Summer Foot

[Goddess]

Yep! It's that time of year again - and I've got nasty looking heels. Last year I spent months going at them with a pumice stone and slathering tons of glycerin body cream on them (Made for great problem when walking in ship ships! Almost killed myself sliding about!)

So any good ideas of how to beat it this year would be appreciated! And anything better to recommend than the glycerin cream would be appreciated (So long as it's available here!)

[HEPZIBAH]

[face=Comic Sans MS]Goddess you have my sympathies. I've got a nasty attack of it too, so much so that my right heel cracked so badly while I was in Luxor that it was quite painful for a few days.

I have an electric manicure kit and although I don't use all the manicure tools, I really have had my use out of those that deal with the hard skin on my feet. Problem is I went to use it just before I went to Luxor and it wouldn't recharge anymore. This is one gadget I will be replacing as soon as possible.

As for creams, I think I've tried all the specific foot creams on the market, but at the end of the day Vaseline intensive care hand lotion or Tesco's vitamin E cream (very cheap) seem to work just as well. [/face]

[Goddess]

Vaseline intensive stuff we can get here - so that's good news! Does it soak in easily or is walking a bit precarious for a few hours after using it!?!?!
(this is the most important question! With the current cream - it involves laying on the bed - with feet in air, or sprawling on the sofa with feet dangling over the arm - and it's normally after getting them all creamed up that I need to go to the bathroom, or remember something I was supposed to do - so I normally end up flat on my back after taking off at great speed on the ceramic floor!)

I used to have one of them manicure kits - wonder where that got to!?!

[HEPZIBAH]

I [face=Comic Sans MS]find the Vaseline Intensive Care absorbs quite well but better to use a little, let it absorb and then apply some more. I do tend to use it mainly last thing at night, so I can be more liberal with it, but I do also use it in a morning at times. Thing is, if I could only get into the habit of massaging the cream in all the time instead of when the skin is beyond it's worse I wouldn't get to the stage I am at the moment.

Re: Vaseline IC - I find the one in the green bottle, with Aloe Vera I think, is better than than the yellow one. It seems more creamy and less greasy.

Maybe if you're going to have a lazy time in front of a film or somthing, it may help to apply the cream and then put on a pair of cotton socks.

Now, I know all the theory, so why have I got the ugliest feet in the kingdom? [/face]

[Maggy]

Vaseline intensive care is the best I've found,use just a little each time you shower or bathe, and also it's a hand cream too so killing 2 birds with one stone,so to speak.

[crazycat]

As Hepzi suggested put the cream on and then put a pair of socks on. I do this when I go to bed if my heels are particularly bad. The best stuff I've found is the Body Shops Hemp cream for feet but don't know if you can get it over there. I use their Hemp for hands at work but everyone else pinches it too so I have to hide the tube. It's really good

[Mimimay]

Ooooh Goddess it is so painful when the skin gets so dry and cracked like that
ship ship make mine bad too. I've used E45 on mine but you perhaps can't get it. Hope the intensive cream helps and be careful on the ceramic floors

[Lisak]

Try getting rid of as much dead skin as possible as with the best will in the world dead skin will not re-moisturise. Then slather on copious amounts of cream or even oil, actually a vegetable oil may be better as it feeds the skin and put plastic bags on your feet overnight for the oil to seep in. Do this a few times as I'm sure this will help.

[jewel]

I used to get that badly "my egyptian feet" I called it!! But found a superb remedy when I was over in UK I asked my chiropodit and he advised me "flexitol" cream......so Took it back egypt and my cracked heels were a thing of the past.
I used to pumice them gemtly then apply flexitol twicw a day....another thing is to avoid hot water ....hope you get them sorted

Here is the cream, it says for diabetics but its for everyone especially with dry cracked heels - maybe someone could bring you some out?

http://www.drfoot.co.uk/Diabetic_Foot_Cream.htm

[Goddess]

Lisak - Think I rubbed half my foot off with my pumice stone earlier on! I can just imagine how attractive Mr G is going to find me covered in oil and a couple of freezer bags!!! I must say though - that it sounds a fantastic idea!!!! So simple! Why didn't I think of that!

Jewel - when I'm in the UK - I'll have a lookout for that - looks like just the stuff I need for when my heels start to look shameful! Do they sell it in pharmacies, health stores or supermarkets?

[jewel]

I got mine at the local health clinic ask the podiatry department I'm sure they will be able to help

[FABlux]

I've been using the Avon Footworks double action cream, it has bits in (pumice?) which you massage with & it really helps.

[PRchick]

There have been a lot of ads on TV here for something called a pedegg. No idea if it is aavailable everywhere.

http://www.pedeggsale.com/?cid=442438

[Winged Isis]

Try sitting with your feet in water for half an hour (warm in winter, cold in summer...very refreshing!) while watching TV... it's a good excuse for someone to wait upon you!

This softens them up so pumicing is easier and more effective. Then rub in whatever cream works for you. It's not so much the cream as the frequency you pumice them that counts, as all creams have the same basic ingredients says my ex-pharmacist Dad. At least once a week in summer is necessary if you wear open shoes a lot, less often in winter when your feet are covered and kept soft. Regular maintainence is the key.

This has always worked well for me...my other half never shrieks, like a previous partner once did, that he has been attacked by a dinosaur when our feet touch under the bedcovers!

Good luck.

[Moonstone]

I'm with you Fran. Avon Footworks with socks at night. Works for me together with pumice and it also has some exfoliant (the pink bits) in it. If you want to try, let me know as a friend is an Avon rep.

[Goddess]

And there was me chatting to the Avon lady this morning .... about cats!!! Of all things!!! Should have been having a sensible conversation with her about the state of my heels and if footworks was available here!

Live and learn!

[Lisak]

I think Avon do those moisturising socks too, so get a pair of them whilst you are at it, my friend , who has similar trouble with her feet, swears by them.

[Quinonostante]

(Made for great problem when walking in ship ships! Almost killed myself sliding about!)

Maybe a pair of those socks with rubber things on the bottom..?

[HEPZIBAH]

(Made for great problem when walking in ship ships! Almost killed myself sliding about!)

Maybe a pair of those socks with rubber things on the bottom..?

[face=Comic Sans MS]From 'summer feet' to 'ghekko feet'! [/face]

[FABlux]

[face=Comic Sans MS]From 'summer feet' to 'ghekko feet'! [/face]

Goddess Numpty Ghecko Feet sounds good to me