Healing dry cracked feet and heels.
Filed under Bath and Beauty
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This year after doing a lot of research I finally figured out a way to heal my dry cracked feet and heels. All it took was two simple things you can find at any discount store.
2% Salicylic Acid
Gold bond ultimate healing with skin therapy cream
That’s it! The Salicylic Acid is an exfoliant and it helps get rid of the dead skin. Then the Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Cream moisturizes so that the dry skin doesn’t come back. When I tried this the FIRST night I noticed a big difference. Now my feet aren’t horrid by any means but they were dry and and starting to crack and not look so great so I was very happy for this easy fix.
2% Salicylic Acid is just acne medicine. You can get it in the pads, cleanser or as a toner. I used all of them and they all worked great. After I figured this out I was going though e-mail tips and found this one from one of our faithful readers Rose and I wanted to share her tip for helping diabetic feet.
Help with Dry Feet in Diabetics
My hubby, who is disabled and has diabetes, was told by his foot doctor to make sure to put a lotion on his foot (he is an amputee and has only one leg). The dr. told him to make sure the lotion has cocoa butter, aloe vera and vitamin E in it.
I went to 2 different places (Walmart and Walgreens) and both pharmacists said they didn’t have any kind of lotion with all three in there, but both recommended this one brand (highly recommended), for diabetics who have severely dry feet. It is Gold Bond Ultimate Healing with Skin Therapy Cream . It has 7 intense moisturizers, I got the one with aloe, it also has vit’s A, C and E. It does penetrate fast, non greasy (big plus because I hate greasy lotions!) and it has a nice scent.
Normally do not like to recommend stuff like this (esp lotions because everyone seems to have their own favorite) but last night I used a bit of this on my own feet, and I must share with you all, my feet feel so soft and smooth (i have diabetes too so I do suffer from very dry feet). Normally when I do put lotion on my feet the next day it still feels dry (really no improvement) but with this stuff, after almost 24 hrs of putting it on, my feet feel like just put lotion on them.
I did buy this at Walmart (it’s cheaper there). I paid less than $6 but this is for 2 people and hubby and I won’t use this everyday… in fact, I bought this 4 days ago and used it once on him and now once on me. We figure, it’s good stuff but will use it once every 5 days.
I did sleep with a pair of cotton socks on last night too (I normally do because if my feet get cold, I get cramps in my feet and legs, one of the symptoms of having diabetes, as per my doctor, not sure if that is true but my dr. told me this)… sorry so long, but i wanted to share this with everyone.
Rose
By the way, Gold Bond Ultimate Healing Cream is the stuff that Mike LOVES to use in the winter. His hands get really cracked bad. I’ve never tried it because I have a ton of other lotion to use up but I’m using this one from now on! (Can I get them to pay me to be a spokesperson! LOL)
So, do you have problems with dry feet. If so what do you do for them?
Tawra
PS. I have almost given up on any thing working on any area of my body after trying so many things but last night I rubbed an acne pad Tawra had given over my feet as I crawled in bed. I didn’t expect anything to happen at all but during the night rubbed my feet together and they were as soft as a little baby’s bottom. I was shocked.
Jill
photo by: sillygwailo
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Hi….I have severe dry skin that cracks and weeps. When it gets bad, I use a little vaseline, then socks. I also do this for my hands (socks too!!). Save your old/mismatch socks for this purpose. I also use a VERY thin amount as a moisturizer on my face/eyes…Olive oil works as well
If you need a good product, Walmart has something in their EQUATE brand called dry skin cream. It comes in a tub and is the same as AQUAPHOR, which can be pricey. Walmart’s is much cheaper and works the same. FYI: use SPARINGLY as it can get greasy. I read somewhere that the BEST time to apply these things is after a warm shower to lock in the moisture. Sounds like a good excuse for a foot soak with a few drops of peppermint oil. AHHHHH!! I also use the Ped Egg on my feet….Check with the Dr if you have diabetes first!!….Have a Blessed day!!!
I agree with all the good tips and have used all of them including the Ped egg. They all work super good but boy last night I took one of the acne pads Tawra gave me and just swiped my feet with them let them dry for 5 secs. and that was it. No grease, no more socks and the last stuff I tried smelled so bad, so no smell. I woke up this morning and once again my feet feel like a baby’s bottom.
I just can’t get over it. All the years I have had to do the grease and socks things and even the time let alone the mess to do it and now all I do is swipe and I am done. No grease left on my feet nothing. I had been running bare foot all day and my feet felt so bad I knew I would have to get out the Ped egg and work on them but decided to wait and try my acne pads without doing anything and they were so smooth. It is still blowing my mind away as you can tell.
Wow that is great to know. Being in Florida I live in my flip flops and also go barefoot alot (drives my Dh crazy lol) and I spend several minutes a day with the whole pumice stones, vaseline, socks, routine. Plus I hate to sleep in socks so I end up kicking them off in the middle of the night. My feet look pretty decent but it takes too much time. I can’t wait to try this tip!!!
Really, you have to try it! I was totally amazed! Tawra
i am going to try those pads jill and tawra… i have the ped egg but i think the little things that seem to scrape off the dry skin is too rough/harsh (i have very sensitive feet too) … my daughter got one at the dollar store and the little ridges seem not as sharp as the ped egg..
thanks for the advice … everyone…
hope all is well jill and tawra… we are fine… hubby is in good spirits… happy there is no chemo so far… we are changing his diet again… back to the caveman diet (only whole fruits/vegi’s… no processed foods)… its the paleo diet (or something similar to that)…
rose
So do you use the acne medicine on your feet first then apply the lotion?
According to my dermatologist, people think that their skin is so dry that the lotion isn’t moisturizing enough, when what is really happening is that the skin isn’t sloughing off well enough for the moisturizers to actually touch the fresh skin. So you’re just moisturizing the dead layer.
Exfoliation is a great thing and overlooked. I actually use a glycolic acid product (AHA) that is a wonderful exfoliater. The salicylic sounds even better though since glycolic acid can really sting. Great tip!
Rose I am so glad your husband is doing ok. Be sure to let us know if anything changes.
Brandy, use the acne medicine first then the lotion. You can use the acne cleanser or toner or pads you don’t have to use all three. I haven’t used the lotion yet because I haven’t been to the store to buy any. I have just been using the acne pads so far and they alone are working great for me.
I agree with Jayne. Exfoliation is really important.
Thank You! Can’t wait to try this awesome tip.
Hi: I love the tip on using the acne pad on cracked heels. I am going to give it a try. I have used the ped egg and right now my heels are so sore I can hardly walk on them (must have over done it!) So be careful. This message is also for Rose – I noticed she mentioned her husband and chemo. I was just wondering what type of cancer he had. My brother has esphogeal cancer and just finished 2 1/2 rounds of chemo & radiation and surgery. But now we have just learned he must have more chemo & radiation. I love this site – because of my brothers recent sickness and surgery I have not had time to check it out and chat. I miss you all though and glad to be back!
We are glad to have you back Glenda. It is so hard to keep up with everything when you have someone you love who is sick. I am so sorry to hear about your brother.
I have been having a horrible time with one foot for a couple of years. They are dry, cracked, and itch and hurt.The one foot almost feels PLASTIC. I have tried everything I could find-olive oil, vaseline, crisco,expensive diabetic foot creams, fungal meds and so on. I get regular pedicures but that doesn’t help. I read this yesterday and when I was at walmart I bought a store brand acne pads for less than $3. I tried one last night. I could immediately see a difference;) but I thought it will be back in the morning. Well it wasn’t! I am truly amazed-i just rubbed one pad over my feet and put on some moisterizer-without socks. It didn’t burn in the cracked areas either. Thank you so much!
Isn’t that the coolest thing Billie. I was like you and knew it would all be gone in the morning but it wasn’t. I feel so funny about being excited over something so little but after years like you of messing with things this is so easy I still can’t believe it. With me being sick too some nights of the thought of having to mess with lotion, grease and socks could be too much for me but this is so easy. I love it.
When I first told mom about it I know she didn’t believe me! It’s just the coolest thing and so cheap!!!
I read an article about the salicylic acid while at the doctors office being used for the back of arms that are broken out with those little bumps, stopped up oil glands. Now I will be using on my feet which are dry and cracked. Thanks for the tip.
I’ll have to try that. I’ve had that problem for years! Thanks for the tip!
Thanks for the welcome back Jill. I love this site and the people that post comments. I feel like I have known you all for years!
Okay, I have to try this now. I have some cream from Dollar General that is 5% Salicylic Acid. It works well, but I have to put socks on for a while. I’ll try out those acne pads. I love going barefoot or at least wear my crocs (ugly as they are)or sandals, but my feet dry out so much, I have to keep something on them to keep them from cracking horribly.
Thanks again!!!
Hello to all
I have worked with 2 podiatrist for 6+ years all of lotion on feet is great! However if you are using lotion and diabetic make sure its is rubbed in good and avoid between the toes. It can cause sores and wear shoes. love the site tawra
I have never heard of this before! I use a pumice stone on my feet twice a week in my shower. That works for me, but I was trying to figure out what to use on my daughter’s skin. She has those bumps on the back of her arms and hips. I know it has to do with dry skin. My husband has ichthyosis. That just means that his skin doesn’t slough off and turns scaly. I think it would be much nicer to to swipe a pad than to scrub. I’m going to share this tip with others!
Thank you!
Hello, I agree with the Gold Bond cream being outstanding. Just so you know, and are always wanting to save money, Walmaart makes a generic form of it and it is just as good!! Maybe about $2 cheaper. Also Gold Bond makes cute little travel tubes in the mini vacation area, I love to keep one in my purse.
Thanks for the great information.
Julie R
I went to Family Dollar last night and bought some salicylic acid in pad form, in a jar, and used it on my feet. Wow. Baby soft. Thanks for this wonderful info. Will use it on rough elbows and other skin when winter comes.
I have very, very dry and cracked heels. One heel had really deep cracks that made walking painful and after just using this two nights, it is almost completely better. Thanks for this tip! I have already passed it on to two others.
I have been a diabetic for going on 41 years so dry skin, especially dry cracked feet comes with the disease.
I am also a ALL YEAR FLIP FLOP WEARER so that does not help. I have tried everything except Gold Bond.
I am here to say amazingly it improved my feet 75% over night and the next day you could barely see cracks and the softness was out of this world. It is really thick, put on liberally I wore socks most the night in bed and they were 100% better the next morning. (diabetics should not wear socks while sleeping unless they are specified for “diabetics”) I paid $5.98 at Wal Mart. This stuff we found out is great for hubbys hands and elbows. (Feet to)
Norma
It’s almost crazy how good it works! I was totally shocked! I’m so glad it worked for you too. My feet were horrid but were certainly annoyingly dry and cracked. I’m using it on my arms now too. I’ve had these red and white bumps like a rash all over them for years. In 2 days it cleared up a lot! I wonder if they have this in “whole body rub”! LOL
Norma… Love the “Norma Jean” pic!
Coconut oil I heard is the best moisturizer, even for your hair to do a deep hair conditioning treatment. It’s because it’s molecular-ly smaller than say Olive Oil is and is able to penetrate much deeper. I haven’t tried this yet… Just what I heard.