Why are my feet dry and damaged?
The main causes of dry feet are quite diverse. The most common factor is wearing shoes that are too tight, which cause friction and pressure on the skin. In the long term, these stresses tend to cause callosities (thickening of the skin), or even corns or calluses.
In winter, low temperatures can also damage the skin on your feet, particularly if you wash them with very hot water and unsuitable soap.
Finally, ageing, hormonal changes such as the menopause, taking certain medicines and certain medical conditions such as diabetes can also cause the feet to become dry.(1) To keep your feet soft, it is therefore important to look after them every day by following a few simple steps.
How to get soft, smooth feet
Whether it’s to have lovely feet this summer or simply for your health, it’s essential to look after this part of your body every day. Not only will healthy feet enable you to carry out your physical activities successfully, but they will also help prevent the risk of calluses or infections.(2) So, the first thing you should do is take a close look at your feet. Check the condition of your feet regularly to ensure your skin is properly moisturised and to spot any abnormalities.
Clean your feet properly
If you notice that your feet are becoming dry, wash them regularly with warm water (but not too hot, so as not to dry out the skin) and mild soap.
If possible, avoid baths or limit bath time to ten minutes so as not to make the skin soft and fragile. Then dry your feet thoroughly with a clean, dry towel, paying particular attention to the spaces between your toes. This tip will help you reduce the risk of maceration, which can lead to fungal infections, amongst other things.(2)
Optimal hydration for soft feet
The next step is to moisturise your skin for silky soft feet. This step is essential because dry skin is primarily due to a lack of hydration.
Because of this dryness, it is important to use products that are suitable for the skin on your feet.
The URGO product you need: URGO nourishing Filmomousse®
This is particularly true of URGO Filmomousse Nourishing – Dry to very dry feet. This foaming care intensely nourishes and provides long-lasting hydration for your sensitive skin. When applied daily to the affected areas of the foot, it helps to reduce roughness and prevent the formation of new calluses.
Also available as a foam, URGO Filmomousse Intense Hydration – Very dry to cracked feet (ages 5 and over) is a medical device specially formulated for very dry feet and suitable for diabetic feet. Its formula improves the skin’s barrier function on very dry to cracked feet and helps to reduce redness, dryness, flaking, chapping and swelling, helping you to restore soft feet. Cracks are reduced and itching is soothed.
To reduce your calluses, there is also URGO Anti-callus cream: a 14-day intensive topical treatment designed to target your calluses, reduce them and soften them, leaving your feet feeling soft.
Finally, treat your heel cracks effectively thanks to URGO Filmogel® Heel Cracks (ages 3 and over). The liquid dressing forms a protective film that fills the crack and helps it to heal.
