Every once in a while, you may find the skin on your feet dry, rough, and cracked. The condition is prevalent because your feet have fewer oil glands and are also the most used parts of your body. If you fail to clean and moisturize your feet adequately, you risk forming dry skin on your feet.
If you want to remove dead skin from your feet, check your heels, between your toes, and on the sides of your feet. If you don't know what is causing your dry feet or are trying to remove dead skin on your feet, read on as this article will discuss the common causes of dry skin on your feet, remedies to remove dead skin, and ways you can prevent it from forming in the future.
What Causes Dead Skin on Feet?
1. Lack of moisture
The most significant cause of dead skin on your feet is lack of moisture because of the few oil glands. If you do not correctly moisturize your feet after showering, you will likely end up with dry and cracked skin.
On the other hand, if you tend to wear open shoes a lot, you are more prone to dry skin due to overexposure to external conditions.
2. Heat and Humidity
If your feet are exposed to a hot and humid environment, it will draw moisture from the skin, leaving it dry and cracked. If you enjoy wearing sneakers all the time, for instance, you may be prone to experiencing dead skin.
3. Irritation
Many things can irritate your skin and lead to friction and eventually dead skin.
If you spend your days on the move or standing in one position, your feet will get friction in some areas since they are responsible for carrying your body weight. This friction will cause blisters, which will also lead to patches of dead, dry skin on your feet.
Products you shower with can also cause the skin on your feet irritation. For instance, if you use harsh soaps or shower gels, the chemicals that make them can strip the little moisture on your skin to leave it dry.
4. Medical conditions
You may get dead skin on your feet if you suffer these conditions and more;
- Fungal infections such as the Athlete's foot.
- Diabetes. Diabetes, if uncontrolled, can affect your nerves, and thus the regulation of moisture and oil on your feet.
- Eczema. It causes dry skin in areas of your body, such as the feet.
- Psoriasis causes scaly patches on your skin and can as well affect the feet.
- Hypothyroidism happens when your thyroid gland cannot control your sweat glands. As such, if the sweat glands in your feet are affected, you will get dry skin.
Remedies to Remove Dead Skin on The Feet
The first thing to understand is that dead skin on your feet results from a build-up of dead skin cells. Naturally, when your skin sheds, new skin cells take the place of older cells, and for your skin to appear rejuvenated at all times, you need to remove the old skin cells.
Therefore, to keep your feet looking fresh and healthy, you need to find a way of removing dead skin regularly.
1. Exfoliate
Exfoliating involves removing any build-up of old skin cells. If you fail to exfoliate your feet regularly, you risk forming excess callus, which can cause cracked heels, which can cause infections and make walking or standing difficult, not to mention take a toll on your self-esteem.
You can exfoliate your feet using;
- Foot scrub
- Baby foot peel
- Foot brushes
- Paraffin wax
- Foot callus removers
2. A foot soak
When you soak your feet with warm water, you soften all the dry skin, making it easy to remove. Soaking your feet also increases blood circulation, which guarantees adequate moisture distribution to your feet, thus preventing dry skin.
You can add a few ingredients to your warm water to make the soak much more effective. These are;
- Apple cider vinegar to fight off mild infections
- Epsom salt
- Lemon juice
- Honey
- Essential oils
- Baking soda
3. Use a pumice stone or foot file
A foot file and a pumice stone are two items you can use to help remove excess dry skin from your feet. Before using, observe the following.
- Soak your feet to soften the dry skin for easier removal.
- That the pumice stone has soaked in warm water, and the file disinfected before use to prevent infections.
To remove dead skin cells, rub with the stone to file in gentle, circular motions. When you're done, dry with a towel and moisturize your feet with oil, foot cream, or lotion.
4. Moisturize
If you want to avoid dry, cracked feet, you need to ensure your feet are always moisturized. For this, you will need beauty products such as;
- Lotions and creams that contain humectants such as hyaluronic acid
- Oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, baby oil, and petroleum jelly contain emollients and occlusives to keep skin healthy.
If your dry skin is persistent, you can apply petroleum jelly then wear moisturizing socks overnight.
How to Prevent Dead Skin From Your Feet
Once you have learned of the causes of dead skin and ways to remove it, you might want to know how to prevent it in the future.
- Observe proper foot hygiene. Clean your feet properly, and hydrate the skin with a healthy moisturizer.
- Avoid beauty products that contain harmful substances such as alcohol, fragrances, and chemicals that may cause skin dehydration or irritation.
- Avoid hot water when cleaning your feet. Hot water can irritate by burning your skin, thus leaving you with more dry skin.
- Wear well-fitting shoes. If you wear shoes you are struggling in; they will cause friction that would leave you with dead skin.
- Consult your doctor for better health information if these home remedies fail to work. As seen, dead skin on your feet may be caused by underlying medical conditions. It will be in your best interest to consult your specialist foot doctor for expert advice if the condition persists.
