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Original poster

Beyond minging feet - help!

38 replies

pooiepooie25 · 27/02/2022 08:36

I am going to Italy at the end of April for a long weekend. My feet are so gross that even my puppy licks them and runs GrinSo much hard, cracked and peeling skin.

Please give me your best and easiest products to use which can make my feel look vaguely normal within a couple of months...

OP posts:
autumnboys · 27/02/2022 08:39

Mine were awful last year, so I went and saw a podiatrist. It cost about £40, but worth every penny. I now use Flexitol most days and a body shop foot file every couple of weeks.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 27/02/2022 08:41

Soak your feet in a bowl of warm water and soap ,scrub with a nail brush then dry and use the Soap and Glory foot file.

TwinkleToesStrikesAgain · 27/02/2022 08:41

Not everyone's cup of tea, but when I can see sandal season approaching I have a long soak in the bath and then apply a footner or Amazon cheaper equivalent, leave it on for an hour or more while I watch the telly, and then rinse off. 2-3 days later the stripping starts. Leaving it on so long does make the top of my feet a bit itchy for a day so maybe better to follow the instructions.

Then any regular moisturiser every night, and then a gel pedicure in the week before you go on holiday and you'll be sorted.

Phormiumjester · 27/02/2022 08:41

Cheese grater style file. Use carefully and moisturise well every day. Flexitol is good.
Then get a gel polish on your toes.

ApolloandDaphne · 27/02/2022 08:42

@autumnboys

Mine were awful last year, so I went and saw a podiatrist. It cost about £40, but worth every penny. I now use Flexitol most days and a body shop foot file every couple of weeks.
I agree with this. I went to a podiatrist recently as I had corns which were painful. I left with lovely soft feet as she treated my whole foot not just the corns. It might be worth it as a one off?
mrstea301 · 27/02/2022 08:43

Footner is great, you can get them off of Amazon. And a podiatrist is definitely worth the money!

princessbear80 · 27/02/2022 08:45

There used to be an amazing product called Newton’s Chiropody Sponge recommended over and over on here but it was discontinued. I’ve found an almost identical replacement - Nother Scrubber. More expensive but it’s bigger so lasts longer. Anyway, soak your feet for five minutes, rub soap on the sponge (it’s hard, not spongey), then scrub all over your hard skin. Follow up with Flexitol heel balm. Do the scrubbing once or twice a week, balm ever day. If I follow this I have lovely feet. If I forget, I have feet like you’ve described!

Dontforgetyourbrolly · 27/02/2022 08:47

As long as you don't have deeper issues like corns or ingrown toe nails , soak your feet in hot water and lemon juice once a week . For at least 20 mins . File , file , file - smother in baby oil and put socks on . Every day after your bath or shower use a really good foot lotion like flexitol. Keep up the foot soaking weekly. The key is keeping it up not just doing a one off.

PermanentTemporary · 27/02/2022 08:47

I agree with getting a professional to give them a go and then maintaining. I had a pedicure. Deeply embarrassing as the man scrubbed my hooves but the results were astounding. Now lots of moisturiser, foot scrubber.

hihellohihello · 27/02/2022 08:48

Get an electronic foot sander tool. (Wear a face mask whilst you sand). That gets the worst off. You then need to soften. I have actually found one of the best things for this is a small amount of Vicks vapour Rub - it's amazing. Instant different. Hand lotion rubbed into your nails.

Monty27 · 27/02/2022 08:52

Eeeew just keep your feet clean soft and moisturised. Get rid of dead skin at least weekly

purplesequins · 27/02/2022 08:56

podiatrist is the most pleasant.

going forward make sure the shoes you wear fit well to avoid built up of hard skin.
and moisturise the feet after the shower/bath before bed.

BOOTS52 · 27/02/2022 09:16

I would do what Autumnboys suggested. Then moisturise and even use nail file every few days after shower to keep hard skin off. Also I rub sudocream into my feet after my shower when they are dry/put socks on and it helps and also use one of those stone pumice things. Enjoy your break.

elfycat · 27/02/2022 09:24

Vaseline/Vicks Vapour Rub all over your feet and cover with socks at night, if you don't get too hot with covered feet.

Had to do it in an emergency when a friend booked us to have reflexology. After a few days of heavy duty moisturising soak feet then file - twist heels into a non-soft towel - other medium-heavy exfoliation technique.

whiteworldgettingwhiter · 27/02/2022 09:53

Go and see a chiropodist/podiatrist! They'll use a razor blade to get rid of dry, hard skin and they know what they're doing. They can also give advice on any foot problems.

No cream will stick together cracked skin...

ClandestineAdulation · 27/02/2022 09:54

Electric foot file and O’Keefe’s Healthy Feet cream!

Bloodyshittystorms · 27/02/2022 09:56

Chiropodist or podiatrist!!

Ladylornax12 · 27/02/2022 09:58

The only thing that worked for my hard skin is having a really long bath so it’s very soft then shaving it off with a razor! Keep in too if it now bu putting coco butter in liberally at night and sleeping in socks.

cobblers123 · 27/02/2022 10:05

I started having my feet done every six weeks and the difference it makes has been worth every penny.

My feet are so soft, hardly any hard skin and she got rid of corns on the bottom of each foot which meant I was able to wear heels again if I needed to as before it was too bloody painful.

I also use coconut oil on my feet after a shower and put socks on to help it soak in.

Original poster
pooiepooie25 · 27/02/2022 12:37

Thank you everyone- lots of things to try!

OP posts:
FormerlySpeckledyHen · 27/02/2022 18:54

Microplane foot file followed by lashings of Flexitol.
I have spent a fortune on chiropodists and different files over the years and these 2 items are unbeaten.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 27/02/2022 19:14

Can I just say , off the record , as a long term NHS Podiatrist ( wound care , ulcers, infections, ingrown toenails , the full shooting match Wink ) the only thing that makes me retch is when someone tells me their dog licks their feet

They lick their own bums
Feck knows what bacteria is inhabiting their mouths .

Heartofglass12345 · 27/02/2022 19:30

Flexitol is amazing stuff. This one has 30% urea and I notice a different after one use. Just use it when you're not planning on going anywhere for a while to put your feet up as it's quite thick, and have something to hand to wipe your hands on after you've applied it. I also use a pedipro deluxe which is good.

Beyond minging feet - help!
TheTurn0fTheScrew · 27/02/2022 19:40

I use the Lloyds Chemist Corn and Callous knife. Basically a potato peeler for your feet. you have to be super-careful and be conservative, as it's easy to hit actual living tissue before you get the hang of it. Once you've tackled the worst you can keep it up with any old moisturiser every day, and foot filing 2 x weekly. But I always start to forget or get lazy and then need the potato peeler again...

whoruntheworldgirls · 27/02/2022 20:08

The Flexitol cream, can you put socks on afterwards/does it soak straight in?