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Foot Callouses Tuesday
Old 05-20-2008, 09:59 AM   #1
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Foot Callouses Tuesday

OK, we've dealt with nose hairs and pimples in weird places, so today's gross topic is foot callouses. How do you deal with the hardening/thickening of the skin under your feet and on your heels?
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Old 05-20-2008, 10:22 AM   #2
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This was more of a problem for me growing up in Hawaii, where I went barefoot much of the time and got thick callouses. I didn't do much about it and my feet were pretty ugly!

Now that I live on the Mainland, I wear shoes except inside the house. Because of that, the condition of my feet really isn't much of a problem. I just use some aloe lotion on my feet occasionally.

You can buy foot kits with pumice and such to smoothe the feet, but I never really felt the need to go to that much trouble.
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Old 05-20-2008, 10:29 AM   #3
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The problem I get is usually in the winter after doing martial arts every day. I don't moisturize my feet as well as I need to, so what happens is I get a large crack at the base of the callous on my big toes. And then they end up bleeding, so I have to wrap athletic tape around my toes so I don't leave blood everywhere. Stupid thing takes a while to heal, too.
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Old 05-20-2008, 10:41 AM   #4
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You could do nothing unless your FIRE plans include becoming a foot model.
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As if you didn't know..If the above message contains medical content, it's NOT intended as advice, and may not be accurate, applicable or sufficient. Don't rely on it for any purpose. Consult your own doctor for all medical advice.
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Old 05-20-2008, 10:55 AM   #5
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Don't get them.
Twice a week, go to the Y around 9 in the morning, Ju-Jutsu workouts, about 1 to2 hr, usually in cheap Chinese slippers w/ cloth soles. Then a half hour free weight, fast anaerobic work 'till it burns in the muscles.
7 minutes on the rowing machine with 2 ea. 1 minute intensely fast rowing. A languid 1/2 hour in the sauna, keep throwing water on the sensor to keep it good an hot, softens all tough skin, after which good long shower gets rid of them budding callouses. All of the stuff in one continuity.

Retirement is good, have time for all this.
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Old 05-20-2008, 11:09 AM   #6
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You could do nothing unless your FIRE plans include becoming a foot model.
We haven't seen Al's feet, that I recall. Maybe he is!
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Old 05-20-2008, 11:10 AM   #7
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They build up on the ball of my foot, and become uncomfortable. I shave them down with a foot file thing, but it takes a lot of time. I'm thinking electric sander on low speed, or sanding barrel on electric drill.

Same idea as something like this:

Heel Smoother Professional Grade Home Spa Pedicure Tool Electric Callus Remover Artemis Woman - Feet - Heel Smoother Pro
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Old 05-20-2008, 11:12 AM   #8
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We haven't seen Al's feet, that I recall.
Oddly, you have. Remember this?

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Old 05-20-2008, 11:45 AM   #9
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This microplane tool works like crazy. DW gets a heavy callous in the center of the ball of her foot - a genetic issue, and this trims it right down very fast. It actually slices the callous parallel to the skin with a very sharp edge - it is easy to overdo it if you are used to sanding the callous away. A cup handle catches the shavings, a nice touch

I have found it cheap on QVC in the past.



Microplane® Personal Care - Foot Files
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Old 05-20-2008, 01:22 PM   #10
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Oddly, you have. Remember this?
Oh my... I had repressed that, I think! What a hideous coral cut that was (though as I recall, it healed rapidly).

Guess your future as a foot model is a bit bleak. Reminds me of that episode of Seinfeld in which George was a hand model.
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Old 05-20-2008, 03:16 PM   #11
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Thanks, Travel. Other reviews I saw were similarly enthusiastic. I ordered one today.
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Old 05-20-2008, 07:00 PM   #12
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Thanks, Travel. Other reviews I saw were similarly enthusiastic. I ordered one today.
We have a couple of them - I think you'll like it. Just be careful - it cuts fast!
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Old 05-20-2008, 09:18 PM   #13
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Pedicures are for men too! Seriously, you'll love it.
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Old 05-20-2008, 09:59 PM   #14
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We have a kitchen drawer full of microplanes. I've often thought the small cheese grater would be good for removing callouses; I see they're one step ahead of me.
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Old 05-21-2008, 08:11 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by TromboneAl View Post
How do you deal with the hardening/thickening of the skin under your feet and on your heels?
Crocs or any of the many "copy cats" -- I like Nothinz. I don't know if they will prevent or cure callouses but they are the most comfortable things for your feet ever invented.
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Old 05-21-2008, 09:19 AM   #16
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We have a kitchen drawer full of microplanes. I've often thought the small cheese grater would be good for removing callouses; I see they're one step ahead of me.
Actually the same company - they also make cheese graters...
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Old 05-21-2008, 09:23 AM   #17
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Actually the same company - they also make cheese graters...
Yes. I mean, that the microplane small cheese grater would be perfect. The triangle cutter, on the other hand, would just hurt!
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Old 05-21-2008, 03:11 PM   #18
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They build up on the ball of my foot, and become uncomfortable.
This is one problem I have, too, that is just one of my many little problems for which I have found no satisfactory solution.

I normally just wait until I can't bear the irritation/pain anymore and then I use Dr. Scholl's callus removers.

Then, they build up again, and I wait until I can't bear it and buy Dr. Scholl's again.

I will check out Travel's recommendation, though--thanks!

I now realize that the key is not to wait and to do regular upkeep (in this case filedowns) and maintenance. I get into trouble with stuff when I wait too long to do something, instead of just doing stuff on a regular basis.

(You all should see my eyebrows ...Now, I am thinking of a phrase I heard the other night that made me laugh. Someone was talking about how a nun in their Catholic school in New York would say to girls who had unkempt hair that they looked like the "wild women of Borneo". It might be un-PC but it sure made me guffaw. Borneo is just south of the Philippines, and I think at one time, Filipinos thought or considered it part of the Philippines.)
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Old 11-11-2011, 08:46 AM   #19
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Thought I'd resurrect this old thread with a recent discovery.

Like some of the OPs, my heels get thick callouses. I bought a microplane. It works. But I sometimes overdid it and that HURT!

I accidentally found something that works and is free!

I was sitting on my concrete patio in a low "beach chair" reading a book. I noticed that, in the course of shifting positions in the chair, I had lightly dragged my heel across the concrete and it left a light "track" on the concrete. I figured out that this was the "residue" of my callous.

Using the patio as my "heel planer" (or sort of a "reverse pumice stone") yielded smooth heels and none of the bleeding/abrasion/pain from overdoing the planer.

It's now a month later and my heels still look smooth and callous-free.

YMMV.

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Old 11-11-2011, 04:10 PM   #20
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Thought I'd resurrect this old thread with a recent discovery.

Like some of the OPs, my heels get thick callouses. I bought a microplane. It works. But I sometimes overdid it and that HURT!

I accidentally found something that works and is free!

I was sitting on my concrete patio in a low "beach chair" reading a book. I noticed that, in the course of shifting positions in the chair, I had lightly dragged my heel across the concrete and it left a light "track" on the concrete. I figured out that this was the "residue" of my callous.

Using the patio as my "heel planer" (or sort of a "reverse pumice stone") yielded smooth heels and none of the bleeding/abrasion/pain from overdoing the planer.

It's now a month later and my heels still look smooth and callous-free.

YMMV.

omni
Another thing that works is do a light job with the pumice stone, then rub pure lanolin into your feet. Heels get quite smooth very quickly.

Ha
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