Preventing and Treating Hard Skin

Hard skin is a very common occurrence on the foot and is present in almost all adults.It doesn’t often cause pain more slight discomfort, but can appear unsightly and make feet seem unkempt and can promote the development of other conditions.

The foot is put under enormous pressure everyday, carrying body weight, absorbing impact, managing weight change and transfer among other tasks and so has to be durable and resistant to many external influences. It is because of these reasons that the skin on the feet is thicker that anywhere else on the body, and grows skin cells extremely quickly in response to the outside stimuli.

Signs of Hard Skin

The first signs of hard skin developing is the appearance of dry patches on the feet. These patches are usually seen on the heel, ball and side of the big toe of the foot. As it worsens, hard skin can take on a yellowish colour, sometimes seeming grey or light brown and will continue to thicken and harden as time progresses.

Complications of Hard Skin

If hard skin is left untreated and permitted to worsen, it can lead to the development of calluses which can be painful, more difficult to treat and can recur over time.Heels can become cracked and painful, and can sometimes even bleed if they are left without treatment.

Preventing Hard Skin

Hard skin can be prevented by employing a routine, using simple practices. Allow feet to rest and relax by submerging them in warm water regularly. Normally, this can be achieved as part of everyone’s bathing regimen. Sometimes the use of oils or products designed especially for hard skin can be used to help soften the skin for ease of removal later.

Using a pumice stone on the heels, ball and sides of the foot and toes will help to remove any dead skin cells before they are permitted to develop further into unsightly dry and hard skin.Drying the feet properly, followed by application of intensive moisturising creams and lotions will help to keep skin soft and prevent hard skin from occurring.

Those who continually walk in bare feet, especially outside are also more at risk of developing the condition. Feet should be allowed to breathe regularly, but can also benefit from the use of slippers or soft cotton socks.

Treating Hard Skin

There are a great many devices available for treating hard skin, most involving the use of a scraping instrument that aims to remove the dead skin cells. There is also a wide variety of creams, lotions and gels that can help soften the skin before using one of the devices.Pumice stones, are a natural product and can be used in the bath and are useful in that they can be cleaned immediately after each use, as can the foot.

Visiting a chiropodist will prove to be very beneficial for most, as these foot care specialists will be able to soften and remove the hard skin more easily and quickly than can be done independently. They can also advised on suitable products and regimes that can be performed at home and will high-light and treat any other problem areas such as possible calluses and corns that have grown, often as a consequence to untreated hard skin.

Hard skin is very common and can develop on any foot. If left it can appear unsightly and lead to calluses that can be very uncomfortable. It is always best to try and prevent hard skin from developing in the first instance, but can be easily treated and removed.