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The Best Callus Remover

Last updated on June 29, 2022

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Foot problems can be challenging, especially if those problems cause discomfort when you’re standing or moving around. Of the many things that affect your feet, calluses are likely one of the easiest to deal with. No surgery is required to remove them. You’ll simply need the right tools.

Before you can treat calluses, it’s helpful to know what causes them. With calluses, friction is typically the culprit. It could be that you’re wearing ill-fitting shoes or perhaps you’re simply putting your feet through a hefty workout each day. Whatever the case, calluses can make your feet uncomfortable, eventually forcing you to deal with them.

Calluses are simply patches of skin that have become hardened. You’ll see them in high-impact areas of the foot, including the ball and heel. The parts of your foot that are most responsible for supporting your weight are prime candidates for developing calluses.

Although calluses can be relatively harmless, if left untreated, they can lead to more serious problems. They can expand, covering more of the surface area of your foot, and eventually, they can even become infected.

When it comes to calluses, the best course of action is to prevent getting them in the first place. Well-fitting, supportive shoes are the best prevention. Anything you can do to keep your foot from rubbing against your footwear as you walk will help. A good pair of socks or a padded insole can also provide that protective layer you need between your skin and the surface of your shoe.

Once you’ve identified calluses, soaking the foot in warm water will help soften the skin. You can then take measures to remove it. Pumice stones are useful for removing the loose skin after it’s been softened, but there are also tools specifically designed for that purpose. Once you’ve removed any excess skin, moisturizing creams and lotions can help keep the skin healthy.

Our Picks For The Top Callus Removers

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Product Overview
Our Take
 Top Pick

‎Lee Beauty Professional Extra Strength Gel Callus Remover

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‎Lee Beauty Professional

Extra Strength Gel Callus Remover

By using this 8-ounce gel product and soaking your foot in hot water, you can soften calluses enough to remove them with a scrubber. Use this with your existing removal tools or combine them with a separately sold kit for pedicured feet at home.

Overall Take

Easy to UseSimply rub this gel on your feet and soak to make removal of calluses easy.

 Runner Up

PRITECH Rechargeable Electric Foot File Callus Remover Kit

PRITECH

Rechargeable Electric Foot File Callus Remover Kit

Minimize effort and maximize results with this waterproof cordless callus remover. The battery charges in just 2-3 hours and provides up to 45 minutes of use each time. You’ll get three types of rollers to help with even the toughest of calluses.

Overall Take

Speedy SolutionGet a quick callus treatment anytime with this waterproof, rechargeable device.

 We Also Like

Maryton Foot Pumice Stone Scrubber Callus Removers, 4-Count

Maryton

Foot Pumice Stone Scrubber Callus Removers, 4-Count

You’ll get four pumice stones in this set, designed for scrubbing feet, hands, elbows and other body parts. Two sides offer different levels of coarseness for an all-in-one solution. Replace these when they start to show signs of wear and tear.

Overall Take

Great for PortabilityTake your foot care routine on the road with a set of lightweight pumice stones.

 Strong Contender

Rikans Stainless Steel Foot Rasp Callus Remover

Rikans

Stainless Steel Foot Rasp Callus Remover

Ensure an effective callus remover is always on hand with this large rasp foot file, which has a stainless steel surface, a handle and a lightweight build for ease of use. It comes with a storage bag and can be used on either dry or wet skin.

Overall Take

Compact and ConvenientWeighing only a few ounces, this tool comes with a handy storage case.

What to Look For

  • It’s important to avoid removing too much skin when you’re using a callus removal tool. If you go beyond the blister and cut into the skin of your foot, you could experience bleeding, and this might even lead to an infection.
  • Adhesive pads can help cushion the foot, elevating the area around the callus and protecting it while it heals.
  • If you have diabetes or poor circulation, avoid using over-the-counter callus removal tools. Consult your doctor for advice on treatment.
  • For chronic calluses, surgical treatment may eventually become necessary. There could be something in the shape of your foot that’s promoting the development of calluses or corns.
  • Before attempting to remove a callus, it’s important to first soften it. You can also purchase products that speed up the softening process when combined with a good soak in warm water.
  • Avoid using products like bubble bath when you’re soaking a foot to soften calluses. You’ll want to steer clear of anything that can cause an infection.
  • Some find that covering the foot in moisturizers or petroleum jelly can help soften the calluses. You can also try moisturizing your feet each night and covering them in socks, then treating the softened skin in the morning when you awake.
  • Some socks are designed to help prevent the development of blisters for more athletic consumers. These wick away moisture and provide padding in certain crucial areas of the foot. It’s important to wear these cushioned socks sparingly, particularly if you’re using them while active. Sweat can build up during hours of wear and potentially lead to a fungal infection.
  • Some callus removal tools use batteries to power turning rollers. If you opt for one of these, check how the batteries charge, how long it takes to charge those batteries and how many sessions you’ll get with each charge.

More to Explore

Calluses can happen to anyone, but calluses of the hands are often associated with rigorous manual labor. In fact, calluses were so closely associated with manual labor that they once spared a group of people from being robbed.

It happened during the famed Gads Hill train holdup in January 1874. Jesse James and his gang set their sights on robbing passengers on a train in Missouri, specifically targeting those who were most likely to have money. At first, the crew announced it was looking for those who wore silk hats, then Yankees. Working men (and women) were to be spared; the criminals determined who was who by checking hands. Men with soft hands were robbed, while those who had calluses were skipped.

The train robbery is estimated to have netted the James-Younger gang, as it was known because of the presence of the James brothers and the Younger brothers, $2,000-$22,000. It wasn’t necessarily the most lucrative of their robberies, but went a long way toward establishing James’ Robin Hood-like reputation of stealing from the rich to give to the poor.

More to explore