- Rub your feet with a pumice stone or foot scrubber.
- In place of soaking, you can create a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water to use as a foot scrub.
- Follow either remedy daily for several days.
8. Onions
It might surprise you that onions are on our list of learning how to get rid of dead skin on feet. Onions have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties which can help relieve any complications causing skin cells to die. Onions have enzymes and nutrients which assist in encouraging new skin cell growth as well.
What to do:
- Sprinkle some salt and a few drops of lemon juice on a half of a yellow or white onion.
- Use the onion half like you would a pumice stone to scrub your feet.
- In place of salt and lemon juice, you can soak the onion in vinegar for a couple of hours before using it.
- Use this remedy daily for a week or so.
9. Sea Salt
Sea salt is another excellent scrub which makes a great addition to our list of how to get rid of dead skin on feet. Salt not only works as an exfoliant, but also make the environment for new skin cells more alkaline, thereby encouraging the growth of new skin cells.
What to do:
- Blend together equal amounts of olive oil and sea salt.
- After soaking your feet in warm water for 10 minutes, use the scrub you created in a circular motion to get rid of the dead skin.
- Rinse with warm water, pat dry and add moisturizer.
- Repeat this remedy daily until you have the results you desire.
10. Paraffin Wax
Also among our best remedies for getting rid of dead skin is paraffin wax. Paraffin wax is known to soften skin and help it to retain moisture. By moisturizing your skin, it promotes new skin cell growth and helps get rid of dry, dead skin.
What to do:
- Heat paraffin wax in the microwave or a double boiler.
- Add in some coconut oil and mix well.
- Allow it to cool enough so it won’t burn your feet, but remain liquid.
- Apply it to your feet allow it to dry and wear socks in order to leave on overnight.
- Rinse off the following morning.
- Repeat this daily for several days.
11. Listerine
Killing bacteria and fungus is often an integral step in getting rid of dead skin and the thymol in Listerine does just that. It will help to soften it and exfoliate as well.
What to do:
- Add 1 cup of Listerine to a foot tub half filled with warm water.
- Soak your feet in the solution for 20 minutes.
- Rub any loose skin from your feet.
- Rinse, pat dry and repeat this daily for a week or so.
12. Raw Honey
As a natural humectant, honey helps attract and hold moisture into your skin. Used as part of an exfoliating blend, it can help soften feet and encourage new skin cell growth, thus making it a top performer on our list.
What to do:
- Blend together 1 to 2 Tbsp of raw honey with 1 Tbsp rice flour, 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar.
- Massage this mixture over your feet in a slow circular motion and then allow it to sit for 15 minutes.
- Rinse, pat dry and apply moisturizer.
- Repeat this daily for a week.
13. Sand Paper
Your dry, dead skin covered feet sort of resemble a rough board. So, sand paper is a reasonable solution for mastering how to get rid of dead skin on feet. In place of a pumice stone or foot scrubber, sand paper with a coarse grit just might be what you need to get that dead skin off.
What to do:
- Rub the sand paper in circular motions in either direction, just continue in the same direction you choose.
- Blow and wipe away the dead skin on your feet every few minutes.
- Rinse your feet, pat dry and apply moisturizer (like the coconut oil shown above).
- Put on socks overnight and rinse the next morning.
- Continue this regularly until you obtain the best results.
14. Lavender and Brown Sugar Scrub
Foot scrubs are some of the best remedies for how to get rid of dead skin on feet. This lavender and brown sugar scrub is a really good one for helping restore damage to dry, dead skin.
What to do:
- Blend together 2 tsp of lavender buds, 2 cups of brown sugar, 10 drops of lavender oil and ½ cup of coconut.
- Store this mixture in a jar with a tight lid.
- Use this scrub to exfoliate your feet for five minutes each and leave on for 20 minutes.
- Rinse off, pat dry and apply moisturizer.
- Repeat this several times per week.
15. Coffee Scrub
A coffee scrub is also a beneficial solution when it comes to learning how to get rid of dead skin on feet. Coffee grounds have a good grit for exfoliating dead skin and encouraging new growth. Coffee also has a stimulating effect for new skin growth.
What to do:
- Mix together 4 Tbsp of coffee grounds, 3 Tbsp each of olive oil, sea salt, Epsom salt and cornmeal.
- Add in 2 to 3 drops of lavender oil and mix well.
- Massage the mixture into your feet for several minutes using circular motions.
- Rinse, pat dry and apply moisturizer.
- Repeat this 3 to 4 times per week.
Refreshing Up
Regardless of what time of year it is, keeping the skin of your feet healthy should be a top priority. Now that you have our 15 home remedies for how to get rid of dead skin on feet, you can make use of one or several of them in order to keep that skin healthy as well as attractive.
Please don’t hesitate to share your success stories, recipes, comments and questions in the section below.
The images are from depositphotos.com.