It’s common to have brittle, cracked or dry feet. Your skin is essential for shielding your body and keeping harmful microorganisms out. Although dry skin can occur anywhere on the body, your feet are especially prone to it, so you need to pay a bit more attention to them.
A number of factors causing dryness can impact your skin’s health. On its own, this is not a problem, but if left unattended, it could crack and spread infection. We’ll help you find out the causes of dry feet and present a few straightforward remedies that can be used to treat dry skin on the feet.
Table Of Contents
Extremely Dry Feet Causes
Some people naturally have dry feet and skin. Your feet may also be dry if you always walk barefoot or in sandals on outdoor surfaces and expose them to extreme cold or heat. Other times, there may be medical conditions that require additional investigation. On the list below, you can find the usual causes of cracked heels.
- Environmental Factors
When wearing shoes, such as boots and sneakers, it can get extremely hot and muggy. Dryness results from indoor dry air, heat or humidity, which may also mess with the skin’s pH balance. The skin’s capacity to fight infection is harmed by this, causing parts of the foot to become dry, thick or cracked. Your skin can easily become dry in windy and cool weather, especially if you don’t moisturize it frequently.
- Dehydration
The heel and sole are particularly prone to cracked and scaly skin due to dehydration because they have fewer oil glands than other parts of the body. Drink enough water during the day and moisten your feet to prevent cracked skin.
- Soaps
Body washes and soaps with harsh ingredients or allergens can dry out the skin. These issues might also arise if the feet are not thoroughly washed from excess soapy water.
- Athlete’s Foot
Athlete’s foot, which can develop if your feet are damp or in sweaty socks for extended periods of time, can also cause dry feet, which can be a symptom. A scaly rash between the toes and under the foot is the result of a fungal infection.
- Eczema
Eczema is the name for a collection of ailments that result in skin irritation. Eczema can appear anywhere on the body. Patches of skin that are dry, scaly or itching are typical eczema symptoms.
- Psoriasis
Although the symptoms of this autoimmune disease resemble dry skin, the skin on the feet actually grows much quicker than normal. Flaky patches which form scales accumulate on the skin, causing rashes and lesions, rather than frequently shedding as healthy skin cells do.
- Diabetes
The condition of neuropathy, which is brought on by uncontrolled diabetes, can harm the peripheral nerves. The nerves in the feet that control moisture and natural oils production may be impacted by neuropathy, leading to severely dry skin on the feet or foot peels.
- Aging
Over time, the skin’s ability to retain water decreases, making it thinner and less elastic. Due to the natural aging process, dry skin may be more common in older adults.
How To Get Rid Of Dry Skin On Feet: Dry Feet Remedy
The foot peel can accumulate and produce thick, flaky patches if you don’t remove them. Over time, dry skin can develop into thickened skin, particularly on the heels. Infection can spread to the foot through cracked skin and foot pain or walking difficulties can result from thick calluses. With the following treatment options, you can learn to take care of your feet and get rid of dry skin.
Drink More Water
Dehydration causes the body’s moisture levels, including those in the feet to drop. Make sure you drink enough water by always placing a glass of water near you.
Moisturize
Regularly applying moisturizer will help to lessen dry skin that already exists and stop the emergence of new dry skin. Moisturizing the feet will assist the skin in retaining moisture after using pumice stones or foot files.
Avoid lotions and moisturizers with alcohol, additional scents, and synthetic colors as much as possible. Use a moisturizing cream with urea, salicylic acid, or alpha hydroxy acid (10–25%) like lactic acid and glycolic acid.
Remove Dead Skin From Feet
Exfoliating will reveal smoother, healthy feet underneath by removing cracked areas and dead skin cells. You can gently scrub your feet with a foot scrub or pumice stone after soaking your feet in warm water.
Don’t apply too much pressure when using a pumice stone; just rub gently. After you’re done, moisturize your skin. Using a moisturizer will now help the skin lock in moisture and slow down the rate of development of worsened dry skin.
For more tips on removing dead skin from feet, click here.
Foot Soak
The best foot spa can help prevent future dry skin by boosting blood circulation to the feet and soothing and moisturizing dry skin. Some advantageous components to think about including in your Epsom salt foot bath are:
- Honey
- Oats
- Lemon juice
- Peppermint oil
- Epsom salt
See A Podiatrist
It might be challenging to tell whether your feet are just normally dry or if you have other skin conditions. The best example of this is foot peeling, which can be a symptom of dry skin issues like eczema, or the result of excessive sweat glands from a condition known as hyperhidrosis. To accurately determine whether you have xerosis and the potential internal or external reasons, such as a foot infection, consult a podiatrist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Are My Feet So Dry Even When I Moisturize?
Your feet are dry even when you moisturize because compared to other parts of your body, your feet have fewer oil glands. If your moisturizer has harsh chemicals in it, such as alcohol, synthetic colors, or artificial fragrances, it may not nourish your sensitive skin. Among other possible reasons are athlete’s foot, diabetes, psoriasis and eczema. Contacting a podiatrist is recommended.
What Causes Dry, Peeling Feet?
Dry, peeling feet are caused by conditions such as Athlete’s foot, eczema, psoriasis and diabetes, dehydration, aging, external factors, soaps or body washes with harsh ingredients. The peeling on your feet can typically be treated with over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. However, be sure to consult your doctor if the peeling doesn’t go away or you experience any other unsettling symptoms.
What Is The Best At Home Remedy For Dry Cracked Feet?
The best at-home remedy for dry cracked feet is a Listerine foot soak. To make this DIY foot soak for dry cracked feet, soak your feet in one gallon of warm water with a few drops of lemon juice and one cup of Listerine, and keep them there for about 20 minutes. To assist in removing dead skin, gently exfoliate your heels with a foot scrubber. After that, apply a thicker, oil-based cream or petroleum jelly before a pair of light cotton socks. Find more foot soak recipes here.
Conclusion
Dry, itchy feet and patches of irritated or scaly skin can be caused by wearing incorrect footwear or standing for prolonged periods of time. By leaving the feet susceptible to infection, dry skin can thicken and crack open if left untreated. If the home dry feet remedies from above don’t help, you should consult a specialist.
