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No you shouldn’t rip dry skin off: The best callus removers to use instead
Yes, your dry, cracked feet can be baby soft
Amid the summer beauty admin, there’s one task you may but putting off or just not know how to tackle properly, but it makes all the difference when you get your favourite sandals out: removing the calluses from your feet.
Whether they're caused by walking around in impractical shoes all day (you know who you are), pressure from long periods spent standing or friction from running or walking long distances, the best callus removers will smooth and soften those thick, rough patches of skin and cracks that can appear.
To help you complete this glamorous feet feat, the Good Housekeeping beauty team has pulled together a list of the best electric files, pads and creams to transform your downtrodden trotters into twinkle toes, and spoken to the experts about how to treat the trickiest of dry spots.
Best callus removers
For more sole-soothing treatment, read our editor-approved roundups: Best foot balms | Best foot spas
What causes calluses?
"Calluses develop because of the chronic friction of your skin against shoes and the outside world," explains Joshua Zeichner, M.D., director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at The Mount Sinai Hospital.
Though they may look unsightly, it's not all bad: "Think of them like nature’s bodyguard for your feet. Without calluses, feet would be at risk of daily trauma,” Zeichner adds. "However, in some cases, if calluses become very thick, they can be uncomfortable – or even crack."
Before you start applying every lotion and sanding down every callus on your feet, it’s important to consider the causes and severity of your condition. Dermatologists agree that if you’re dealing with thick, severe calluses, it’s best to seek help from a medical professional to safely remove them – especially if you have sensitive skin or underlying conditions.
Take care: If you're diabetic, have heart disease or problems with your circulation, the NHS advises against treating calluses or corns yourself. Instead, speak to a GP or foot specialist, to avoid any risk of complications.
What are the different types of callus removers?
- Pumice stones: These naturally formed volcanic rocks are a great (and budget-friendly) manual option to help remove calluses. They're easy to use too – simply rub against wet soles to exfoliate the skin.
- Foot files: These are similar to nail files, but are used to remove dry skin on your feet. You're in complete control of these manual tools, so you can be as gentle as you want.
- Electric callus removers: These tools have spinning roller heads that do all the work for you. The heads are layered with exfoliating agents such as crystals, and they have adjustable speeds. They're a quick and painless solution.
- Creams, pads and foot masks: As well as tools, there's also a whole range of softening skincare you can apply. Callus pads can be placed over the affected area to soften the skin, as well as to prevent rubbing. Creams and gels are often formulated with ingredients, such as salicylic acid, which gently exfoliate dead skin. Foot masks are also available to encourage natural shedding and leave you with softer soles.
As with anything, prevention is better than cure. Regular exfoliation and moisturising of your feet can help prevent calluses forming in the first place and avoid harder skin developing, so we recommend incorporating it into your regular routine.
How we chose the best callus removers
Our picks for the best callus removers are based on years of experience reviewing and writing about health and wellness products, including the comfiest buys for your feet, from the best running socks to the best walking sandals. Many are first-hand recommendations from our editors and we've considered any added features, price points and online customer reviews.
We also spoke to the experts for their shopping tips and extensively researched each brand on our list. These are the best tools and creams for healing your cracked heels.
Treat your tired soles with this pedicure system from Magnitone, which banishes rough, dead skin from your feet. The curved roller gets into all those hard-to-reach crevices, and there’s a useful LED guide light to make sure you don’t miss miss a spot – no patch of hard skin is safe.
It’s rechargeable via a USB charger and – at full charge – will last up to 60 minutes, which is plenty of time to get your soles shipshape.
Scholl Velvet Smooth Electronic Foot Care System
The temperature is rising, and time is running out to achieve “no socks and all confidence,” as Scholl puts it. Fortunately, you can get to work immediately with this electric file, as the kit includes batteries and two roller heads. You get a coarse crystal head for removing dead skin, as well as a bonus contoured one to reduce the appearance of cracked heels.
There's a wide range of other compatible heads you can choose from too, such as an Extra Coarse pair. Whichever ones you opt for, it will be a pain-free pedi, as the file automatically stops if too much pressure is applied.
The slim, ergonomic design of this electric tool makes it easy to hold and rotate around your sole. It’s a versatile gadget, as it comes with two roller heads; a finer one for dry skin, and another for coarse skin removal.
The compact size also makes it easy to slip into a bag if you want to keep your feet looking fabulous throughout your summer holiday.
These callus removal pads provide instant (and precise) protection from callus-causing pressure and rubbing. Each one is infused with a salicylic acid formula to help soften the hardened skin over 48 hours, and reveal a smoother, callus-free foot.
From hair styling tools to LED devices and callus removers, Silk’n offers beauty solutions from head to toe, and its products perform well in our beauty lab.
This device comes with three grinding disks (fine, medium and coarse) that can be used on wet or dry feet, with a choice of two different speed settings. Fear no foot dust either, as the built-in vacuum system collects all the dead skin for you.
Start your holiday prep by slipping your feet into these softening booties for an hour or two. Note, the results aren't instant – it takes a whole seven days for these ingredients to get to work – but all that goodness takes time to work. They're enriched with a range of natural plant and botanic extracts, such as exfoliating salicylic and glycolic acid, as well as softening banana and chamomile.
Together, these ingredients work to soften hard skin and encourage it to peel away naturally a week after application. It's worth the wait – just make sure you leave enough time for the shed before your holiday. You don’t want your skin to be peeling off by the pool...
As far as good-looking callus removal devices go, this one from Geske tops the list. It’s an eight-in-one tool that comes with three easily interchangeable pumice stone heads, each one catering to every crevice on your feet. The adjustable spin speeds ensure painless and easy callus removal to leave your skin looking every bit as good.
There's an app for everything these days, we know, but this one actually is useful. You can use it to access expert footcare advice and tutorials.
Margaret Dabbs London Professional Foot File
Award-winning podiatrist, Margaret Dabbs, created this file for safe, effective and professional-grade dry skin removal from home.
The abrasive pads are made with crushed crystals, which will prove tough competition for even the roughest of calluses. The sturdy stainless-steel handle is made to last a lifetime and comes with four self-adhesive replacement pads, which the brand claims last up to three months each.
Apply the brand’s Cracked Heel Balm for double the suppleness.
If you’re not keen on filing (we understand, ticklish feet folk), this balm treatment is an effective alternative. The formula contains a blend of softening ingredients, which the brand claims will leave your feet healthier and happier in just three days.
Salicylic and glycolic acid work to gently exfoliate and lift dry skin, and urea helps to restore moisture to those hard-working heels.
Tweezerman created this high-quality callus remover to scrape away hardened skin to leave your feet feeling softer. It comes with a storage cap, which can be used to collect shavings for an easy clean-up. Cute.
This simple and affordable 2-in-1 tool is the perfect way to upgrade a standard foot soak.
After bathing your feet in warm, soapy water, use the pumice to scrub away hardened and dead skin. Then, flip the handle around and use the bristles to gently exfoliate any residue away and reveal baby-smooth skin underneath.
At under £3, these adhesive pads from Boots are an effective and affordable source of relief from painful calluses.
They’re created from medical grade chiropody felt, a common type of padding used to relieve pressure on your feet, and they're also hypoallergenic, so they won’t cause any further irritation.
Treat your calluses, corns and feet fissures all at once with this effective cream from FootMender.
Over the course of a week, the all-in-one cream works to exfoliate, soften, bind cracks and strengthen the skin barrier to prevent further discomfort. It also has an antimicrobial effect for added freshness.
What to look for when shopping for the best callus removers
“When treating calluses, the goal is to help hydrate the skin and remove excess dead cells,” says Dr. Zeichner. To that end, you'll want to keep the following factors in mind.
✔️ Removal method: There are two main ways to remove dead skin: Manual and chemical. Manual exfoliation is the process of physically removing dead cells from the outer skin layer. “This could be accomplished using scrubs or abrasive materials like pumice stones, files or sanding devices,” he says.
Meanwhile, gels, masks, creams and peels fall under the category of chemical removal. “Chemical exfoliation uses hydroxyacids (like glycolic or salicylic acids) to help dissolve connections between skin cells so they more easily can be shed,” adds Dr. Zeichner.
✔️ Active ingredients: When it comes to chemical removal, he suggests looking for foot creams that contain emollient oils or urea, which help hydrate and exfoliate dead skin to soften calluses. Other powerful ingredients include lactic acid, glycolic and salicylic acids, all of which help to dissolve thick skin.
✔️ Strength: Depending on the severity of your calluses, you'll want to look for something that's strong enough (but not overly so) to help remove calluses and soften feet. Creams, gels and soaks tend to be more gentle while electric options work faster and are generally more intense. When choosing an electric callus remover, it's helpful to have different strength rollers on hand to customise your foot filing based on your skin's needs.
Can I permanently get rid of calluses on my feet?
To get rid of calluses permanently you have to go beyond simply treating any current dry, thick patches of skin – you also need to prevent future calluses from forming.
All of the products featured on this list are available over the counter, which means they address smaller, less severe calluses. If you're prone to stubborn, thick calluses that require stronger treatments, you should speak with a doctor about prescribed medicated patches, or treatment, or even surgery. Your GP may also recommend shoe inserts to prevent recurring calluses.
One note of caution: You should never attempt to cut a callus at home. You may accidentally cut too deep and cause tissue damage, cause infection or take off healthy skin.
How can I prevent calluses at home?
In addition to using callus prevention products and tools, here are a few simple things you can do on your own to help prevent and treat calluses on your feet, hands or anywhere else on your body.
✔️ Wear shoes that fit comfortably. Tight or ill-fitting shoes rub against the skin, and that pressure and friction can cause callus' to form. Cushioned shoes, therapeutic shoes and inserts can help.
✔️ Exfoliate regularly. Experts recommend regularly soaking and cleaning skin with epsom salts or apple cider vinegar.
✔️ Moisturisation is key. Good hydration helps to soften the skin and protect it from hardening. Use a nourishing moisturiser daily to keep skin supple, especially after exfoliating.
Dori Price is a New York City-based freelance writer and editor and beauty, style and wellness expert who was the Beauty & Fashion Director at Family Circle for 13 years before she joined Good Housekeeping, Prevention and Woman’s Day as a freelance beauty editor. She has also written for WomensHealthMag.com, Elle.com and HealthCentral.com.
Madeleine is our Lifestyle Writer, specialising in expert-tested reviews and round-ups on the latest beauty Beauty and Health & Wellness products. From skincare to protein powders, Maddie is committed to providing honest and helpful reviews to help guide readers to the best product for them. Maddie has a BA in English Literature and Language, which stemmed from her lifelong interest in reading and writing. She started her post graduate life at Hearst UK within a marketing capacity, which quickly turned into a desire to fulfil a writing career.
When she is not writing about the latest expert reviewed products, you can find her rifling through vintage shops or car boots, reading a print magazine, or capturing portraits on her film camera.
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