As for how to clean your heels from rough skin at home, there are many remedies available to everyone and do not require the use of any specialized equipment. But it is not always possible to clean the heels of rough skin, for example, with the same pumice stone. This happens if the resulting stratum corneum is too thick or if cracks appear. In the latter case, all this is accompanied by quite severe pain, and it is simply not possible to remove the skin mechanically. What can be done?
Traditional method of cleaning heels
Many people clean rough heels by steaming. The feet are placed in a warm bath (never hot) for 10-20 minutes, after which the dead skin is mechanically cut off. For these purposes, both special brushes and pumice are useful. There are those who use a razor blade, but this is very dangerous and can cause even more harm.
What do dermatologists recommend? Special baths based on lactic acid products, compresses from potatoes, cabbage, plantain, burdock. All these products not only speed up the process of removing dead skin, but also stimulate the regeneration of new skin. After them, the coarsened layer is effectively removed with minimal mechanical impact, without the need to use blades and other “dangerous” methods.
But fresh tomatoes will help with cracks and bleeding wounds. It is enough to apply their pieces for several hours, after which you steam the skin. During the period of wearing such a compress, discomfort and a burning sensation may occur - this is a normal reaction, and you just need to endure it.
How to properly steam your heels at home? Experts recommend making baths with a water temperature of approximately 50-60°C. Additionally, you can add essential oil (citrus oil is an excellent choice), sea or iodized salt. The latter components will also help disinfect the skin and prevent the penetration of pathogenic bacteria through microcracks into the deep pores of the epithelium.
Peroxide and soda to eliminate corns
A rather old, but no less effective method of combating rough skin on the heels, including the fingers, and feet is a mixture of soda and hydrogen peroxide. To prepare such a bath you will need warm (preferably previously boiled water), 4 tbsp. l. soda, 2 tbsp. l. sea or kitchen salt, 2-3 tablets of hydrogen peroxide (or 4 tablespoons of a 9 percent solution, which is sold at any pharmacy).
You should steam your feet in such a bath for at least 20 minutes, after which you should use a brush or pumice stone again. If all the rough skin cannot be removed the first time, it is recommended to repeat the procedure the next day. And so on until complete “recovery”. You can clean your heels with peroxide and soda even on completely unkempt feet. As a rule, only 5-6 procedures are enough, after which all that remains is to simply maintain the health of the skin in an up-to-date state.
You can also get rid of rough skin on your heels with a compress with acetylsalicylic acid, but this option is not at all suitable for those with delicate skin who have developed corns due to wearing uncomfortable shoes. Still, it is better to use it as a last resort, and first of all use baths of soda, hydrogen peroxide and sea salt. It is no less effective and also beneficial for damaged skin.
Using baking soda, you can also whiten your skin, making it more attractive and soft to the touch. Even if you do such baths every day, you won’t be able to harm yourself. Quite the opposite: the skin will be cleared of dead cells much faster, and the process of regenerating new ones will accelerate. This recipe should not be used only by those who have been diagnosed with certain skin diseases, including nail fungus.
A few words about nutrition
It is imperative to mention that rough skin on the heels occurs as a result of a lack of vitamins A and B in the body. Those, in turn, are found in large quantities in fresh vegetables (for example, carrots, green onions, parsley). The formation of a stratum corneum is a normal biological process, but if it becomes too large and thick, it is no longer normal. And metabolic problems are the reason for this.
Ideally, you should consult a nutritionist to create an optimal daily food intake. It should include as many fruits, vegetables and proteins as possible that are easily digestible by the body. This will not completely get rid of rough skin, but it will radically reduce the appearance of this defect and speed up the healing process of cracks.
What to do if the skin is rough due to fungus?
If the skin has become rough due to a fungus or any other infection that affects the epithelium, then you should not try to treat it yourself. The only thing you can do is those same warm baths with essential oil or sea salt, but nothing more. Many people also recommend making compresses from cabbage leaves, but this will have absolutely no effect on anything. Unfortunately, this ingredient does not act as a disinfectant.
How to get rid of rough skin due to fungus? The first thing you need to do is treat it. Next, laser peeling will help, that is, mechanical cutting of the keratinized epithelium using a specialized thermal installation. The procedure is absolutely safe and will not harm in any way. At home, you can only follow the doctor’s recommendations. Cutting off the limp layer of keratinized skin will in no way help eliminate the problem: corns will appear again until the person gets rid of the disease.
Using a soap compress
But representatives of the fair sex often mention that you can achieve clean heels with the help of a soap and soda compress. And this is rightfully one of the best recipes, as it allows you not only to get rid of rough skin, but also to improve normal skin, make it softer and lighter.
Prepare a soap-soda solution in the following way:
- grate about 50 g of baby soap (preferably without dyes or fragrances);
- melt the resulting shavings in a water bath (approximately 70°C);
- add water (30-50 ml);
- Cool slightly and, stirring, add soda.
Such a compress should be applied along the entire length of the foot and it is advisable to immediately wrap it in cellophane or any other film that does not allow moisture to pass through and allows you to retain heat. You can wear a wool sock on top.
Cleansing the skin with this product should be carried out for at least 40-60 minutes, after which use a heel brush. Even very rough skin and old calluses are easily removed after such exposure, and healthy pink skin will remain in its original place. You should not use such a “medicine” too often, since while wearing a compress, the skin simply does not receive access to oxygen. This is not entirely correct from a physiological point of view, but it does speed up the process of exfoliation of dead cells. Similar to a scrub, only for feet.
If the skin around the heels is slightly inflamed, you should use olive oil. That is, in the proposed compress, reduce the amount of water used and replace it with olive oil (sold in almost every grocery store). You can replace it with olive “syrup” if you have one (but only from green olives, to be sure that there are no dyes there).
How to clean your heels with an onion?
Rough skin can still be removed using just an ordinary onion (the fresher the better).
This effect is achieved due to the presence of calcium, essential oils, manganese, fluorine, and zinc. The latter, by the way, also allows you to cope with excessive sweating, which makes itself felt when wearing shoes made of toxic materials (there are a lot of these on the Russian consumer market).
How to use this compress? It is recommended to take as much of the onion as possible, cut it in half and apply it to each of the heels. On top you should put on socks made of natural fabric and stay like that for at least 1.5 hours. It is recommended to sit at this time, but keep your feet on the floor and not in a lying position. After the allotted time, remove rough skin using the usual method, that is, using a pumice stone or a brush. It may not work out the first time. The compress can be reapplied after 3 days. You shouldn’t do it more often, as you can get inflammation due to irritation of the sweat glands.
You can also make onion paste, but apply this dressing for no more than 20-30 minutes. You should not squeeze the onion itself after cutting. To eliminate the unpleasant odor, regular lemon or orange juice will help (literally a few milliliters will be enough). At the time of using onions to treat rough skin, it is recommended to at least temporarily abandon low-quality shoes. It is better to replace it with an orthopedic one made from materials that allow air to pass through perfectly.
Fighting rough heels with a mixture of viburnum and honey
This recipe is quite “young”. Cosmetologists began to use it, who noticed that honey can stimulate the exfoliation of dead epithelial cells. Viburnum is used as a concentrate of nutrients and mineral trace elements that stimulate the growth of a new layer of skin.
Removing corns and calluses with the help of such a compress is not only easy and quick, but also absolutely safe. You can use pumice with the lowest roughness. Removing rough skin after honey and viburnum is as easy as shelling pears. And this procedure can be performed almost daily, without any restrictions.
So, how to cleanse rough heels with honey and viburnum? The desired “porridge” is prepared from a mixture of 100 g of honey and 50 g of pitted viburnum berries (for this you can use the most ordinary sieve or gauze). Everything must be thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous red mass is obtained. If the honey is too thick, it is recommended to heat it to at least 60-70°C in the same water bath.
In the future, the resulting mixture can be sealed in a glass container and stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of about +5°C. The permissible shelf life is 3 months. Next, a smell of something sour may appear.
The most convenient way to apply a compress is with a regular bandage. A piece of fabric must be thoroughly moistened in the resulting composition and tied in several layers around the heel. From above everything is covered with a piece of elastic bandage or a thick sock made of natural fabric. There is no need to steam your skin before doing this; just wash your feet under running water to remove any remaining sweat.
A mixture of honey and prunes has a similar effect (it is recommended to first grind it into a paste). It easily penetrates into the deep pores of keratinized tissues and promotes their rapid breakdown. The skin literally begins to peel off, like after getting a sunburn. But it is absolutely safe and does not hurt. After the compress, the feet should be lubricated with regular baby cream or special lotion.
In general, there are dozens of methods on how to clean your heels from dead skin. They all work almost equally effectively. But it should be understood that having removed corns once, a person will face the problem of their appearance again. Therefore, in addition to treatment, it is necessary to use preventive measures to prevent roughening of the skin. This includes changing shoes, optimizing your diet, and periodic nutritional compresses.
Don’t rush to give up sandals: rough skin on your heels is a solvable problem. You will learn everything you need to do to put it in order from this article.
- Why does the skin on the heels become rough?
- How to get rid of rough skin on your heels
- How to remove rough skin at home
- Daily care rules
- Useful tips and tricks
Why does the skin on the heels become rough?
If you have rough skin on your heels, don't throw away your open-toed sandals. Yes, from an aesthetic point of view, the heels are not in the best shape now, but the problem can be solved quite easily. In addition, nature has provided for everything: there are practically no sebaceous glands on the skin of the sole, because this area does not need tenderness and smoothness.
Feet are what we stand on, our fulcrum. So thickening and roughening of the skin in this area is a natural functional reaction.
However, this does not mean that we should give up. Modern girls take care of every part of their body almost as actively as they take care of their face. And they do it right. You need to get rid of rough skin on your heels.
“In places of maximum pressure, the skin thickens, becomes denser, and blood circulation is impaired. And if the skin is not taken care of regularly, scabs and painful cracks can form.”
External and internal reasons
Hyperkeratosis (excessive thickening of the skin) of the feet can be caused by the following reasons:
excess body weight;
uncomfortable shoes, for example, rubber sneakers;
flat feet and improper weight distribution;
hormonal changes (for example, during menopause);
improper care or lack thereof.
How to get rid of rough skin on your heels
Cosmetology procedures
A pedicure in the salon is aimed, among other things, at exfoliating corns, as well as nourishing and restoring the skin of the feet. The heels are polished with files with abrasive attachments, and the overgrown layers of skin are removed using special blades or a cutter (during a hardware pedicure). After the procedure, the heels are generously treated with moisturizing cream. During a spa manicure, you can apply a nourishing mask and put special socks on your feet.
Cosmetical tools
At home, creams that contain moisturizing and exfoliating ingredients can ensure the smoothness of your heels.
Urea renews and moisturizes the skin.
Acids promote exfoliation.
Oils and vitamin E protect from drying out and restore.
Panthenol and allantoin promote recovery.
Foot baths
A useful procedure during which the skin is steamed, after which it is easier to remove it using abrasives.
Foot masks
Nutritious
For home remedies, we recommend natural oils, and solid ones:
After steaming and exfoliating, the oil is rubbed into the heels, then applied as an additional layer, and cotton socks are put on top. This mask can be done every evening before bed, after a shower. Fatty acids help restore and soften the skin. In addition, this mask has only one ingredient, and therefore the recipe is simple and not time-consuming.
You can flavor the mask with a drop of olive, avocado or jojoba oil. In the morning your heels will be like those of that same baby.
Exfoliating and moisturizing
Grind two cucumbers in a blender, mix with lemon juice and three tablespoons of olive oil. Divide the resulting composition into two parts, put each in a separate plastic bag and put these improvised “boots” on your feet, securing them with laces around the ankle. Rinse off with cool water after 10-15 minutes.
How to remove rough skin at home
Preparation
Cleansing. Wash your feet thoroughly, e.g. shower gel “Grapefruit” Bath and Shower Liquid Body Cleanser, Kiehl’s. It smells nice and gently removes dirt.
Steam bath. Fill a large container with warm water and add a couple of tablespoons of baking soda or Epsom salts to soften the skin on your heels. Immerse your feet in the bath for 15–20 minutes. You can add fragrant salt with essential oils or bath gel to the solution.
Get wet feet with a towel.
Exfoliation
This is the main part of the program - removing the layer of dead cells that make the heels rough and rough. There are several ways to cope with this task.
Scrub - a good option for weekly care, it works quite gently and does not injure the skin, but dealing with serious growths will require patience and several procedures. Try it body scrub “Precious Beauty Scrub”, Garnier with argan tree seed shell powder, which exfoliates the skin, and softening oils of almond, rose, macadamia and the same argan.
Pumice - a hardened volcanic mass - has long proven its effectiveness.
File - a special device with a rough surface - acts as a mechanical abrasive.
Final stage
Rinse your feet again to remove any flakes of exfoliated skin.
Apply cream or oil.
Any body cream or lipid-replenishing milk is suitable for foot care. But it is still better to use special products designed taking into account the characteristics of the skin of the heels.
Care for dry and rough skin Intensive Treatment and Moisturizer for Dry or Callused Areas, Kiehl’s based on a nourishing oil composition (avocado, shea butter, wheat germ) is aimed at restoring the skin of the heels.
Daily care rules
1. Cleansing and exfoliation
Water and cleanser are not only the basis of basic hygiene, but also the prevention of corns. And regular scrubbing will help you keep your heels soft and smooth. Any body scrub will do. You can make it homemade by mixing olive oil or sour cream with granules of sugar or sea salt. If you don’t want to strain yourself, use the ready-made formula. 2-in-1 soap interspersed with abrasives is very convenient to use.
Coriander Gently Exfoliating Body Scrub Soap, Kiehl’s Contains jojoba seed powder and glycerin, cleanses and exfoliates very thoroughly, but gently.
2. Moisturizing and nutrition
When it comes to foot care, the key to success is consistency. Foot baths and thorough exfoliation should be weekly (2-3 times a week) or course, but the cream should be applied every evening. Choose a product at your own discretion, the main thing is not to ignore care, your heels “overgrow” very quickly. Our recommendations:
Foot cream “Intensive care. Food", Garnier - An excellent remedy against dryness and cracks. Contains allantoin, which has a softening effect.
Useful tips and tricks
Reduce stress on your feet. No, we are not calling for a diet, but it is recommended to take care of comfortable shoes that fit the size, season and circumstances.
Drink more water to keep your skin hydrated.
If you like to walk around the house barefoot, do so in cotton socks - they will serve as a protective barrier.
Do not wear synthetic socks, which interfere with normal thermoregulation.
Do not use professional pedicure razors at home. Is it dangerous.
Give your feet a weekly spa session and moisturize them every night.
Rough skin on the heels is a problem that plagues not only men, but also many women. The cause of such a defect can be fungal diseases, lack of vitamins, wearing uncomfortable shoes, as well as disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system.
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If the problem of dead skin has been bothering you for a long time, you should consult a doctor. And we will help you get rid of this flaw in a cosmetic way. To do this, just prepare a healthy mask from egg yolk.
Rough skin on heels
Ingredients
- 1 yolk
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. olive oil
Mix the yolk, lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl until you obtain a mass with a homogeneous consistency. Apply the mask to the rough skin of your feet and secure with a bandage. Leave the product to act for 20-30 minutes, then rinse with warm water. At the end of the procedure, apply moisturizer to problem areas of the skin.
It will take at least 1 month to get your skin in order, but you will be pleasantly pleased with the results! Do this mask at least 3 times a week, and you will forget about rough skin on your feet once and for all.
Super product for your heels! helps in a minute!
- Take a small bowl (just big enough to fit your feet in it), pour in 1.5 liters of water so it’s hot, but not very hot.
- Add 4 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide to the water.
- We put our feet in the water and sit.
After just a few minutes, it feels like you've been floating your feet for at least half an hour. If your soles are very worn, sit longer. You yourself will feel the effect when you rub your feet against your feet, how they “creak” from cleanliness.
Here I immediately rub the soles and heels with a special grater or pumice stone. After that, I rub in a mixture of glycerin and vinegar (I bought a bottle of glycerin at the pharmacy and added regular table vinegar until it was full). And in general, I do this every day. And baths with peroxide - once a week.
Healing solution of aspirin (spurs, varicose veins, osteochondrosis).
Grind 10 aspirin tablets into powder, pour in 250 g of vodka. Leave for 1-2 days.
The result will be a suspension; the tablets will not completely dissolve. Soak a gauze bandage in the solution and apply it to the heels as a lotion, then wrap it in plastic so that the solution does not dry out, put a sock on top, and leave overnight. In the morning, remove everything, rinse your feet with water, wipe dry and lubricate with foot cream. Do the procedure every evening.
After the first procedure, I began to forget about my spurs, and after 10 days, my feet and heels were painlessly cleared of rough and thickened skin. By the way, you can remove it with a washcloth or a foot brush, and then lubricate it with a rich cream.
If there are cracks and corns, then this procedure will also be useful. I am 57 years old, and my feet are like those of a 20-year-old.
The same solution can be rubbed onto a sore spot with varicose veins, the pain also subsides. You can rub sore spots with osteochondrosis, where salt deposition occurs. After the massage, it will be useful to rub this solution