Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how to rescue my feet?

28 replies

Grosssbut · 14/09/2023 14:05

I take really really good care of my appearance so not sure why it’s taken me till now to realise this…

My feet are horrendous. I’ve got dry cracked heels and hard skin/calluses on the balls of my feet.

I get a pedicure all the time but only ever an express one as I really hate people touching my feet.

A friend actually pointed it out (kindly) and I realised I really need to sort it out!

Any ideas how I can treat it at home?
They’ve been that way for at least 20 years and I’ve no idea why I neglected them so much! I spend so much time and money on the rest of my appearance!

OP posts:
PinkArt · 14/09/2023 14:07

Footer. But go into it with an understanding of how gross a process it is! Google images results are grim but honest. It really works though.

DontBeAPrickDarren · 14/09/2023 14:08

I second Footner. Has really helped with an area of hard screen at the back of my feet. Probably needs a second go in a few weeks. It is ridiculously satisfying/gross when it starts to peel off 😄

BarbieKew · 14/09/2023 14:11

Footner is amazing! Then get yourself a foot grater and a good cracked heel balm - I highly recommend the Boots own brand one.

BarbieKew · 14/09/2023 14:11

Ps you have to post Footner aftermath pics on Sporner Corner

VickyEadieofThigh · 14/09/2023 14:14

Once you've done the Footner treatment, use a good moisturiser - rubbing in well - every day after bathing/showering.

Amazongirl9 · 14/09/2023 14:16

Flexitol heel balm, especially the platinum version. Use regularly after Footner or a good going over with a foot file. Amazing stuff.

PrrrplePineapple · 14/09/2023 15:08

Body Shop foot file on the regular, and a heel cream with urea in it. You do need to keep it up every few days as the hard skin and cracks just come back (for me anyway).

LeSquigh · 14/09/2023 16:37

Another recommendation for Footner. It must be the branded one though, I have not found a decent imitation one yet.

Sahara123 · 14/09/2023 16:42

I have finally given in and bought a Margaret Dabbs foot file, it’s £30 and I really wasn’t sure whether to spend that amount but oh my goodness it’s fantastic! I used it every 2-3 days to begin with as well as some kind of moisturiser and my feet are the best they have been for years . The Footner stuff is ok , and fun😂 but doesn’t really address hard skin on heels I find, and my feet are back to normal dryness within a couple of days

mamamarshmallow · 14/09/2023 16:48

I had horrible feet for years. Iv found letting them air as much as possible, pumice stone couple times a week, moisturiser daily & don't wear the same footwear daily has helped & now my feet are lovely

DrivingCadillacsInOurDreams · 14/09/2023 17:06

How long does the 'shedding' continue after you've done the Footner thing?

SabrinaThwaite · 14/09/2023 17:23

A good soak, then a scrub with a foot / chiropody sponge (Boots do one) and finish up with lots of Flexitol - best applied overnight, wear thin cotton socks over the top.

Sahara123 · 14/09/2023 17:44

Footner sheds for a few days , if you can resist it for that long ..

HollyBollyBooBoo · 14/09/2023 18:06

Soap and Glory do an amazing footfile. Soak feet in warm water and then give them a good file. Moisturise every night.

Prettyrainbowcolours · 14/09/2023 18:12

You need to moisturise. I’m a nail tech, including feet and so many people that think a regular pedicure will fix their feet.
It’s like having your hair cut every 6 weeks and not washing or brushing it between appointments.
Vaseline smudged over your feet every night will do wonders!

BeautifulWar · 14/09/2023 18:19

My feet can be pretty grim if I leave them to it. I alternate between using a pumice and ped egg every day after my shower and put a nice thick heel balm on after.

I've got two packs of Footner ready and waiting for this brief summer spell to end and the sandals to be put away for this year!

Mercurial123 · 14/09/2023 18:23

Flexitol is so much better than Footner along with a good foot file.

pleasestoprainingplease · 14/09/2023 18:30

Vaseline and socks is the easiest laziest way I have found! And also O'Keefes in the blue tube is amazing. I noticed the difference really quickly with both. Felt nice having feet I wasn't embarrassed about having in flip flops Smile

DianaBarry5 · 14/09/2023 18:38

Agree that Flexitol is better than footner. Footner exfoliates but doesn't improve cracks or hard skin. Flexitol sorts out both along with a good foot file!

Original poster
Grosssbut · 16/09/2023 04:52

Thanks all! Will try all these things.

OP posts:
Thethuthinang · 16/09/2023 05:15

I recently read somewhere that cracked heels are a symptom of a vitamin deficiency. I don't remember which vitamin it was though. Something to look into?

Tramlines · 16/09/2023 05:50

I've always had terrible build up of hard skin on my feet which cracks if I don't keep on top of it.
I use a rasp followed by a pedi smoother once a fortnight, with plenty of vaseline for moisturising in between.
It takes around five minutes to do if you do it regularly as I do.
I've tried every other method invented over the years and the only thing that works for me is what I use now.

JamNittyGritty · 16/09/2023 06:45

Any recommendations for a foot file at the cheaper end of the scale?

AgentJohnson · 16/09/2023 07:15

I’m on day 13 of a 7 day foot peel. My feet weren’t in bad nick but did need sorting. My feet didn’t start peeling until day 4 but haven’t peeled uniformly, so I soak them every night and slough away any dead skin that is semi loose with a file or pumice. After every soak I massage each foot in with 40 % Urea cream with 2% Salicylic acid and pop on cotton socks. In the morning I shower as usual and reapply the Urea cream. After nearly two weeks my feet are visibly softer and smoother. My skin is still peeling but there’s only about 10 % to go. I still have hard skin on my heels and on the balls of my feet (the cracked and broken skin is gone) and I will continue to use Urea cream every day to soften them and stop further callus build up. An unexpected bonus of the foot peel was the removal of the discolouring on my toenails.

The peel wasn’t life changing but it was a bloody good start after years of neglect. Foot peel + 40% Urea cream with 2% Salicylic acid is my recommendation.

Tramlines · 16/09/2023 07:16

JamNittyGritty · 16/09/2023 06:45

Any recommendations for a foot file at the cheaper end of the scale?

If you go on Amazon and search for foot rasp, you will see them. They look like a flat cheese grater. I copied a picture, but it won't let me upload it
They cost around £3.50 and free delivery.