Author: Namratha Gopal | Illustrator: Parvathi Nayanar
Calluses can be unsightly. Calluses are thick and hardened layers of the skin that develop when your skin tries to protect itself against repeated friction, rubbing, irritation and pressure. They most often develop on the feet and toes or the fingers and the hands. Calluses don’t indicate a medical problem and there isn’t any reason to seek emergency care. If you don’t like how they look on your feet and toes, here are some of the calluses remedies you can try. Let’s begin without much delay –
What Causes Calluses?
Here are some causes of calluses:
- Walking barefoot
- Playing with instruments
- Working with your hands (bare hands)
- Wearing tight fitting shoes
- Not wearing socks with footwear
- Using hand tools
- Smoking
- Calluses can also develop due to the medical conditions like hammertoes, bone spurs and bunions.
TOP CALLUSES REMEDIES
1. Pumice stones
Pumice stones work the best for calluses. They are a light, porous stone which is used to remove the dead skin cells and calluses. First you need to soften your skin with the help of warm water by soaking the calluses affected area for about 5 to 10mins. Then take a pumice stone and rub in a circular motion gently to remove dead skin cells. Do this for several days until it is gone.
2. Apple cider vinegar
The acidic content of the apple cider vinegar is helpful in removing the dead skin cells. Just soften the hard skin of your callus by soaking in a solution mixed with four parts of water and one part of apple cider vinegar for about 20 mins. Remove your callus affected area from the soak to be able to peel a layer or two of the callus off. Make sure you don’t break over the callus affected skin too much as it can cause infection.
3. Baking soda
Baking soda and lemon juice have extra-callus dissolving power. For this all you need to do is that, just mix 2 tablespoon of lemon juice (acid component) and 4 tablespoon of baking soda. Take some warm water and add the above mixture to it. Place your callus affected area to soak about for 10mins. And then follow up with removing peels of the affected area and enjoy the results. The fine grains of baking soda and fizzy action of lemon juice makes it easy to removes callus.
4. Epsom salt
Using epsom salt is the best way to prepare your callus skin for exfoliation, foot files or pumice stones. The fine grains of salt helps you remove dead skin cells, relax your muscles and in the same way soothes your skin. To do this, just mix 2 to 3 tablespoon of epsom salt in a warm water to make it easier to peel your callus off with soaking for few minutes.
5. Castor oil
Castor oil is a great natural skin lubricant. To do this, you can either soak your callus affected area in warm water mixed with castor oil and soak for few mins to rub the callus away. And applying a thin layer of it daily over your callus affected area while going to bed should be fine as it is great in its moisturising properties. You can also apply warm castor oil on your feet and wear socks before sleeping.
6. Exfoliating creams
Exfoliating creams normally contain ingredients like salicylic acid, ammonium lactate or urea. This is one of the best remedy instead of trying out manual exfoliations and is great for those who have tight busy days. All you need to do is, just apply these exfoliating creams or lotions to encourage the exfoliation to remove away the build of dead skin cells and callus off.
7. Callus pads
Make sure to use non-medicated callus pads to avoid irritation. Apply callus pads underneath gloves, shoes, socks i.e., over your callus affected area to avoid repeated irritation and pressure on sole of your foot.
8. Warm water
The best way to prepare your callus affected area before trying out any kind of treatments and remedies is that soaking your callus affected area for about 20mins in a warm basin of water. After the soak, try if you can rub over the callus skin away with just your finger tips. Over the course of several soaking sessions, you may be able to remove the complete callus one layer at a time.
9. Foot files
Foot file is a tool that is used for exfoliation. The file has a metal grate and a rubber or plastic handle which makes it easy to remove callus off after the soaking session.
10. Apply moisturizing creams or moisturizing lotions
Applying heavy cream-based moisturizers or petroleum jelly on the callus affected areas works great. Apply them and leave it overnight. This can help in softening the callus and prevents the skin from drying out.
Disclaimer
- The calluses remedies mentioned in this article is for generic information only and it’s nowhere a substitute of medical opinion.
- See your doctor if you have any underlying cause for calluses. Cardiovascular health concerns and diabetic patients should take extra care for the callus.
- Do not use razor or any sharp tools to take off the callus as it can break your skin and makes it even worse place for infection.
- Patch test is mandatory before trying out any of the calluses remedies given!
- Do not over-perform any remedies.
- Make sure you be gentle with any exfoliation tools mentioned above.
