3 Natural home remedies for treating dry feet

Do you have dry and cracked feet? If yes, don’t worry as many people suffer from this condition, which is attributed to the fact that the feet doesn’t have oil glands like the rest of the body. It’s the thousands of sweat glands on the feet which keeps it moisturized.

Dry feet is common amidst those who don’t follow proper foot hygiene and in seniors and those with medical conditions like diabetes and athlete’s foot. Men, women and children of all ages and backgrounds can also get dry feet mainly because of lack of moisture due to the following factors: psoriasis, cold weather, thyroid disease, prolonged water exposure, use of abrasive and harsh soaps and tight footwear.

There are various signs of dry feet like itchiness, pain, redness, flaky and peeling skin and bleeding from the cracks. As cracked feet is visually unattractive, you naturally want to do something about it so that you can comfortably wear open-toed shoes. In extreme cases, these cracks can also lead to infections and extreme pain and discomfort.

Some home remedies

While it’s always better to consult your doctor if your dried and cracked feet causes serious discomfort or possible infections, the more common mild infections can be treated with home remedies at home.

  1. One great remedy is filling a bucket with lukewarm water and liquid soap and soaking your feet in it for about 20 minutes. This loosens dead skin cells which you can later scrub off using a pumice stone. Thoroughly dry your feet with a towel when done, apply some moisturizer or foot cream and wear a pair of dry socks when sleeping. Repeat this every night and you will soon find the symptoms disappear.
  2. As cracked feet is a sign of dehydration, you need to drink at least eight glasses of water every day. This helps keep your skin soft and supple. You can also add more water to your diet by including more vegetables, fruits and other foods high with water content to your diet. Consequently, avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea as they dehydrate you.
  3. Similarly, you can apply some petroleum jelly to your feet and wear a pair of socks to seal in the moisture before sleeping. You will find your feet feeling much softer the next morning. For better effects, you can also add some lemon juice to the petroleum jelly and apply as usual.

Try these 3 tips for smooth skin on your feet. If you have the time and patience, you can also try out a few masks to apply to your feet, and which will come up in the next post.