Dry skin is a recurring problem on the feet, and to make matters worse, this dryness tends to get worse in winter. A podiatrist reveals all her tips for dry feet, so you don’t have cracked heels this winter.
If you have the dry feet, then you know how difficult it is to regain supple and well-hydrated skin once dryness has set in on our heels. In reality, it is even “a mixture of drought and pressure” exercised on the feet which is the origin of the horn which forms on the feet, as Dr Rajput recalls, a podiatrist interviewed by GlamourUK.
If the phenomenon of very dry feet worsens drastically in winterit’s also for reasons that we don’t think about: “Sometimes if people have gained a bit of weight or if they spend a lot of time indoors and the heating is on, the skin texture can become a bit drier and this can often lead to cracking.”she emphasizes, to better explain the cracked heels which often appear at this time of year. To prevent dryness from setting in at this point, and to treat dry heels and cracks that are already present, the doctor recommends using a specific foot cream, as well as taking foot baths and some other essential regular care, which we too often neglect. For her, these are the best tips to avoid having cracked heels.
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Foot bath, foot rasp, foot cream…: the podiatrist’s 4 tips to adopt this winter
- file dry skin on your feet : to avoid hydrating your feet unnecessarily, because of the horn which prevents its penetration and effectiveness, the podiatrist explains that it is necessary “get rid of dry skin on your feet using a foot file” first of all. She emphasizes that it’s essential to use it on dry (not freshly creamed) feet.
- a salt foot bath : once this first step is completed, the podiatrist invites you to do your own foot spa session at home, soaking dry and damaged feet in a simple but effective foot bath, which hydrates dry feet and relieves heels cracked. “Soak your feet in water and choose something you have at home, like a little lemon or salt.” she specifies, for the sake of economy.
- homemade foot scrub : still using the ingredients you have in your kitchen cupboards, the podiatrist offers an easy foot scrub recipe to make with“2 tablespoons of sea salt mixed with a little olive oil, a few drops of lavender or tea tree essential oil” . She advises applying the mixture to your feet then letting it act as an enzyme exfoliant, wrapping your feet in plastic bags to “hydrate your feet and remove dead skin cells”. A treatment to be done regularly, and whose benefits on dry feet should not be underestimated, according to her.
- use a urea-based foot cream : Dr Rajput is a fan of urea-based foot creams. According to her, “if you have very dry skin on your feet, it is medically proven to relieve dry, cracked skin on your heels and feet”which makes it the ideal treatment for dry feet in winter.