Have you ever witnessed that extra lump of skin on your palms, heels, knees, or toes? It feels odd on the skin, doesn’t it? The lump that forms is known as calluses and it is a hindrance to one’s skincare routine.
Ever happened that you were too excited to wear new shoes and it didn’t fit your right. However, you managed to stuff your feet, and the outcome was a layer of extra skin happily making its place on your skin. I am sure it happened. Thinking of what can be done about it? Don’t worry, it is fixable.
Read this article and get to know what is calluses, their causes, and ways to remove calluses!
What Are Calluses?
When there is continuous friction between two segments of your skin, a thick, lumpy and hard layer of skin starts to form on the area where there was most friction.
This layer of extra skin might seem painful and in reality it doesn’t pain, the thick layer of skin just exists. As mentioned earlier, wearing tight shoes and moving with it puts too much pressure on one segment of your skin.
What Does Calluses Look Like?
Calluses is not dangerous. Calluses looks like a hard bump of extra skin on the skin that’s existing already. The bump is usually yellow in color and if you will feel numb on that part of the skin.
It doesn’t look pretty and you can always get rid of it through home remedies or by purchasing a cream that’s specifically meant to treat calluses.
What Causes Calluses?
As calluses is not a dangerous problem on your skin, you should know why that odd looking lump starts to form.
Well, the main cause of calluses is handling too much weight on one part of the skin, i.e, the area under your foot. This happens when you wear a tight footwear or in case there is a problem with your skin.
How to Remove Calluses
Why worry when you have methods to treat calluses and feel your skin as it is. Take a look at ways to remove calluses and make your feet feel better. Here you go!
No 1 – Soak Your Feet In Warm Water
Always choose first things first, go for applying some warm water on the callus. As you keep washing your feet with warm water for a while, you will start to see a difference in the condition of you skin.
What to do?
- Take a tub of warm water
- Soak your feet in it for around 15 minutes
- Gently rub your finger on the callus and you will see your lump size getting small
If you want to see quick results, put your feet in warm water every night before you go to bed. After a few days you will notice a difference in your skin.
No 2 – Baking Soda
As baking soda has acidic properties, it can easily remove the stubborn calluses under your feet.
What to do?
- Take a tub of warm water. Add two to three tbsp baking soda and mix the two of them
- Now place your feet in this water for atleast 20 minutes and let the bump get soft so that it can come out well
You can try this remedy every alternate day and after a while you will see a considerable difference on your skin.
Read : 20 Best DIY Homemade Foot Scrubs Recipes
No 3 – Pumice Stone
Using a pumice stone on the callus will eventually reduce its size on your skin.
What to do?
- Soak your feet in warm water for 10 minutes
- Gently rub the pumice stone on that hard skin for a few minutes
You don’t have to scrub the callus hard in one day. Its size will tend to reduce bit by bit as days pass by. You can try this remedy once everyday.
No 4 – Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid has wart peeling properties and an easy way to remove calluses from our feet.
What to do?
You need to look for creams or cleansers that contain salicylic acid. This element is useful in eliminating the dead skin cells from your skin and your feet will get softer. You can apply a cream or cleanser that contains salicylic acid every alternate day.
Read: 20 Best DIY Homemade Foot Scrubs Recipes
No 5 – Listerine
Listerine is primarily known to treat all the fungus on your toe nails. Once you apply it on the calluses it treats all dryness.
What to do?
- Mix a few drops of listerine in water
- Let your feet remain soaked in it for a while
- Remove your feet and use your fingers to gently rub the calluses
You can repeat this process of soaking your feet in listerine two or three times a week.
No 6 – Vinegar
The properties in vinegar can make the hard skin soft and you must rub it a little on the calluses.
What to do?
- Pour two cups of warm water in a tub and add 1 cup vinegar in it. Mix the two
- Place your feet in this mixture and let it get soaked well
- Leave your feet in this solution for 15 minutes
- When you take out your feet, use your fingers and gently try to remove the callus. Don’t be harsh on your skin
You can try this remedy three times a week and get rid of calluses.
Read: Tips For Good Skin Using Apple Cider Vinegar
No 7 – Essential Oils to Remove Calluses
You can use essential oils to remove calluses because it has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and moisturizing properties to soften all the hard skin. You can use Vitamin-E, castor and chamomile oil to treat all the dryness.
What to do?
Calluses can be removed overnight by applying a combination of these oils or just one of them right before you go to bed. It should be left overnight and you will notice a difference in your skin within a few days.
No 8 – Vaseline And Duct Tape
To remove calluses, you can apply Vaseline and cover it with a duct tape. This keeps the dryness covered and Vaseline moisturizes your skin.
What to do?
Apply Vaseline wherever you have calluses and immediately cover it with a duct tape. Leave it on your skin all night. Ensure to change the duct tape every day. Constantly do this till the calluses doesn’t disappear from your skin and you will see notice a change after a few days.
No 9 – Epsom Salt
Salt has properties to make your skin feel better. Just like you use salt in water to feel better after a tired day. The same way it will work on the odd-looking calluses as well.
What to do?
- Take 2 cups warm water in a tub
- To this add 1 cup salt and mix it well
- Soak your feet in this for 15 minutes
You can try this remedy every day and you will see the calluses disappearing from your skin in a couple of days.
Read: Top 15 Benefits of Rock Salt for Skin
No 10 – Sand Paper
Sandpaper is used to gently scrape all the dry skin from your feet and this is a quick means to remove calluses.
What to do?
- Soak your feet in a tub of warm water
- Take sandpaper and gently begin to scrap it off your skin
You can try this remedy every day. However, ensure not to scrap your feet without moisturizing them well.
No 11 – Dr. Scholl’s Callus Removers
Callus pads will relieve you from the calluses on your feet. You will need to constantly use it for a few days. These are nothing but extra padded cushions that makes your skin feel better and heals pain.
This is one of the best callus removers as it is formulated with salicylic acid that is good for eliminating dead skin cells.
No 12 – Lemon Juice And Aspirin
A combination of lemon juice and aspirin will help in eliminating all the dead skin cells from your skin. There is salicylic acid in aspirin and lemon has moisturizing properties. Two of these properties will effectively remove the dead skin cells and moisturize your feet.
What to do
- Take two aspirin tablets, powder them well
- To this add two drops of lemon juice and two drops of water
- Stir this mixture well
- Apply it on the calluses and keep it covered with a duct tape overnight
OR
- Leave it open on your skin for at least 20 minutes
- Before washing the paste, use your fingers and gently try to scrap the dry skin
No 13 – Turmeric Powder To Treat Calluses
Since ancient times turmeric powder has been there to enhance your skin and make it beautiful. Besides, it has medicinal properties that can heal all the dryness due to calluses on your skin.
What to do
- In a bowl, take 1 tsp turmeric powder, add a few drops of water and stir this mixture well
- Use your fingers and apply them to the calluses
- Leave it on your skin for 20 minutes and then wash it.
Read: Do You Know These Side Effects Of Turmeric On Our Health
No 14 – Papaya Juice To Remove Calluses
To remove calluses, you can use a few drops of papaya juice. It effectively dries up all the dry skin.
What to do
Apply the papaya juice on the calluses and leave it for not more than 20 minutes. Wash your feet with lukewarm water. You can try this remedy three times a week. You will see the results in a few days.
No 15 – Garlic Juice For Calluses
Garlic juice has medicinal properties that help soothe your skin and get your skin rid of all the calluses.
What to do
You will need to leave the garlic juice on the calluses for 20 minutes and wash it with lukewarm water.
How To Prevent Calluses
Instead of trying methods to treat calluses, why allow it to come on your skin? You just need to know of a few ways to prevent it. Take a look!
No 1 – Wear gloves and socks
If you feel your footwear is too tight and you are uncomfortable, just wear on a pair of good socks and protect your feet from calluses. You can even wear gloves because there are chances for calluses to form on your hands as well.
No 2 – Keep Exfoliating Your Skin
It is quintessential to keep exfoliating your skin once in a while. If you don’t do it, it will end up causing problems on your skin. Once you are done with an exfoliation, make sure to apply a moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated and prevent calluses.
No 3 – Buy Right Shoes
The main cause of calluses is excessive friction. Once you pick right shoes with enough padding, you will never face the problem of calluses on your feet. Make sure to throw away shoes that are worn out and replace them with new ones.
No 4 – Other Ways To Prevent Calluses
There are other ways to prevent calluses. Go through the list!
- Keep your feet clean. Wash it with soap and water. Use a towel to dry it well.
- Keep your toenails short and clean.
- Visit a doctor if you want to get rid of the extra skin on your feet. To get rid of it, avoid using a blade or razor, it can cause infection.
- Always ensure to keep your feet moisturized. Even when there is too much friction it will balance well on your skin.
- If your profession demands you to move around. Wear comfortable footwear. While moving around, ensure to sit and take a rest for a few seconds.
All in all, to prevent calluses on your feet, keep them clean, moisturized, protect it with socks, and buy shoes with extra padding near the toes or heels.
When to Visit Doctor for Calluses
Calluses are not harmful to your skin. However, you have to keep in mind to treat it gently. At any cost don’t poke it with a razor or something sharp. This can hurt your skin really badly.
For the most part, calluses aren’t bad at all. You will need to see a doctor if the calluses begin to form a puss or make your skin bleed. On the other hand, the other reasons for calluses to trouble your skin is diabetes or cardiovascular problems.
Usually, doctors examine calluses through an X-ray in case severe puss forms on your feet.
Conclusion
Removing calluses is simple. You just need to use a few natural remedies such as lemon juice, baking soda, essential oils, etc to moisturize your feet and remove warts.
Calluses can be prevented, you will just need to buy shoes that it you right and keep your feet clean, exfoliated, and moisturized. If the calluses are severe, it is better to show yourself to a doctor.
