Top 22 Home Remedies to Remove Dead Skin on Feet

Keeping the feet clean is as important as keeping the face clean. Our beauty is incomplete with even if we have a radiant face but ample dead skin on feet. Foot care and keeping the health and hygiene of our feet is very important as it tells highly about our skincare. Excess layers of dead skin on feet is prominent in winters and other extreme weather months.

Our feet has to bear our weight all the time, despite the weather or other impacts. So it gets the most pained and stressed. Seasonal changes and wearing shoes with socks abuses our feet to suffocate all the time. Breathing and airy feet are a dream for daytime. Dry and scaly feet in addition to dead skin on feet can cause ample other deformities if unattended.

Causes of Dead Skin on Feet

Dead skin on feet can be caused by ample reasons and it is very important to track down the cause before proceeding with remedies. The quicker we fix the problem the easier it is to clear off the dead skin on feet. Some of the common causes of dead skin on feet are:

1. Environmental Factors

Environmental factors like climate, weather, allergens in atmosphere and others play a very important role for maintaining our foot health. Exposing the feet to harsh atmospheric conditions like extreme sunlight, soaking feet in hard water or seawater for long and pollution are main causes which result in the accumulation of thick dead skin layer on feet. As the foot skin looses its natural oils when exposed to such conditions.

2. Standing For Long Hours Wearing Shoes and Socks

Standing for long hours while wearing shoes and socks causes immense pressure on feet. Also, it cuts off the fresh air supply from reaching the feet. With constant pressure and loss of air, the feet tend to get dry and flaky making the dead skin more prominent on feet

3. Harsh Chemical Based Soaps

Using harsh chemical based soaps are very bad for feet. This triggers the dead skin growth on feet. These chemicals cause the skin to become dry and start chipping. Thus dead skin is formed in huge amounts

4. Misfit Footwear

Wearing too-tight footwear or improper footwear causes a lot of dead skin on feet. Also wearing high heels makes the condition worse. Wearing heels for long hours in a day causes the feet to get flaked with immense dead skin

5. Obesity

Obesity is also a prominent cause of dead skin as the feet is carrying more weight and pressure. More and more dead skin gets accumulated when it has to carry heavy body

6. Medical Conditions

Diabetes or athletes foot disease causes the feet to have far more than normal dead skin accumulations. Some more medical situations like eczema, psoriasis and others cause the feet to become dryer than normal and thus more and more dead skin accumulation.

7. Excessive Hot Shower Baths

Taking excessively hot shower baths causes the skin around feet to become loose and chip. This makes more accumulation of dry and dead skin on the feet.

8. Aging

Aging causes the skin to become drier and wrinkles. This triggers more accumulations of dead skin around the feet

Best Home Remedies For Treating Dead Skin on Feet

Though dead skin is difficult to remove there are some homemade treatment for dead skin on feet which are without any side effects and more preventive if adopted in everyday use. There are several methods to remove scaly dead skin on feet which are purely natural and available at home. Some of these home remedies for dead skin are:

1. Warm Water Soak

Warm water helps in loosening dead skin accumulations from feet. They also help in relieving the strains caused at muscles. You may also add a pinch of common salt to make this treatment an antiseptic one.

Procedure:

1. Take a big tub and pour warm water in it. Water must be little hot but only until your feet can soak in
2. Now add a pinch of common salt
3. Soak your feet for 20 minutes in the tub
4. Use a scrub, pumice stone or a washcloth to scrub off the dead skin
5. Now dry your feet using a towel.
6. Apply a thick moisturizer to keep the feet hydrated
7. Then wear socks when going to bed
8. Repeat this procedure every night before heading to bed

2. Use Foot Scrub or Pumice Stone Whenever You Take Bath

Just when you take a warm shower, make it a habit to scrub your feet daily. This will prevent any usual dead skin on feet and also keep the feet clean

3. Glycerin

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Glycerin is an amazing moisturizing agent and it works as a humectant. It helps in keeping dry and flaky skin at bay. Using glycerin regularly specially during winters will help in keeping the feet soft and healthy too. Additionally, you may add some rose water for wonderful and soothing effects. Rosewater is a great skincare agent. Using for feet helps in making the feet supple and smooth

4. Epsom Salt

Epsom salt is rich in magnesium which helps in getting rid of toxins from feet. It also clears off dry and dead skin too. It improves blood circulation in feet thus helps in cell regeneration.

Procedure:

1. Soak your feet in warm water
2. Use a softening soap to clean your feet properly specially between ankle and toe areas
3. Now add some warm water in a tub and then put Epsom salt to it (say around 5 teaspoons)
4. Now soak your feet for 15 20 minutes in the water
5. Now take it out and dry with a towel
6. Now again soak the feet in plain warm water for 10 minutes
7. Take it out and wipe it dry
8. Apply thick moisturizer and wear socks
9. Repeat twice a week before going to bed until the dead skin removes

5. Paraffin Wax

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Paraffin is a natural emollient which keeps the moisture intact. It heals and soothes the skin and also has amazing therapeutic benefits too. The paraffin wax is a kind of thermotherapy or heat therapy that improves blood circulation, relaxes muscles and reduces stiffness of joints. It minimizes muscular spasms and inflammations. It also lessens the accumulation of dead skin on feet

Procedure:

1. Heat some paraffin wax
2. Add a few drops of coconut oil to it and stir it well
3. Apply this mixture on feet. This may be hot but keep repeating to get adjusted
4. Now wear socks and keep this overnight
5. Scrub it the next morning and rinse with lukewarm water
6. Repeat thrice a week

6. Coconut oil

Coconut oil is a magic potion for all skin and hair ailments. It has rich anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, antiseptic and anti-fungal properties which help in treating the dead skin on feet. It is also a humectant and an excellent emollient. These properties make the dryness and flakiness vanish in some weeks of use.

Procedure:

1. Massage your feet with coconut oil before going to bed
2. Use gentle rubbing motions and wear socks overnight
3. Scrub the next morning and wash with lukewarm water
4. Repeat every day

7. Apple Cider Vinegar:

Apple cider vinegar has miraculous properties of astringent, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antioxidant and healing power too. It maintains the pH balance of the skin due to its acidic properties. Malic acid is present in ACV which helps in exfoliating the skin and also removing the dead skin cells making the feet flaky.

Procedure:

1. Take a big tub filled with warm water
2. Add one cup ACV to it
3. Now soak your feet in the tub for 15 minutes
4. Now remove your feet from this water and scrub it gently
5. Rinse with lukewarm water
6. Pat it dry
7. Repeat thrice a week until the dead skin clears off

8. Honey

Honey is a rich natural humectant which amazingly moisturizes the skin. It also has mild exfoliating properties which helps in clearing the dead skin on feet. Being a soothing gel it softens the feet skin. It nourishes the foot skin and helps in removing free radicles that rejuvenates the skin.

Procedure:

1. Apply honey on your feet and leave for 15 minutes
2. Now use a scrub to gently rub all around your feet
3. Wash it now with lukewarm water
4. Repeat twice a day

9. Coconut and Brown Sugar Scrub

Brin sugar has rich exfoliating properties. The textured sugar crystal help in cleaning the dead skin and flaky skin off. It also deep cleanses the skin leaving it soft and supple. Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids which hydrate and treats dry flaky skin

Procedure:

1. Combine sugar to coconut oil and stir it well
2. Now apply on your feet
3. Rub in circular motions to help in exfoliation
4. Leave it for 15 minutes
5. Now scrub it and rinse with lukewarm water
6. Repeat one a day

10. Petroleum Jelly

Petroleum jelly is a mixture of mineral oil an wax. Petroleum jelly’s main benefits come from petroleum which helps in sealing the skin with a water protective barrier. This, when applied on feet, makes a shielding layer over the feet skin. This locks the moisture within the skin.

Procedure:

1. Apply petroleum jelly on your feet generously
2. Wear socks and keep it overnight
3. Scrub and wash with lukewarm water
4. Repeat one a day

11. Lip Balm or ChapStick:

Lip balm has amazing moisturizing and antiseptic properties. It has some wonderful mineral oils which help in keeping the feet skin hydrated and free from dead skin.

Procedure:

1. Apply lip balm on clean feet
2. Wear socks and keep it overnight
3. Scrub the next morning and rinse with lukewarm water
4. Repeat once a day

12. Baking Soda

Baking soda has exfoliating properties and a chemical-free anti-bacterial agent which helps in keeping the dry skin infections away from feet. It may be abrasive to limit the quantity and time used. It also softens and soothes the skin with its anti-inflammatory properties though.

Procedure:

1. Take a tub of hot water
2. Mix baking soda in it
3. Now soak your feet in it for 10 minutes
4. Take the feet out and use a pumice stone to rub the feet
5. Now rinse with lukewarm water and a mild soap
6. Repeat twice a week until the dead skin on feet clears

13. Lemon Juice:

Lemon juice is rich in citric acid. It is also an amazing exfoliator, with astringent properties which soften the skin. Lemon juice also has anti-bacterial anti-fungal, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in addition to antiseptic and healing effects.

Procedure:

1. Cut a lemon into half
2. Now rub this on your feet in circular motions
3. Keep doing for 15 minutes
4. Now leave it for 10 minutes
5. Wash with lukewarm water
6. Repeat once a day

14. Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide acts as a disinfectant and antiseptic for our skin. It works by releasing oxygen in the affected area.

Procedure:

1. Add hydrogen peroxide to warm water in a tub
2. Soak your feet in it for 15 minutes
3. Now use a pumice stone to scrub the feet
4. Repeat twice a week until the infection clears

15. Listerine Mouthwash

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Listerine mouth wash is an antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-fungal. It contains thymol which helps in clearing off the infections. It also exfoliated the accumulated dead skin by softening it.

Procedure:

1. Apply Listerine mouth wash on the feet
2. Soak it in a solution of warm water and Listerine
3. Leave it for 10 minutes
4. Now scrub it
5. Repeat twice a day

16. Oatmeal

Oatmeal helps in exfoliation and removes the dead skin easily. It also moisturizes the skin and keeps it soft and supple

Procedure:

1. Mix oatmeal powder and rose water
2. Apply this mixture on feet
3. Leave for 15 minutes
4. Now use a scrub to exfoliate it
5. Wash with lukewarm water
6. Repeat twice a day

17. Overripe Banana

Banana is rich in potassium and has mild exfoliating properties. It also helps in getting rid of infections on feet and removes dead skin permanently

Procedure:

1. Apply the banana paste on feet
2. Leave for 15 minutes
3. Now scrub the feet
4. Wash with lukewarm water
5. Repeat twice a day

18. Coffee Foot Scrub

Coffee is textured and has amazing anti-fungal properties. It helps in exfoliation and skin softening.

Procedure:

1. Mix coffee in coconut or olive oil
2. Apply this on your feet
3. Leave for 15 minutes
4. Now rub the feet in circular exfoliating motions
5. Use a scrub to take off the dead skin
6. Wash with lukewarm water
7. Repeat twice a day

19. Sand Paper

Using sandpaper can be abrasive so use only gentle motions. Apply any essential oil on the feet before using sandpaper. Gently rub in circular directions from its coarse side. You may also soak the feet in warm water and then scrub using sandpaper. Do only 8-10 minutes and then wash your feet with lukewarm water and apply a thick moisturizer

20. Baby Oil

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Baby oil is rich in amazing minerals and has some wonderful and soothing properties for the skin. Just apply baby oil on your feet before going out. Even when wearing shoes and socks apply baby oil to protect the feet skin

[Read More: Beauty Benefits of Baby Oil]

21. Olive oil and Lavender Oil

Both olive oil and lavender oil have amazing anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, antiseptic and healing properties. They both make the skin soft and nourished well. Just mix the two and apply on your feet twice a day

22. Menthol Rub:

Menthol rubs are wonderful to treat dry and dead skin on feet. Just apply these on your feet and scrub. Repeat once a day.

Some precautions when using the above methods to remove scaly dead skin on feet:

1. Use the only dermatologist recommended tools for scrubbing and exfoliation
2. Use gentle pressure and do not cause abrasion to the skin
3. Stop scrubbing if you feel pain and burning sensations
4. Clean the tool after using every time to prevent infections and germs
5. Do not use these home remedies for people with a medical condition like diabetes and arthritis
6. Always apply thick moisturizer after using the treatments at home and don’t let feet skin dry
7. Regular exfoliation is the key, always scrub feet while bathing
8. Wear shoes which are your fit and give ample breathing space
9. Do not stand for longer hours
10. Maintain body weight as obesity is bad for feet health
11. Avoid tight socks and shoes
12. Do not wear heels all the time, check harmful effects of wearing heels
13. Seek medical care immediately for any unusual signs or symptoms
14. Always do a patch test before proceeding

Safeguard Measures To Prevent Dead Skin on Feet:

1. Manage dry feet by keeping them moisturized
2. Use weather appropriate and skin suitable lotions
3. Apply a cold compress to itchy and dry patches
4. Do not wash feet too often as it loses moisture
5. Use lukewarm or if possible cold water instead of hot water which is abrasive to the skin
6. Avoid sauna and steam baths as they dry and chip the skin
7. Avoid ballistic heater at home
8. Use cool mist humidifier when using a heater
9. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as they dehydrate the skin
10. Talk to your healthcare provider for more

The above compilation on Top 22 home remedies to remove Dead skin on feet is to help you get rid of feet dryness and flaky skin. It is always recommended to take preventive measure and avoid any harsh chemicals to keep the feet smooth and supple. Check with your dermatologist before proceeding with the above and do a patch test.

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