Smoother Feet Just In Time For Summer!

Get those feet ready fellow fashionistas, Summer is around the corner and our feet must look their best!

As I dig through my closet floor, I search for my many pairs of sandals and open toe shoes to get them ready for the warmer weather. Cleaning off the dust bunnies and getting them spiffed up. I love it when the warm weather finally arrives since I enjoy being bare foot more than having to wear shoes year round. In fact, I spend most of my time in bare feet or with socks on around my house in the winter. Very rarely do I keep a pair of shoes on my feet except to venture out of course.

After spending the past few weeks walking around barefoot outside on my concrete patio and around my yard, the thick calluses and rough skin are beginning to form. Concrete is the worst for causing feet to crack. It roughs up the skin and pulls moisture from your feet, leaving them looking chalky.

My heels crack every year and get quite painful. I try soaking them, slathering lotion on them, wearing socks to bed with goo smeared on my feet and nothing seems to keep the rough, dry skin at bay. Not as long as I continue to walk around bare foot. And in the summer time I refuse to change this behavior.

Many women and men enjoy going to their local salon to receive a pedicure. They will soak your feet, file them with pumice stones, rub them with lotions, massage them, working on the callused areas and get them coming out nice and smooth. A pedicure gives a whole new meaning to pretty feet! The results are quite dramatic.

Pedicures have never been my cup of tea since I don't particularly like others to touch my feet except for a deep tissue massage and even though the heels of my feet get thick with callus, they are still very sensitive especially if my heels have also begun to crack. Ouch!

I also did a feature article on the safety of pedicures, and keeping your feet safe is of the utmost importance if you should decide to have your feet done professionally.

So since I am not crazy for the professional job, I finally decided to look into those little gizmo's that claim to remove all the callused, rough skin and see if I could prevent some of that summer discomfort right in my own home.

Ped Egg, Dr. Scholls, and Ped X in Review

I headed out to my local stores to check out the little doodads that are going to help me keep my feet in tip top shape. First I decided to look for the original the first one up on my review.

Ped Egg ~ I located the Ped Egg at Walgreens and read the back of the package about how to use it and though the price was reasonable, I remembered seeing others were coming onto the market and the Ped Egg was pretty limited in what it offered. It was a single egg with a one sided micro file in it and several replaceable emery file pads. Now if you were to purchase this from the TV or various websites, they still offer two units along with a foot cream to moisturize after use. They also provide replacement stainless steel files at an additional cost. I think it is great you have an outlet to keep your feet in style, but I felt the unit was limited to what it had to offer including the added expense of replacing the pads or the file part.

After seeing the commercials on this device, I have to tell you I was a bit grossed out. Looking at feet filings doesn't exactly make me go "cool", rather the opposite effect occurred. I had to switch the channel. However, once I got over the initial "eewww" factor, this little device did intrigue me.

Dr. Scholls ~ Now I headed over to Wal Mart to check out their supply of the latest version to be presented by Dr. Scholls. Now this unit looked interesting and the price was essentially the same as the Ped Egg including it offering the two additional disposable buffing pads for smoothing the feet after using the micro file. The added feature is this file is also double sided for back and forth rasping. Wasn't sure if this was a bonus feature or not, since I was still unsure of rasping my feet.

Even though this unit offered the additional parts like the Ped Egg for the better finished pedicure, the downside to it again, was the ongoing added expense of replacement pads when the ones they give you are worn out. Plus, I looked for the replacement pads and could not find them on the shelf. So this makes this unit inconvenient for renewable sales. And with an ongoing outgo of money to keep me in product to complete the job, I did not see these as a bonus but as a hindrance to this product.

Ped X ~ Now as I looked further around the foot aisle I located the Wal Mart version of all these doohickeys and it was not only outfitted with several other tools, (3 in 1 design), it was priced below the other two. It is ergonomically designed to fit in your hand nicely, making it easy to hold. It also had the single sided file, which I preferred.

It provided a file, which is similar to a pumice stone on the outer side of the tool. this helps to rough up the skin and prepare the foot for the micro file. This portion of the design is similar to the others with the filings going into a compartment for easy cleaning. Then after you have finished rasping your feet, it offers a buffing pad to smooth out the residual roughness which may be left after a good rasping of the foot. All the added features are permanent and built into the unit, so they do not require replacements. Now these are a true bonus for this device. And the cost simply could not be beat. And if you should need to replace parts, it is still cheaper to buy an entire new unit than what the other two would cost you in unit plus parts.

My Experience with Final Results

After getting my new found pedi tool home, I proceeded to tear open the adult proof package in anticipation of getting my feet sandal ready, and followed the instructions. It advises to use on clean dry feet only. No moisturizer or wetness should be felt.

I began with the file portion similar to pumice stone, and this kind of felt good. It lifted the rough areas on the soles of my feet, preparing them for the micro file.

I then removed the outer file and exposed the micro file. I began slowly with a back and forth motion...... Similar to a cheese grater.....now upon beginning this process with the micro file, I actually found it a bit painful, and also very glad I had purchased the one sided file. This portion of the device would actually grab and pull the skin a bit sending painful twinges into my feet. I was afraid it was tearing skin more than shaving it. So I took it really slow until I got the hang of it. I also learned not to apply too much pressure since this would force the blades deeply into the cracked skin and could cause cutting or bleeding of the already tender areas. I found that doing it in a circular motion instead of back and forth was gentler to my feet and didn't cause so much sensitivity.

After a few minutes spent on each foot, the heel, the balls of my feet, even the top of my big toe, I realized I was getting the hang of it. I then moved on to the buffing pad built into the inside of the shaving compartment. It had a plastic lid over it to protect it from the filings. I removed this and proceeded to buff the remainder of the skin smooth.

Oh by the way, I didn't see many filings inside the compartment, so I don't know how long some people may keep filing to achieve this result, but for me, I am doing my feet in stages since there is only so much of this stuff I can take.

Once I was all done, I rubbed in a heavy Shea Butter Cream all over my feet and put a pair of synthetic socks on. I found these also in the foot care aisle of Wal Mart and they claim they allow your feet to breathe and were supposedly infused with Aloe. They did feel heavy with moisture when I touched them, but we all know with the first washing this little treat will no longer work. However, synthetic socks are better than cotton socks since they do not absorb the lotions but keep them next to the skin better. Cotton will absorb moisture, including lotions so the effects will be less than satisfactory.

After wearing these for most of the day, I took them off and my feet were a 100% improved. I continued this pattern over the course of the next several days as the skin on my feet would begin to peel and flake up again. Like I stated earlier, I can't do this in one sitting due to the sensitive nature of my feet, but for those that can, just be aware your forearm will get quite the workout. If you are wondering what that pain is in your arm, remember you smoothed out your feet that day.

Warning!

There is also a caution on these devices, to avoid over doing it. If you see redness or irritation, discontinue use. Too much of a good thing may cause further problems for your feet. Also not recommended for those with diabetes due to poor circulation in the feet. Injury maybe a result. And a foot infection is no laughing matter.

I would also recommend cleaning the device with a sanitary soap or alcohol to avoid any problems which could occur with a buildup of bacteria. Treat it as a tool and sanitize properly as with anything that comes in contact with our skin.

Keep 'em Pretty!

So if pedicures aren't your bag yet you suffer from callused soles and cracked heels, then I highly recommend the "do it yourself" foot tool for getting those feet pretty and showing them off in your finest pair of sandals.

Well worth the money and the effort, I say! Have a Happy Feet Summer!