Generally, due to the dry, cold winter weather, our feet become dry, cracked or callused. This common problem can intensify from red, itchy and blotchy skin to irritated cracks and calluses in the heels which in turn can lead to infections.
Contrary the rest of the skin on our body, our feet don't have oil glands which by nature dry our feet out. In order to keep our feet from completely drying out on their own, we rely on the sweat glands of our feet to administer natural skin moisturizing. Most humans, particularly seniors and diabetics require extra consideration when it comes to foot care.
There are numerous causes of dry feet, the most common being cold weather and the dry air caused by our home and office heating methods during the winter months. Other factors that may upset the skin of our feet are non-moisturized soap and extremely hot showers or baths. Spending a lot of time at the beach can also cause dry skin due to too much sun exposure and the drying effects of sand. Some causes of dry feet can be caused by medical problems such as diabetes, psoriasis or eczema, and as our skin naturally becomes drier with age.
There are a wide range of symptoms and methods to treat each. For mild symptoms such as itching, redness or rough skin, relief can be sought through creams and foot baths. More serious symptoms such as cracking and calluses may have to be investigated by a doctor as you may be suffering from dermatitis or psoriasis. When your feet become really bad, you may have problems walking or standing for any length of time.
If your feet are at the mild stage of dryness there are many organic ways to relieve the unpleasantness of dry feet.
You can add all sorts of ingredients to a warm foot bath to help tenderize your feet and get rid of dry, dead skin through exfoliation.
The acidity of lemons helps to kill off the old, dry skin. After soaking for 15 minutes you can pat your feet dry then exfoliate with foot brush or loofa.
Add to your foot bath a capful of baby shampoo along with a cup of white vinegar. Or try a few tablespoons of Epsom salts or baking soda, or a cup of milk.
A combination of lemon juice and olive oil works great as a moisturizer. Add a few drops of your preferred scented oil and mix together into a milky liquid. Make a quantity of this and apply as needed, shaking bottle before each use.
For relief while you sleep, slather on a combination of Vaseline and lemon juice, then don a pair of socks (so you don't stain your bedding) and leave on overnight.
You can make a banana mash and spread this on your heels and the rest of your foot, leave on for 15 minutes to a half hour and rinse off.
The natural curative technique that I like best is an overnight deep moisturizer. Before bed, soak your feet in Epsom salts, then butter up your feet with cocoa butter and bandage in a plastic bag (the ones from the produce department in your grocery store work great). You might want to also put on a pair of light socks to help keep the plastic wrap in place.You'll see a change the next morning, but keep doing it for 3 days in a row for best results, then whenever needed.
If your dry feet do not improve after following these tips for a few weeks, perhaps you should ask advice of your doctor. He/she may refer you to a podiatrist for added medical help. It is a podiatrist that you should visit and not a dermatologist, as many people believe, since podiatrists are trained for skin conditions specifically for the feet.
Author Resource:-
I hope you enjoyed this feature and found the natural remedies helpful. If you'd like to find more simple and organic ways to cure commonplace skin conditions, or for tons of natural skincare tips, please check out another of my , Easy Homemade Recipes For Highlighting Any Color Of Hair. Or go to Natural Skincare Secrets Simplified and sign up for the newsletter to have interesting and revealing skincare tips and tricks sent to you by email.
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