Remove Hard Skin: Simple Remedies For Smooth Feet And Hands
Do you have thick patches of hard skin, also called “dead skin” on your feet and hands? If so, you’re not alone.
Many people develop these patches over time because they are often neglected or overlooked entirely.
Dead skin cells accumulate on the feet and hands over time and can get lifeless, thick, and dull. Not only are they difficult to remove, but they may also block pores, leading to inflammation.
This blog on remove hard skin will outline the scientific meaning of what hard or dead skin is, the best natural ways to remove dead skin, tips to prevent its occurrence, and when to consult the doctor.
Table of Contents
What is Hard Skin ?
Hard skin occurs due to repeated pressure and friction against your skin, leading to calluses. A callus or dead skin is commonly found on your hands and feet from activities such as walking or running in tight shoes, playing instruments, or using work tools over and over again.
This type of hard skin or callus is known for the thick areas of skin that get hardened and waxy in appearance. This is nothing but your skin doing its job. Hard or thickened skin is actually responding to repeated injuries and stress by protecting your skin against further damage.
In short, the skin thickens as a defence mechanism against extreme pressure. But if they are not prevented or addressed timely, these calluses may end up being more painful.
Natural Ways To Remove Hard Skin
If you find that your calluses are turning painful, several home remedies for hard skin may help to remove them.
Pumice Stone
It is a light, porous stone that helps to exfoliate dead skin and calluses. Pumice stones work best once you have softened the skin. One of the easiest ways of doing so is to soak the callused skin in warm water for 10 minutes before using the stone.
Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jelly is a thick ointment that helps moisturize and soften calluses. Aquaphor and Vaseline are the most popular petroleum jelly brands. Apply petroleum jelly on your feet every day, to ensure that you cover your feet with socks afterwards to keep the ointment intact and stop falls and slips.
Exfoliating creams
As the best alternative to manual exfoliation, a person may select to remove dead skin cells using exfoliating creams or lotions. Exfoliating creams marketed as callus treatments include ingredients like ammonium lactate, urea, or glycolic acid.
Baking soda
A paste made using baking soda is yet another suitable alternative to commercially produced exfoliating creams. Mix 2 spoons of water with enough baking soda to make a paste. To it, add a few drops of lemon juice. Apply this to callused areas, and cover using socks, gloves, or a gauze bandage.
Espom salts
Epsom salt is also a good exfoliator and helps soften calluses, in preparation for other treatments like manual exfoliation using a pumice stone or foot file. The salt’s fine grains dissolve to relax your muscles and soothe the skin.
Trim nails
Those with long toenails may experience friction that may cause a callus. Long toenails may also cause difficulty for a person to let their toes sit comfortably in their shoes. Thus, keeping the toenails trimmed and neat may help remove dead skin.
Protective cushions
Reducing the friction or pressure using callus pads or a protective cushion bandage is an effective hard skin removal approach. They are available in various shapes and sizes, aiming to work for the feet. If the callus skin is on a person’s hands, putting on protective or padded gloves may help protect calluses and enable them to heal gradually.
Change Footwear
If a callus occurs due to ill-fitting footwear, getting new shoes is the best way to remove hard skin, thereby also helping to relieve the friction and boost healing.
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How to Remove Hard Skin From Feet?
To remove hard skin from your feet, soak your feet in warm water to soften the skin, then use a pumice stone or foot file to gently buff away the dead skin. After exfoliating, pat your feet dry and apply a thick moisturizer to help keep the skin soft and prevent future buildup.
Step 1: Soften the skin
- Soak your feet in warm, soapy water for 5 to 10 minutes to soften the hardened skin.
- Adding Epsom salts to the water can help further soften the skin.
Step 2: Exfoliate
- Gently rub the softened, hard skin with a pumice stone or foot file.
- Use circular motions with a pumice stone or back-and-forth motions with a foot file.
- Do not use a sharp object to cut the skin, and be careful not to remove too much at once, as this can cause bleeding and infection.
- You can also use an exfoliating foot scrub or cream containing ingredients like urea or lactic acid.
Step 3: Moisturize
- Pat your feet dry after exfoliating.
- Apply a generous amount of moisturizing cream or lotion to your feet.
- For an intensive treatment, wear cotton socks over the moisturizer overnight to help the cream absorb.
Additional tips
- Wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes and socks to reduce friction.
- If you have diabetes, poor circulation, or open sores, consult a doctor before using these methods, especially those involving salicylic acid or sharp tools.
More Treatments And Remedies to Prevent Dead Skin From Growing Back
There are natural ways to remove hard skin at home. But it needs time and patience. Here are some alternative lists of treatments and remedies that will help clear up a callus at home.
- Warm water: Soaking the callus in soapy, warm water can help soften it and make it easier to eliminate the thickened skin.
- Apple cider vinegar: High in acid, it helps soften the hard skin of the callus. Prepare a solution using four parts water and one part apple cider vinegar. Soak your callus in it for nearly 20 minutes.
- Castor oil: It is a natural lubricant that conditions skin when you try to rub a callus off. Soak the hard skin in the warm water mixture with 5 spoons of castor oil.
- Sandpaper: Gently rub the thickened skin with fine-grade sandpaper. Do not rub your skin vigorously with sandpaper.
- Tea Tree oil: As an antifungal, antibacterial, and natural antiseptic, it aids in hard skin removal. In warm water, add a few drops of tea tree oil and soak your calluses till the time your skin begins to lift and soften.
- Be careful not to take off too much skin: As doing so may lead to bleeding and infection.
- Apply moisturising cream or lotion to the area daily: Opt for a moisturising cream or lotion, infused with salicylic acid, urea, or ammonium lactate. These ingredients help soften hard calluses gradually.
- Baking soda and lemon juice: Mixing both well can help spark a reaction that makes it easier to remove hard skin.
When To See a Doctor
If hard skin refuses to go away despite the aforementioned home remedies, you may need to consult with your dermatologist to rule out the possibility of an underlying concern. Thus, see a doctor if you have hard skin that’s accompanied by:
- Redness and severe itchiness, which may be eczema.
- Flesh-coloured, grainy bumps that grow and become painful, which may be warts.
- Bumpy, red rash which may indicate a fungal infection.
- Oozing, pus, and pain, which may be an infection.
- Those with diabetes can experience a lack of sensation and circulation in the feet.
Conclusion
Thus, only knowing how to remove hard skin is not enough. You should also take preventive steps to prevent it from recurring. Like wearing the right-fitting shoes, regular use of a pumice stone to get rid of dead skin, not working barefoot, wearing work gloves, or knee pads to prevent calluses, if you work with your hands or on your knees. Removing these sources of friction or pressure can make the hard skin on hands and feet disappear.
FAQs
What is the best hard skin remover?
Pumice stones are naturally formed volcanic rocks, are a great (and budget-friendly) manual option to help remove calluses.
What is the cause of hard skin?
Common causes include ill-fitting shoes, standing or walking for long periods, and activities that cause repetitive rubbing on the hands, like playing a musical instrument.
What is the best treatment for hard skin?
For softer, smoother feet all year round, invest in an easy-to-use hard skin remover. Whisk away dead skin with a reliable foot file, then pamper your toes and heels with a luscious moisturising cream.
What does hard skin look like?
Hard skin can look different for different people, but it often appears as rough patches of skin that are yellow in colour. This skin is usually less sensitive to the touch than the surrounding skin and is quite thick.
Is hard skin painful?
Yes, hard skin can be painful, especially if it becomes too thick, cracks, or becomes infected.
Is it safe to remove hard skin at home?
Yes, it is generally safe to remove hard skin at home with gentle methods, but you should never use a razor or sharp object. Instead, use safe home methods like soaking the area to soften the skin, followed by gentle exfoliation with a pumice stone or foot scrub.
Do calluses grow back after removal?
Yes, calluses can grow back after removal if the underlying cause, such as friction or pressure from ill-fitting shoes, is not addressed.
Can coconut oil help calluses?
Yes, coconut oil can help calluses by softening the hardened skin over time, promoting healing, and preventing new ones from forming.
How long does hard skin take to go away?
Hard skin can take anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks to go away if you remove the source of friction, but it can take months or even years in severe cases.
Does vaseline remove calluses?
No, Vaseline does not directly remove calluses, but it helps soften them by moisturizing the hardened skin, making them easier to remove with other methods like pumice stones or allowing them to flake off over time.
