Remove Foot Calluses with These Home Remedies
Calluses are hard, yellow areas that form on the feet due to excessive pressure or friction. They’re considered to be a cosmetic problem and can sometimes cause pain, while the skin can crack, leading to infection. Fortunately, there are some home remedies that can help.
While they appear more commonly on the feet, they can also develop on the hands and other parts of the body that are exposed to constant friction.
Calluses are often caused by wearing shoes that are too tight, as well as walking around barefoot and engaging in demanding physical activities.
The good news is there are several natural solutions to reduce these hard patches and restore smoothness to your skin. Today we want to share some of the most interesting home remedies for calluses, so that you can give them a try before you experience any further complications.
Home remedies for calluses
Castor oil and apple cider vinegar
Both castor oil and apple cider vinegar have powerful antibacterial agents that can help cleanse damaged skin and protect it against infection, as noted in this study published in Scientific Reports.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar (125 ml)
- 2 tablespoons of castor oil (20 ml)
- 2 liters of hot water
- 1 pumice stone
- 2 tablespoons of pH neutral liquid soap (20 ml)
How do you make it?
- First add the liquid soap to two liters of hot water and pour into a large container.
- Then, add the apple cider vinegar and soak your feet for approximately 15 minutes.
- After this time, rub the hard surfaces with a pumice stone to remove any excess dead skin.
- Next, dry with a soft towel and finish by rubbing castor oil on the affected areas.
- Repeat this treatment for 10 days.
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Onion
This method can soften skin that’s affected by calluses, and reduce the presence of helomas or corns. The antiseptic and antifungal properties of onions can help eliminate bacteria and reduce your risk of contracting fungal infections. This is backed up by research published in the Research Journal of Medicinal Plants.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of apple cider vinegar (250 ml)
- 1 slice of onion
- An adhesive bandage
How do you make it?
- First, pour the apple cider vinegar into a glass jar and add the slice of onion.
- Leave it in a warm place for 24 hours and then use the onion to cover your calluses.
- Finally, use the adhesive bandage to secure the onion to your skin and leave it on while you sleep.
- Repeat this procedure until the callus is soft enough to remove.
Bread – another home remedy for calluses
Some believe that bread is another effective home remedy for treating calluses. By combining it with apple cider vinegar, it can be very useful for softening the hard skin on your feet.
Ingredients
- 1 slice of old bread
- 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar (125 ml)
- 1 adhesive bandage
- Plastic wrap
How do you make it?
- First, soak the slice of bread in a container of apple cider vinegar and attach it to the affected area with the help of a bandage.
- Then, cover with plastic wrap and leave it on overnight.
- Repeat this treatment until the callus disappears.
Garlic and olive oil
The antifungal properties of garlic can fight foot fungus and reduce problems such as itching, cracking, and dryness. For its part, the olive oil can help soften any hard areas and reduce cellular damage caused by toxins and free radicals.
Ingredients
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 5 tablespoons of olive oil (80 g)
- 1 adhesive bandage
- 1 pair of socks
How do you make it?
- Start by peeling the cloves of garlic and mashing them using a mortar and pestle until you have a paste.
- Then, combine them with the olive oil and leave this mixture to sit for two hours.
- After this time, wash your feet well and apply the product to the affected area, using the bandage to keep it in place.
- Finally, put on the socks and leave it to act overnight.
- Repeat this treatment twice a week.
Home remedies for calluses
As you can see, there are several home remedies that can be useful for alleviating the symptoms of corns and calluses. Choose the treatment you like the most and remember to complement its use with comfortable shoes, regular water consumption, and the use of moisturizing lotions.
We would also recommend consulting with a healthcare professional in relation to your calluses before making any changes to your lifestyle habits, so that they can provide an accurate diagnosis, and recommend the best course of treatment for your particular case.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Yagnik, D., Serafin, V., & Shah, A. J. (2018). Antimicrobial activity of apple cider vinegar against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans; downregulating cytokine and microbial protein expression. Scientific reports, 8(1), 1-12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5788933/
- Tagoe, D. N. A., Nyarko, H. D., & Akpaka, R. (2011). A comparison of the antifungal properties of onion (Allium cepa), ginger (Zingiber officinale) and garlic (Allium sativum) against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Cladosporium herbarum. J. Med. Plant, 5, 281-287. https://scialert.net/fulltextmobile/?doi=rjmp.2011.281.287
- Yoshida, S., Kasuga, S., Hayashi, N. O. R. I. H. I. R. O., Ushiroguchi, T., Matsuura, H., & Nakagawa, S. (1987). Antifungal activity of ajoene derived from garlic. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 53(3), 615-617. https://aem.asm.org/content/aem/53/3/615.full.pdf
