I've been Diabetic for 50 years. I soak my feet in warm water with white vinegar twice a week. Drying my feet takes all the dead skin off. Then coat with vaseline and wear cotton socks overnight. My doctors are always amazed!
@@JohnnyDogs1978 I have been using 1/4 of a cup - just eyeball it. Also, I have been using a 2% salicylic acid cream along with 45% urea cream with silicone heel socks overnight on after applying & while at home & already see the difference. It works overtime to continue to heal & improve.
OOH Im gonna try that. Thanks. I am not Diabetic but the outside of my left foot is dry, cracked and is raw from me picking it and peeling off the skin so hoping this would help. Thanks again for the tip.
@Krystal My thank you. I just ordered what she recommended off of Amazon. My feet are so bad lately it hurts walk in my sandals. They are cut and dry and I can’t leave them alone. I have them Vaseline now with socks.
I used to live in a really cold place (MI) where I had the heat on all the time and then when I moved back to the South my feet became horribly dry and cracked. I'm nutritionally sound and I have had my thyroid checked, etc. What coincided with the move was perimenopause, though. However, you're the fist person to say that menopause can be a cause. I asked my derm why this was happening and she didn't tell me about menopause, she just shrugged and told me to use a cream. I can't take hormones due to history of breast cancer, so I can only do topical treatment, but I still wanted to know *why*. Now I'm pretty sure it's menopause. Thanks!
I inherited my dry feet from my mom. Feet were fine, hit 30 and boom. Cracked dry feet. Checked with derm and he confirmed its genetic, all tests came back normal. 40% Urea cream (With socks) and the Ordinary 30% AHA (No socks, once a week, 10 minutes only) is what I use.. The ordinary AHA didn't work well with my face. Tried it on my feet one day, didn't cause a reaction and helped IMMENSELY with cracking and flaking on feet.
I've had this since college. I'm now in my 60s. I tried everything, including prescriptions from podiatrists. I tried Camille Beckman cream. Just out of desperation. I swear this healed my feet. Imagine 45 YEARS I tried stuff!
I started wearing Vionics after being diagnosed with Morton's Neuroma on my left foot. Game changer for me. I walk pain free now because the arch support of the Vionics keeps the pressure off the neuroma.
My life was forever changed when I discovered silicone socks and urea 40% cream. I sleep in both of these 4 nights out of the week, and I deal with absolutely no dry and cracked heels anymore. And I had horrible heels for my entire life. Game changer!
Your information on the skin may be spot on, but not going barefoot? I go barefoot in the summer quite a lot and my heals are fine. The skin on my feet goes all dense and shiny like polisjhed leather. The cracking only starts in winter when it gets too cold to go barefood comfortably. Shoes with supports are like walking about in a plaster cast! It causes to atrophy all the tiny muscles in your feet. This will cause problems when we age. Feet need to train to stay fit during our long lives. As with the rest our bodies it is use it or lose it.
Regarding the support aspect; I had knee and lower back problems all of my life. But I finally tried minimalist flat foot wear (like converse) and it changed my life for the better, now feel like a kid again, I have no more knee and back pain. 100% gone. I was told I needed more support all of my life when actually it was the opposite that cured my pain.
absolutely. we didn't evolve to wear hyperstructured marshmallows on our feet. weakening your main walking equipmebt has to cause massive problems. barefoot is just better
I put Neosporin with pain relief in the cracks, slather my feet with something like the first ointment in this video, and then put socks on. The neosporin works really fast and stops the pain
Thank you so much for addressing menopause! I had no idea this could be a cause. It all clicked when you mentioned it in this video. Menopause is definitely not discussed enough especially for those of us experiencing it at a younger age than what many, including physicians, are used to. Really appreciate you making mention of this! Means alot!
I’m so glad she talked about this too! I couldn’t figure out what was happening to my feet when I’d never had this issue before. My eyes are super dry too.
I love my Vionic shoes! I got some in a Vans sort of style. My chiropractor was amazed how much they helped my alignment without pricey custom orthotics.
Definitely hereditary for me. I use Flexitol which has 2nd ingredient urea and also has some glycolic acid and tea tree oil in it. I'm guessing Kerasal is similar. You're inspiring me to put away the scraper and start using the flexitol more often instead.
Awesome information! Thank you! I ordered a pair of the Vionic slippers when you mentioned them in an earlier video. I have larger feet ( I am tall) and was so pleasantly surprised that they had them in my size! This year, I ordered a pair of them for my daughter for Christmas as I wanted her to have a supportive pair of slippers. They are wonderful and hold up so well.
I have been wearing Vionic slippers for over 5 years now and I absolutely love them! So supportive and comfortable. My love of these prompted me to try the shoes. Have 2 pairs of shoes and a pair of booties that are extremely comfortable and supportive. Every thing they make is very high quality. I will be a lifetime customer!
You didn't address how adding certain supplements to your diet. Like collagen, zinc, vit c and a good omega 3/6/9 especially for pre/post menopausal women. These can go along way to nourishing you from the inside where skin is built Thank you for your video
Guysssss whoever had KP, please use the kerasal on your arms as well. Not only does it help with dry cracked feet but I decided to put it on my KP and it works. Realllyyy
I’m a CMP (basically non surgical foot care) and not only is so much of this so true, thank you Dr Dray for making this video! I see more cracked heels from cheese grated feet from the salon. That causes the feet to protect itself and grow thick skin that cracks and is open to fungus. So easily fixed!
Q. I had ankle surgery two months ago, I’m waiting for incision scab to fall so I can soak my foot but meanwhile my foot is peeling so much and I wonder if I should do anything to help peeling and or my skin heal fast. Any advice ??
Kerasil is a staple in my house. It does absolutely wonderful things for my poor feet. I use it a few times a week and it keeps my feet smooth and soft. Same with okeefes. I love those two products
Thank you so much for this! My heels have been horrible this winter with deep dry fissures. I started using the Kerasal as you recommend and within 6-7 days-all smooth! 🙌🏻🙌🏻
Thank you for review! I saw this first time today and was kind of shocked at $8/oz price. But if it really smoothed your feet in a week, I'm going to go get some tomorrow. Thanks!
My feet used to be a mess of corns and callouses until I discovered Vionic slippers and flip flops....and here's the thing - they have all styles of footwear now that are really cute and fit well. 'Cute orthotic footwear'? I thought it was a myth, but it really does exist!! Wearing more supportive footwear and applying a bit of Eucerin when I get out of the shower keeps my feet soft and smooth, and it makes my pedicurist's job much easier!
Maybe this is the student in me, but I think it would be so cool if you started an educational series teaching about the anatomical structure of the skin, what things are, what they do, etc. I love learning biology and the science behind things, and I think you would be an amazing teacher for this!
Great video. Vionic shoes are a must have. The bootie styles are always on trend but super comfortable because of the arch support. Same for athletic shoes. Sandals are more hit and miss as it depends more on your foot. As a post-menopausal woman this was really helpful. I don’t have a terrible problem with dry skin on my feet because I live in the north so wear socks more often and I always wear good shoes - including Vionic flip flops.
I bought a pair of Vionic flip flops. Maybe I'm just built differently, but on one foot, I felt like I was walking on the outside of my foot. The arch was too high and not comfortable. I'm back to Birkenstocks in the summer.
My feet started to crack when I turned 50. I started to take a collagen+biotin supplement from Costco, and the cracking stopped completely. I am now 59 years old with no cracked feet.
A lovely gift for simply explaining truth so we can do what is necessary to care for ourselves! Thank you as always! I will NEVER regret finding and listening to this channel!! Xo
I use OKeefes exfoliating foot cream on my heels and it’s amazing. I also whip myself a foot butter together using coco butter, coconut oil and mango butter which I put in my feet hen add socks overnight which makes the skin really supple.
Kerasal is fantastic to soften callouses on my heels. I also use Eucerin's Intensive Repair lotion and CeraVe's baby ointment alternatively. My feet are more susceptible during the summer when I'm less likely to wear socks due to the heat and humidity. It's an ongoing battle. 😕 Thankfully I've never been one to roam around outdoors in bare feet. I agree about menopause....it dries out everything. I've noticed since it started, my toenails have become dryer and more prone to breakage. Ointment is very helpful for this. ☺
At our Podiatry clinic, we have to remind people to wear shoes🤗 and lotion of course! Love this video!!! We also tell people to use saran wrap over lotion instead of socks, for extreme cases, so the moisture goes into the skin instead of into the socks. DON'T WALK IN THE SARAN WRAP! Super slick
My great grandma who was born in 1912 used to put crisco (lard) on her feet ever single night and then a pair of socks, I don't know how it worked but that woman had baby feet, the only part on her body with no wrinkles was her feet! So crazy!
Hi Kiley. I found your comment very helpful 💗Would have loved to try this but I looked up Lard and it can’t be used by Muslims as pork and anything made out of it is forbidden. Just putting this out here for Muslims like myself who might want to try this out. Also, can you suggest any alternatives?
I stop using the "cheese grater" on my heels, and just used petroleum jelly; and even in the dead winter my heels are doing pretty good! I'll incorporate that salicylic acid! Thanks, Dr Dray 😊
In the grand scheme of things, I think calloused feet are a pretty minor problem (unless, of course, they’re an indicator of an underlying medical issue). I personally would much rather enjoy the freedom of walking barefoot on the beach or at home than have perfectly smooth and moisturised feet.
Vionic shoes are amazing!! Not inexpensive but definitely worth it - many styles! I finally found a pretty ballet slipper style shoe but with actual support - have have great success with many of their shoes over the years :)
I wish I would had known about the ingredient, Urea, many years ago! I am hypothyroid, but all my levels are stable with medication. My father is prone to dry skin and rough heels, just like myself. My heels HURT. The cracks are awful. And even my thumbs and pointer fingers are prone to cracking. After years and years of always applying cream and socks to my feet every day, still nothing was helping. Then 3 weeks ago, I started using that Okeeffes foot cream. It also has the Urea. GAME CHANGER!!! I could cry! Good to know we should scale back on using the cream once we have achieved healing of our cracked feet. I’ll do that. I’ll try the Kerasal after I use up the Okeeffes. Thanks!
Our family has a genetic anomaly & all 12 of us (6 boys, 6 girls), have no sweat glands on our feet. Nice!😀 (However, we do tend to have dry, cracked heels).
Yes, I've worn Vonics for years. I have suffered from fallen arches as a child. My feet pronate. I saw Vionics on QVC. I tried their walking shoes and the heavens opened up. I was able to start walking around the Rose Bowl 3.25 miles daily. I manage my weight by walking. I wear Vionics and Allbirds. My only problem is I wear a 10.5 but have to buy an 11.
Hmmmm.. great video! I thought grating my heels with that cheese grater type thing was good as they are so smooth afterwards. But, it makes perfect sense that the traumatised skin would grow thicker. This is very helpful to know, about AHAs etc instead. Thank you!
Hi Dr Dray! Thank you SO MUCH for this video. I have suffered from dry, cracked heels for almost my entire life. My heels are generally so cracked and peeling that they cut through my bed sheets while I'm sleeping. I used to have to use a nail file to file down the hard, cracked bits because they caught on everything and tore through socks. I'm sure it's genetic because my mom's feet were just as cracked, even when she was in her 30s. I suspect another condition that causes dry, cracked feet is obesity--the extra weight puts additional pressure on the feet. I had tried all sorts of foot creams to deal with my bleeding feet--including Vaseline--and none made much of a difference. For me, the real savior was O'Keefe's Healthy Feet cream (the tub is better than the tube, but the tube is easier to use). Maybe it's the allantoin? Now, when I get out of the shower, I apply a thick layer and then put on thick socks. And that seems to do the trick. I still have very thick calluses, but they're no longer cracked and peeling and bleeding. I do have to use it almost every day though, otherwise my feet start cracking again. I haven't tried Kerasol or Dermatonics though. I'm fine with calluses--it's the peeling and cracking and bleeding that I want to control! I did get arch supports, though they didn't make as much of a difference for my foot skin (but made a huge difference for my knees and back!). I have worn Vionic shoes in the past. They didn't really work for me, though they have some nice styles, especially for sandals.
I saw my podiatrist yesterday and they have to scap some tissues and apply that Beetlejuice ( forgot the name ) on my KP. This is second time within a yr I got it and they believe it is my work shoes. Great video ! Will be following up with your suggestions plus waiting on my prescribe Eucerin. ❤️🌺🌻
the one in the tub or the tube? The small tube one says it's a foot cream, but the tub doesn't even though they have the same ingredients. I see the one in the tub is a little thicker
I’ve worn Vionics exclusively for years. I probably have about 20 pairs right now. They’re fantastic for plantar fasciitis. I highly recommend them to anyone who needs a high arch support.
No cracked heels but I developed plantar fasciitis about 7 yr ago. I literally couldn't walk. I bought Vionic Dressy flats for work & they were Very expensive. Absolutely did nothing to help. Plain Crocs provided my only relief. After doing foot stretches religiously it went away. I have to say the pain related to PF was excruciating. Btw- I never wore flip flops
@@poorthing I know this is late, but I have hard flooring through my entire house so I ended up with PF. The only way I got rid of it was to wear Vionic sandals inside my house at all times. I had one pair that was designated for indoors only.
my mom had had extremely cracked feet since her mid 20s (mostly genetics). because kerasal isn't available in my country, i tried to find a cheaper alternative. i found cream with 10% urea and an ointment with 6% salicylic acid and i layer them on her feet, they are extremely effective and they cost me less than 5USD in total! my mom's really proud of her smooth feet she showed them off to other relatives with the same problem😁
Yes kerosal is good! I have used it. But one thing that is crazy is BIOTIN. I took it for nails and hair for 6mo-1 year. Omg. Just 1 per day. One day I was taking off shoes and socks and my feet were soft as a baby!!! Biotin is amazing. Also I stopped getting pedicures - I let them Do my nails but not touch any of the skin. Super soft.
Ever since I was a child my heels have been abnormally dry and cracked. My father would have me slather vaseline all over my feet before my bedtime and then carefully slip on a thick pair of cotton socks. This really helped. As an adult it is impossible for me to sleep while wearing socks.
100% same haha. I live in a city with dry air so I always assumed this was a huge cause to date for me no matter how well I moisturize and meticulous I am with pedicures and all I do at home daily. My dry heels have always baffled/irritated me considering all I do and how healthy I am err! 😅
My husband's heels were like very rough sandpaper (I kid you not!). I bought him a tube of The Ordinary's Heel Chemistry which is applied twice a day (no need for slathering it on, or plastic bags, etc.) and within 2 weeks his heels were smooth to the touch. Highly recommend The Ordinary's Heel Chemistry.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! ❤🙏 I had issues post menopause (now that you mentioned it) but when I started supplementing with marine collagen peptides back in 2017. Improved tremendously, afraid to stop taking it now!
I need to let my feet "breathe" quite often due to getting athletes foot and/or toe fungus. If I wear shoes too much it can get bad. And, superglue is fantastic for cracked heals! I used to use it on my hands which cracked and bled due to the work I was doing. it is called it a "carpenters trick".
I solved the only problem with Chuck Taylors, got a pair of thin orthotics, now they are thee perfect shoe :) Blah, blah menopause. Dammit seems like everything goes to crap because of menopause. Give a man menopause, they’d immediately treat it like disease with several safe treatment options 🙄
This was great Dr. Dray! My feet have definitely become more dry since becoming menopausal. This was not a problem when I was younger. I did not know this could happen, and I’m a gynecologist! I really have to keep the creams on to keep my feet from getting g dry. I’ve found Eucerin cream works great as well. I never walk barefoot but I walk around the house with socks. I will try these slippers also. I’ve used superglue to heal cuts before if I don’t have any dermabond around. Thanks for making this video!
My 3 sisters and I, all menopausal/post, live in different cities- only one given info on symptoms of menopause/hormone replacement options. Maybe there are menopause specialists we should be seeing instead? Gonna search that!
There is a physician in the Houston area with a RU-vid channel and she specializes in menopause. I think her name is Barbie-no kidding! Dominique Sachse has featured her on her channel in the past, so maybe search RU-vid you’ll find her.
One thing I find with Kerasal is to keep the tube stored top-up after it's open. There's something about the consistency of it that it tends to slowly leak out once it's been opened and it will make an oily stain on whatever it leaks onto.
Hi I had suggested your folks to change their diet to delete sugar white flour process food and they have improved very markedly and the condition of their feet their skin and so on but since this video is about the feet I must say that my friends who have a heated my advice are ecstatic that they’re condition is improved and they still get their nutrition all they have to do is research eating a proper diet and things go very well, just saying
Vionic sandals and slippers have been amazing on my feet. I have plantar fasciitis in both feet along with high arches. They are quality footwear and I have yet to wear a pair out. They are holding up better than any other I’ve purchased.
I never had cracked heels until I moved to arizona. I keep it at bay by never going barefoot even in the house. I really believe there is a fungus in the soil that only seems to affect us transplants.
I loved wearing stilettos when I was younger. Dancing in them. I also had a phobia of getting cracked feet. So I rubbed Vaseline on my feet every night and put socks on. It worked.
I had dry/cracking feet, here is what I did: I put a good amount of Vaseline on them, put on socks so it would not rub off while walking around in the house, and began drinking more water. Cured!
Ive been battling dry cracked heels since I was in my early 30s. I recently started using AHA lotion on my body and thought, why not feet too!? Occlusives alone have not been enough. In the last week I’ve been using AHA on my feet at night, with aquaphor layered on top. Socks go on for as long as I can tolerate (sometimes they come off in the middle of the night). My heels are finally, after all these years, looking heathy. I may try the kerasal product you mention but will be careful not to go too far. Thanks for mentioning AHA (and similar) in this video. Game changer for me!
My podiatrist also suggested a thick cream or ointment, then a plastic bag on each foot, followed by socks or slippers. This is slippery to walk around in so it’s good to do while seated for a while - watching TV, reading, on the computer, or while in bed. Works really well. Also, if I get a crack that is painful I find a little piece of surgical tape right on the crack area will heal it up in just a day or two.
Hi Dr. Dray, You mentioned soaking the feet. How long should this be? Also, I thought I'd mention that I like Flexitol Heel Balm. It's another cream that is also approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association. Thanks for making this video!
In under 15-20 minutes the soles wrinkle & the skin softens to the point it’s like one of those Moroccan spa videos, easily exfoliating with the slightest abrasion. So I doubt you’d get additional benefit beyond that point
Thank you for your incredible content, Dr. Dray! Kerasal has saved my feet!! Would you consider doing a video on dermatillomania and/or trichotillomania from a derm’s perspective, like how to minimize damage to skin and hair?
One other tip--for people who hate wearing socks because they're too hot (especially to bed in summer), there are these "moisturizing heel socks" you can buy that basically just cover your foot from arch to ankle. They aren't as hot as regular socks. Though I wouldn't wear them outside the house!
Ive had many foot issues & I’ve used Vionics but I find they break down real quick. I now have painful Morton’s Neuroma. I wear Vionics still but mostly Merrill’s now. I’ve been using a foot balm & then wearing socks & it’s helped with cracking so much! I also wear slippers now. I’ll admit that Crocs are very comfy. I love my flip flops so I got Funky Monkeys & they’re great!
I have Morton’s neuroma too, and a key, besides arch support, is a rocker sole. It keeps the foot from flexing so much, which aggravates the neuroma. I use Hoka running shoes and sandals. Also Oofos sandals.
Allergies, why don’t you mention allergies? Caffeine causes my feet to dry and crack like clock work. Two days in a row drinking coffee will immediately make my feet itch, dry and eventually crack. Foot creams do not help other than Fluocinonide prescription. As soon as I stop caffeine the problem is gone. Almost the next day. So caffeine allergy may be the cause please include in your next video. Also liver issues can cause feet to break out.
