How do I fix my feet?

[ThankYouNote]

Gross description below

So my feet have been quite dry but I hadn't realised quite how dry until huge chunks of dead skin starting lifting off.. I have been obsessed with peeling layers of skin off. So gross (yet satisfying) but now my heels have stripes of all different depths and it looks horrendous!

Sometimes only the top layer came off, sometimes all the layers leaving the red raw skin underneath.

I also have sore bits where I've just pulled bits of skin off and it's left a little wound.

Meanwhile, some parts are still a thick layer of dry skin that I am trying very hard not to touch.

I have a pretty good foot file but it's barely touching it. What do I do?

I've read on here before about creams that just make the whole foot peel to reveal new skin? Any recommendations?

I think I need this. I can't stand the look or feel of my feet anymore, and how sore they are. Please help!

Also, why is this happening??? Old age? I've always had lovely smooth feet!

If you’ve red raw bits I’d focus on healing them before trying a foot peel (which you can buy in bargain shops - try Poundland/B&M etc).

Maybe speak to a pharmacist for their recommendation on a cream to use to help your feet heel. Once that’s sorted, if you use the peel mask DO NOT PICK! You can soak your feet daily once the effects start to become apparent to help the shedding.

For after that, get a thick heel cream and apply whenever suits you best in the day, daily if you can but 3 times a week will help.
And you can scrub your feet weekly with a foot file or pumice stone.

If they're in a state try a chiropodist or podiatrist. Don't pick, keep clean and let them heal. The best cream to fix ithe cracks etc fast will have 25% urea in it. A.so feet get super dry in summer, mine are much better in winter cos I wear socks.

Flexitol & Boots cracked heel balm have down wonders for my feet, both have 25% urea in them.

You need to see a podiatrist. I do every 2 years for a professional file - I inherited dry skin and calluses from my mum. They have a "drill" which safely removes all the skin. In between I manage it between daily foot scrub and moisturiser and monthly pedicures.

Please stop picking - you sound like you are heading towards an infection. Don't forget the skin is the largest organ and needs to be treated well

mine were like that, I spend a lot of time barefoot and so the heels dried out. Thick, dry dead skin, cracking and actually quite sharp spikes of skin. Bought a “foot Scraper” set off Amazon, basically a corn plane with mini razor blades in a safety holder handle (sounds terrifying but if you’re careful and follow the instructions, baby soft, pink heels) Soak your feet for 15mins, carefully run the scraper over your heels and the skin will be peeled off. V satisfying and effective but be careful!

Yep, another one saying see a podiatrist. Check they are HCPC registered.

Are you wearing flip flops or go barefoot a lot? That might be one reason.
Not sure about age.

The foot peel masks are great but please, please do not use at all until the red patches of skin have healed properly.
Also best not to use if you intended to wear sandals within 2 weeks of application because you will 'shed' at random times.

For the time being, go to a chemist and ask for a healing balm/cream. Or just use something like vaseline to protect the raw parts.

Once it's all healed, use a standard pumice every evening, then soak feet in warm water for 5 minutes, dry properly and use a foot cream of your choice. Consistency will pay off better than extreme solutions.

Defo don't use a peel with raw skin. Use a file on the hard bits but don't go nuts and then cream on all of it. Flexitol or invest in a Margaret Dabbs set. It's brilliant stuff. The file is awesome. I use a pedi egg first and then finish off with her file. Feet tend to respond very well to a bit of intensive tlc.

Thank you so much for the wisdom. Would a podiatrist be able to do something now, or should I also wait for it to heal first?

The picking stops now, you've given me the talking to I needed. I have just put antiseptic spray on the wounds, I really don't want an infection! I will also get one of the creams suggested.

I am on maternity leave and spend the majority of the day barefoot at home and in the garden, and only wear sandals when out, so that's a lesson learnt.

@YellowMonday my mum soaking and scrubbing her dry feet is actually a vivid childhood memory! It must be where I get it from!

@Tsiagisel yes sounds exactly like me, including the hard spikes of skin which are soooo hard not to pick.

@OhMerde I love the username. Oh merde indeed!

Agree that you need to heal and find a podiatrist or chiropodist. (Or a Margaret Dabbs medical pedicure if you are near London).

I spend a lot of time in sandals or barefoot and inherited dry and cracked heels from my mum. I keep on top of it with a microplane footfile (be cautious though!) on dry feet, followed by Flexitol heel balm. If I forget for any length of time they revert to hooves!

Newton's chiropodist sponge used properly will help with lasing of decent cream.

But yes, no picking and professional help too!

Put flexitol on at night -slather it on- then put cotton socks on your feet.
Buy a foot file.
See a podiatrist.

@ThankYouNote Oh, also forgot - gel lined heel socks from Amazon heal cracks and sores quickly and for bad cracks I put a compeed patch on with the gel lined heel socks on top to hold it in place.

I follow Dr Dray on YouTube and she recommends using a urea based foot cream every night. Then you won't need to scrub as it gradually breaks down dead skin.

You might need to see someone in the mean time though.

Medical pedicures are amazing! Pricey but worth it

Following as I have this problem too and I can't figure out how to see a podiatrist (US healthcare system).

I mostly ignore mine but realized how bad they had got at about midnight last night on the way to bed.

A good scrub with a file plus two sorts of ointment seems to have made some improvement.

Google 'moccasin athlete's foot'.

A podiatrist visit, to slice off the worst hard bits so cream can penetrate better, might be worthwhile.

Then use a high % urea cream every night.

Contrary to what nearly everyone else says, don't file as it just encourages more callous as callous develops in response to friction!