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Dermatologists Tips:
Restoring Soft Feet After Wearing Summer’s Sandals

by Cynthia Bailey, M.D.

Once you've worn sandals all summer long, you may notice that thick skin has developed on your feet. Fall is a great time to soften your feet once more and that’s easy to do if you have the right tools for the job.

Reclaiming baby soft feet isn’t that difficult. All it takes is good exfoliation. But a pumice stone won’t accomplish the task for most of us. It takes chemical exfoliation and physical exfoliation, done regularly, to restore your feet once more into a softer state.

· Chemical exfoliation means using a skin care product that softens and dissolves the thick foot skin so it's possible to actually make some progress when trying to file it off. In my experience, the best skin care product to exfoliate and soften feet is Glytone Heel and Elbow Cream. (Available from your dermatologist or on some professional skin care product web sites like Dermstore.com.) This is a very strong glycolic acid cream and it’s a miracle for rough feet. (In spite of the name, I don’t like it used on the elbows because it’s just too strong for all but the thickest elbow skin.)

· Physical exfoliation is the process when you file or scrape off the rough thick foot skin. The best foot scraper is the PedEgg, which you can get at www.PedEgg.com. You could also use a foot file like the pedicurists use, or a pumice stone.

My exfoliating foot care method for treating your rough, thick feet skin:

1. Soak your feet in warm water, or take a warm shower for 10 - 15 minutes.

2. While your feet are wet, use the PedEgg, a pumice stone or a foot file to rub the skin off your feet as much as possible without hurting the skin.

3. Towel dry your feet, but while they are still damp, apply the Glytone Heel and Elbow Cream liberally to the thick areas, including the toes and nail beds if needed. Put on a clean pair of cotton socks and leave them on for at least 8 hours.

4. Depending on the severity of the skin condition, this process can take between one week and several months to achieve all the removal of the thick foot skin.

5. If irritation develops, let the skin heal before you resume the treatment again.

6. Once you have soft, smooth skin on your feet, repeat this process as necessary to maintain the results. Some people find that once their feet are soft again, they can maintain the results by switching to my Anti Aging Body Rejuvenation Kit products and treat their feet when they treat the rest of their body skin in the shower.

Having baby soft feet that invite a foot massage takes a little work, but it’s possible at any age and any time of the year with my exfoliating foot treatment.

Glytone Heel and Elbow Cream is a strong, professional level glycolic acid product. It should only be used as directed on the product, and as I have outlined above. I don’t have it on my web site www.otbskincare.com because it is so strong that I’m not comfortable selling it to the public at large, unless they have thorough, explicit instructions for use as I have set out above. By reading these instructions, you have professional information on how to appropriately reap the benefits from this extremely effective and strong product.

I’ve had patients use a lot of exfoliative foot care regimens over the years, and this is by far the most effective.

©2009 Dr. Cynthia Bailey for SeniorWomen.com

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