Rub Gold Bond Foot Cream (Or any good, soft moisturizing cream - if you have one with a mint base that one would feel wonderful I'm sure. I've used a Nivea Hydrating lotion, a Bath & Body Works Mint Rejuvinating Lotion, several others, but the GB is my current fave) on your feet, rubbing into the dryest areas liberally. Put gallon ziploc bags over your feet and rubberband around your ankles. Then, put your feet underneath a heating pad on low, preferably propped up on a footrest as you recline in the chair with a nice glass of wine, coffee, cocoa or relaxing drink of choice. (I sometimes slide my feet under the pad, sometimes sit them on top, sometimes slide them inside the case. Or, wrap them in a heated throw or even a damp towel heated BRIEFLY in the microwave until it is as warm as you can stand but not too hot - burns if you heat too long.... ) Sit like this as long as you are comfortable - I can go under the heating pad on low for 5-10 minutes, not much more. Sitting with the warm towel until it cools off works, too. That is usually in the 5-7 minute range. Remove your feet from the heat source, take off the baggies and wash your feet in warm to cool water, washing thoroughly with an exfoliating cloth, scrub, pouf, loofah, or stiff washcloth. You can use a pumice stone if you have one on any spots on your heels or the balls of your feet, or just give them extra attention with your loofah or scrub. If you have an emory board you can use that on the rough spots, but be careful and don't press too hard. Also, if it is a paper emory board it will ruin it. Rinse off any loose skin and the remaining lotion, pat the feet dry with a soft towel and see how they feel.
Last edited by Shannon in ATL; 08-13-2010 at 09:47 PM.
I've had luck with petroleum jelly (vaseline) and cotton socks at bedtime, but I found something even better (at the recommendation of my dermatologist), zinc oxide cream (available in a lot of different skin creams, but cheapest in diaper rash creams). I was getting very burny itchy feet at night (especially after wearing socks and shoes on hot days).
Any diaper rash cream with zinc oxide will do, but I use up & up™ (Target's brand) Zinc Diaper Rash Ointment because it's the cheapest (only $1.49 per tube).
I bought both the one that is supposed to be equivalent to Desitin "creamy" (it's like a lotion, and doesn't feel overly greasy) and Desitin "original" (it's a greasier formula).
The original is better at softening thick, hard calluses. At bedtime, I wash my feet (or take a shower) and dry them. Then I slather on the cream and put on cotton socks. I usually kick the socks off sometime during the night, but by morning my feet are much softer.
Once my feet are nice and soft, I switch ot the creamy version, and then I don't need to use the socks. I just use it as a foot lotion every night (or every other night). If I go very long without using it, the calluses return and then I have to go back to the greasy version for a night or two.
I originally went to the dermatologist for an impetigo like rash on my face and she recommended zinc pyrithione dandruff shampoo (I use store brands such as Walmart's Equate brand) as my only soap (it's my face, hand, body, and hair wash), and the zinc oxide cream for mild flares (I also have a prescription steroid cream for flares, but if I'm using the zinc products regularly, I almost never need to use it).
Now I use the zinc on almost any skin problem (except cuts). You can buy zinc pyrithione and zinc oxide skin care products, but the dandruff shampoo and diaper rash creams are the cheapest (and aren't any different in formulation. Often it's just a different label).
I use a ped-egg about once a week on my calluses. Every morning when I get dressed for the day and every night before bed I use the Heeltastic stick. It's made such a huge difference in a short amount of time.
I love Ms. Pedicure's exfoliating foot scrub! And I use North American Hemp Company Holy Grail unscented body lotion all over including on my feet. I get the foot scrub at Wal*Mart for about $5 and the lotion at CVS for about $20 and they both last me through the winter (6-9 months). I used to get horrible painful cracked heels in the winter months but these products eliminated that for me. (I don't have any foot probs in the summer.)
Foot Care
