Treatment for dry feet

Dry, rough skin on the feet can be more than just a cosmetic issue. Your foot is a complex musculoskeletal system that supports your whole body as you walk through life. Taking care of your feet can help reduce knee, hip and back pain as well as make your feet look great in sandals. There are a some  different treatments you can use to reduce dry and rough skin on your feet. If you don’t have success after several weeks you may need to see a physician who can evaluate yourcondition. In general, however, rough and dry skin which is not secondary to another health condition is often successfully treated at home

Caring for Your Feet
Soak your feet.Although spending a long time in a chlorinated pool or hot bath is not good for the skin, soaking your feet for 15 minutes prior to moisturizing or exfoliating is helpful. Once your feet have healed and are no longer dry and rough, you won't have to soak them for treatment
Long soaks in a hot bath deplete thenatural oils in the skin and the heat reduces the moisture in skin's outer layer, all of which contribute to dry skin, so limit the time you soak.Do not soak your feet more than three times per week or you’ll contribute to the drying skin instead of treating it.You can make different soaking mixtures, including.A mixture of baking soda, water and a splash of vinegar in a bucketof warm water.Mild soap (scented if you wish) with a bucket of warm water.Half a cup of epsom salts in a tub of warm water
A quarter cup of white vinegar in a bucket of warm water.A quarter cup of lemon juice that will dissolve dead and dry skin.

Exfoliate.Mechanical exfoliation means removing the dead top layer of skin in order to treat the underlying layers. You can use a pumice stone, stiff brush, or loofah after softening the top layers of skin through soaking.A pumice stone is found at a pharmacy or in the pharmacy department of a large store.You don’t need a specific type of stiff brush. Even a brush from the household cleaning department works as long as you don’t use it for anything else.t's a good idea to soak your feet in warm water or take a warm shower for ten to fifteen  minutes before exfoliating.

Moisturize.Once you have removed the outer layer of dead cells it’s timeto add moisture back to the skin. Moisturize immediately after a shower or soaking using a non-alcohol based product to trap the moisture that is on the skin and keep the skin moist. Some moisturizers work to seal in the moisture on your skin and others work by penetrating the skin to the dermal layer.Thick creams like Eucerin and Cetaphil work to trap the moisture inthe skin. Other products with lanolinwork in the same way. Olive oil has the same effect on the skin and is likely in your kitchen cabinet. Use just a little, rubbing it and massaging it into the skin.
Other moisturizers will be absorbed into the skin and work at the dermal layer. Coconut oil is an oil that has many beneficial properties, including being naturally antibacterial and antifungal. Used on your feet it will moisturize the skin, improve healing of any crackedareas, and help prevent infections.
 After moisturizing your feet put on a pair of cotton socks to reduce the potential for slipping and falling on the floor and to keep the moisturizeron your feet.

See your doctor.If these remedies are not successful after repeated use, you may need to see your doctor. Expect to be tested for hypothyroidism if the dry skin extendsto your arms and legs as well.
If your dry skin is resistant to the measures you have taken at home, your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter product that contains lactic acid or lactic acid and urea. These ingredients help theskin to hold more moisture.A more serious condition might require prescription ointments or creams to reduce the potential that the skin will crack due to dryness.