Foot cream: which one and how to use it

Moisturising is the simplest thing you can do for your feet, and at the same time the most underestimated. But not every cream is suitable: the skin on the sole is very different from the skin on your hands.

1. Why an ordinary body lotion falls short

The skin under the foot is up to five times thicker than elsewhere and has no sebaceous glands. A light body lotion therefore sits on the surface and disappears with the first sock.

What you need is a product that binds moisture in the horny layer rather than just sitting on top of it.

2. Urea is the active ingredient

Urea occurs naturally in the skin and attracts moisture. In a cream it keeps the callus layer soft and supple, so it is less likely to tear.

Five to ten per cent is fine for most feet. For very dry skin or stubborn cracks a higher percentage can help; discuss that during the treatment.

• Choose a cream with five to ten per cent urea
• Apply in the evening, after showering
• Do not apply between the toes
• Put on a cotton sock afterwards

3. When to apply

In the evening, after showering or after a short lukewarm foot bath, when the skin has absorbed moisture. Take the time to really massage the cream in.

During the day it is not needed. A slippery sole inside a shoe is neither pleasant nor safe.

4. Where not to apply

Do not moisturise between the toes. Moisture already lingers longest there and a greasy layer makes it worse; that is exactly where athlete's foot starts.

Put on a cotton sock after moisturising. It keeps the cream in place and protects your floor.

5. What a cream cannot do

Moisturising does not remove existing callus and does not solve a corn or an ingrown nail. It keeps the skin supple, nothing more, and that is already a lot.

The practice works exclusively with HFL Laboratories. During the treatment Patty chooses the cream that suits your skin type and explains how to use it at home.

In practice this subject belongs with medical treatment and treatment at your home. There you can read how Patty works, or you can request an appointment straight away.

Further reading: medical pedicure in Wognum, standard treatment in Berkhout, medical pedicure in Berkhout.

Frequently asked questions