Having hard, rough, abrasive calluses on your feet can cause considerable pain and discomfort, and the condition looks particularly unattractive.

Small calluses on your feet can be easily decreased using a pumice stone. A pumice stone is a natural abrasive made from volcanic rock. Apply rehydrating creams after the pumice treatment and allow them to soak in for a while to help soften the skin. Wear a sock to keep rehydrating lotions from coming off your foot while you are doing other things.

Some additional simple treatments for calluses on your feet include the following:

• Cut away dead skin—Your foot doctor can debride thickened skin with a special tool made for this purpose. The process slowly removes the dead skin without causing injury to healthy skin.
• Acid patch—Your podiatrist can prescribe a patch containing a high concentration of salicylic acid to soften tough calluses before removal.
• Wear the right shoes with orthotic inserts—If you have an underlying disorder like diabetes that contributes to foot and ankle problems, your foot specialist can prescribe custom footwear and orthotic inserts that will redistribute pressure away from painful calluses.

If hard, rough, and crumbly skin on your feet is causing you pain and discomfort, you need to arrange a visit with your podiatrist to receive the proper treatment. At Your Next Step, our team of board-certified podiatrists has access to advanced technologies, along with years of experience, to help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems, including sports injuries, joint pain, toe deformities, nail fungus, chronic tendon pain, and skin problems. Dr. Eric Ricefield, Dr. Mark Yagodich, and Dr. Aliza V. Eisen provide high-quality foot and ankle care to patients in the greater Philadelphia area at our offices conveniently located in Ardmore, Paoli, Woodlyn, and Downingtown. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.