How to Get Rid Of Calluses on Your Feet: 6 Home Remedies

While calluses are the body’s natural way of protecting your hands, feet, or other body parts that may be exposed to friction or excessive pressure, it is often unsightly and can cause pain or discomfort when it begins to crack due to excess accumulation on the affected body parts.

You will learn about calluses and how to get rid of them on your feet, palms, or other body parts.

What Are Calluses?

Calluses are excess layers of dead and thickened skin that form on body parts exposed to friction or pressure due to prolonged contact or rubbing against hard surfaces.

Usually, calluses are like hardened bumps due to the excess accumulation of dead skin cells over the exposed surface.

What Causes Calluses?

Calluses are formed when you:

Engage in repetitive tasks or motions like walking barefoot, lifting weights with bare hands, using hand tools, playing instruments, or engaging in physically demanding activities.
Wear shoes that are tight, narrow, or do not have enough cushioning to act as a shock absorber.
Engage in high-impact activities like jumping, running, or jugging.
Have foot deformities like hammertoes, bunions, or flat feet.

Do You Need To Consult A Medical Doctor When Calluses Appear On Your Feet Or Other Body Parts?

Certainly not! You can get rid of calluses at home on your own without using sharp instruments like a razor to get rid of them.

However, you may have to seek medical care if:

You have experienced skin break, which can cause the callused area to become infected
The callus is bringing out puss
The callus is changing colors or bleeding excessively
You have a medical condition that may affect blood circulation.

How to Get Rid Of Calluses on Your Feet: 6 Home Remedies

1. Soak in Warm Water and Epsom Salt

The first line of treatment recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology is soaking your callused feet in a bowl of warm water for twenty minutes to soften the callused tissue.

Adding Epsom makes it easier to peel off callus layers on your feet without causing damage to your skin.

Instructions

Fill a basin large enough to contain your feet with warm water to ankle level,
Add half a cup of Epsom salt to the warm water,
Soak your feet in the warm water for 20 minutes to soften the calluses on your feet.
After that, towel dry your skin and try peeling off the callus layer with your fingers.
Repeat this process daily until you have peeled off the callus layers.
Be careful not to cause damage to your skin by peeling aggressively or using scorching hot water.

2. Use Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider Vinegar (ACV) is a good home remedy for getting rid of calluses on your feet because of its acidic contents, which soften callused skin.

Instructions

Mix equal parts of ACV with water
Soak a cotton ball or pad into the ACV solution
Place the soaked cotton ball or pad on the callused area and hold it in place with a bandage or adhesive tape.
Leave it overnight to allow the apple cider to soften the callus on your feet.
Remove the cotton ball in the morning of the next day and rinse your feet with warm water to wash off apple cider vinegar on your skin.
Repeat this process nightly until the callus vanishes from your feet.

3. Use Pumice Stone

Pumice stones are light, spongy, and abrasive stones with air cavities in them.

They are effective in peeling off calluses on your feet or other body parts and on surfaces of objects.

Instructions

Soak your feet and the pumice stone in a basin of warm water for 10 minutes to soften the callus tissue.
Dry your feet with a dry towel.
Scrub the callused area gently in a circular motion with the pumice stone; be careful not to apply too much pressure to prevent injury to the skin.
Continue scrubbing; focus on the callus area until you achieve the desired result, and avoid scrubbing surrounding areas of healthy skin tissues.
Rinse your feet and the stone to check for progress before continuing
Repeat this process every two days until you have achieved the desired result.

4. Use Fine-Grade Sandpaper

Fine-grade sandpaper of 200 grits does the magic of clearing calluses away from your feet without injuring your skin or leaving traces of calluses.

This makes it an effective home remedy for removing calluses from your feet.

However, when using sandpaper, be careful not to apply much pressure to prevent damaging your skin.

Instructions:

Cut a fine-grade sandpaper of 200 grit into a handy size you can comfortably handle
Fill a basin large enough to contain your feet with warm water to your ankle.
Soak your feet in the warm water for 10 minutes to soften the calluses
Use the sandpaper to scrub the callused area gently in a circular motion; be careful not to apply too much pressure to prevent injury to the skin
You should avoid scrubbing surrounding areas of healthy skin tissues.
Rinse your feet and sandpaper to check if you’re okay with your progress.
Repeat this process every two days until you have completely scrubbed off calluses from your feet.

5. Use Baking Soda and Lemon Juice

Lemon juice with baking soda softens callus tissues, making it easy for you to peel off callus layers with your fingers, sandpaper, or pumice stone.

Instructions

Fill a basin large enough to contain your feet with warm water to your ankle
Add three tablespoons of lemon juice to the basin of warm water.
Soak your feet in the warm water solution for five minutes.
Add three tablespoons of baking soda to the warm water mixture
Soak your feet for an additional 10 minutes
Scrub your feet gently with a sponge, pumice stone, or sandpaper to peel off the softened callus tissue.
Rinse the affected area and check how far you have progressed.
Repeat the treatment twice weekly until you have completely eliminated callus tissue from your feet.

6. Use Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil has strong antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, making it one of the best homemade remedies for treating diverse skin illnesses, including calluses.

Instructions

Mix three drops of tea tree oil with one tablespoon of coconut oil or any other carrier oil.
Wash your feet thoroughly,
Dip a cotton ball into the tea tree oil
Place the cotton ball on the callused area and hold the cotton ball in place with an elastoplast, adhesive tape, or bandage.
Leave it overnight for the callused tissue to absorb the tea tree oil and soften it.
Peel off the elastoplast, bandage, or adhesive tape the following day, preferably in the morning, and remove the cotton ball.
Rinse your feet with warm water to wash off the tea tree oil on your skin.
Repeat this process nightly until there are no more callus tissues deposited on your feet.

Conclusion: How to Prevent Calluses from Forming On Your Feet

After eradicating calluses from your feet, you should take the following precautions to prevent calluses from forming on your feet, palms, or any other parts of your body.

Use moisturizing cream to keep your skin moisturized, soft, and supple at all times.
You should always wear hand gloves to reduce friction when doing physically strenuous activities.
Wear socks and slippers when you’re indoors
Wear comfortable and protective shoes to prevent friction
Avoid walking barefoot or exposing your feet, especially in harsh weather conditions.

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