Aloe Vera for Feet
Feet and Aloe Vera are a match made in heaven
There are a lot of useful plants in the world but only a few can be called wonder plants. Aloe Vera is one of them. This succulent earns this distinction as it excels at everything that we use it for. From aloe shampoo to hydrating cream for our feet; literally from head to toe, we’ve found some sort of application for it. Especially Aloe Vera for feet, which is the best foot treatment for a range of problems!
It accomplishes its tasks with a massive concentration of vitamins and minerals. The usual suspects such as A, C, E, folic acid, B1, B2, and other common vitamins are also present.
It is, however, one of the few products of botany that contains: the elusive vitamin B12 which is abundant only in animal products such as poultry and meats.
On the mineral side, it has calcium, magnesium, zinc, chromium, and others.
Aloe Vera gel which is rich in vitamins C, E, and beta carotene, also serves as an excellent hydrating agent that a lot of pharmaceutically developed products tend to mimic.
With this unique blend of nutrients, the wonder plant that is Aloe Vera is in a unique league of its own when it comes to density.
Because it is so densely packed with vitamins and minerals. It’s considered by the ancient Egyptians as a superfood that Cleopatra and Christopher Columbus consumed. Especially on Cleopatra’s skin as an anti-aging beauty treatment.
Today, it’s mostly ingested as juice. Taken in this way, it’s a rich source of antioxidants that promotes a strong immune system. With the help of Aloe Vera, therefore, our body can become more effective at fighting off diseases.
Check out this video on how to make Aloe Vera Gel for Feet
Aloe Vera and Our Feet
Since its discovery as a superfood, we’ve found other ways to use it as an ingredient for cosmetic products, as a food supplement, and as a first-aid medication.
This abundant plant naturally found its way into usage for one of the most common pains that a lot of us suffer from – dry feet.
It’s proven so effective that there are tons of commercially produced Aloe Vera Gel products have flooded the market.
Some are sold as moisturizers and anti-fungal treatment foot creams.
If you’ve ever experienced dry feet, you’d remember how uncomfortable it feels.
When you have papery feet with deep cracks and calluses, it’s an embarrassment to wear open-toed heels, sandals, or flip-flops.
For those who have severe foot symptoms, it can be painful to walk at all.
With the threat of lessened mobility and possible infection, it’s important to fix dry feet before it gets any worse.
Cracked heels are a result of severe cases of dry feet. Fissures can form in between patches of the skin causing discomfort when walking and appearing unsightly.
In severe cases, the cracks can be so deep that they cause immense pain.
For a lot of people, foot issues don’t just end with cracked heels. Some also suffer from foot fungus.
It’s a much more insufferable condition that causes our feet to have a bad odor, become uncomfortably moist, and be unbearably itchy.
The pharmaceuticals have heard the collective cry for help from dry feet and fungus sufferers.
They have heeded the call with creams and lotions designed to moisturize and cleanse the skin.
But for those who want a cheaper, more natural alternative, nature provides a great solution: Aloe Vera!
Environmental Causes of Dry Feet
There are many reasons why you could be suffering from dry feet. One of them is environmental the environment that your feet are in.
Climate and shoe types, for example, have profound effects on the hydration levels of the feet.
Climate
Our skin, including our heels, gets a lot of its moisture from the air.
So, the climate can easily cause dry feet. Winter, for example, is the perfect condition for getting cracked heels because the air is void of moisture.
Staying long hours in air-conditioned rooms can also replicate this effect.
You can’t avoid the climate. In these situations, it is advisable to apply additional layers of moisturizing agents to your feet even before you notice them becoming dry.
Stuffy Shoes
Shoes that are too tight cause heat to be trapped. This leads to water loss from the skin. Furthermore, shoes that prevent airflow to your feet also prevent the air from rehydrating it.
Shoes that are both too tight and unbreathable can cause a disaster of a cracked heel if you keep wearing them.
Wearing the right shoes for the occasion and climate is of utmost importance if you want to avoid cracked heels.
Make sure your shoes are made from breathable materials and just the right size.
Foot Care Products and Practices
Skincare products such as foot scrubs, soaps, and creams, could potentially cause dryness.
While this isn’t the case for all brands, some have ingredients that strip the feet of their natural oils and moisture.
So, if you notice that your feet suddenly get dry often after changing foot care brands, perhaps the product is causing it.
Another way our foot care regimen might be doing more harm than good is when we use too much hot water.
Sure, it’s relaxing to soak our feet in hot water from time to time but doing this too often also causes our feet to dry up.
Keep this practice to a minimum if you’re already suffering from dry feet.
Natural Effect of Ageing
Some factors contribute to dry skin all over the body, including the feet.
Skin integrity decreases over time, especially without regular moisturizing care.
So older folks are more likely to experience cracked feet.
Reduced collagen production can lead to less moisture being held in the skin.
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Diet and Water Intake
While moisture on our feet predominantly comes from the air that surrounds it, some of it comes from within as well.
So, it’s important to keep yourself hydrated if you want to avoid drying up your feet.
Drink your recommended 8 glasses of water per day or at least 2 liters.
Some diets also reduce the body’s water retention properties.
As such, an improper diet might also cause dry feet. This is because the skin might not have the nutrients it needs to maintain elasticity and moisture.
Body Weight
When we gain weight drastically, we put a lot of extra pressure on our feet without any sort of preparation.
When we’re standing, therefore, our feet are carrying more weight than it’s allowed themselves to adjust.
This pressure tends to crack the skin on our heels even if our feet are just slightly dry.
Working in a job that has you standing all day, which adds pressure on the soles of your feet, and boy do you know it by the end of the day!
Try elevating your legs and feet to take the pressure off during work breaks.
Effect of Other Illnesses
Sometimes dry feet can be a consequence of other medical conditions.
While they don’t directly attack the feet, their side effects severely hamper the sweat production of our feet. Here are a few of them:
Hypothyroidism
People who have hypothyroidism might also suffer from dry feet as a side-effect of the illness.
This is mainly because this condition affects the sweat glands.
If the sweat glands in our feet get affected, this will cause them to excessively dry up. Cracked heels, then, would be an inevitability.
Psoriasis
Perhaps you know of psoriasis as scaly patches of skin on visible parts of the body.
But, it can also affect the feet. It’s a chronic autoimmune condition that could strike anywhere in the body.
The feet are not safe from it.
Diabetes
Certain types of diabetes can cause Neuropathy.
It’s a phenomenon that impedes some nerves that regulate moisture and oil in some parts of our body.
Our feet is often the first one it damages.
Eczema
Another skin illness that could cause severely dry feet is eczema.
It often affects our limbs. The palm of our hands is the usual victim.
However, there are cases where eczema targets the feet. When it does so, it’s surely going to cause cracked heels.
The illness itself causes our skin to become thick, scaly, and itchy.
Since our feet are often beaten up as we walk, run, and play during the day, it tends to result in nasty cracked and bloody heels
Aloe Vera for Athlete’s Foot
Moisture and oil regulation issues are can be remedied by simply using moisturizers. However, infections are a different animal. Moisturizers will not cut it.
Among our body parts, the feet have the most frequent contact to the ground. Without proper protection, they are susceptible to pathogens that cause infections.
Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that results in itchy, scaly red rashes that usually start between the toes.
At times, this can be mistaken for a simple case of dry feet, but they may not be resolved by moisturizing alone.
It requires anti-fungal treatments for the infection to disappear. This is why Aloe Vera is amazing for athlete’s foot.
Fungal nail infection is first noticed as discoloration and drying of the edge of the toes.
As it spreads inward, parts of the toenail can become brittle and break off.
This may result in swelling and discomfort in the area around the nails.
Like athlete’s foot, treatment for fungal nail infection will require substances with anti-fungal properties.
Aloe Vera is Good for Toenail and Foot Fungus
Aloe Vera is a plant that has long been used for its healing properties and can also be used to treat foot fungus.
Aloe vera can be additionally used for treating toenails and fingernails, if your nails are dry, brittle, and discolored, you can treat them using Aloe Vera gel.
Foot fungus is a common condition that can be difficult to treat. The warm, moist environment of shoes and socks makes your feet the perfect place for fungus to grow. If you have foot fungus, you may notice your feet are itchy, red, cracked, burning, or even feel scaly to the touch.
Aloe Vera can be used to treat foot fungus by applying it to the affected area. The anti-fungal properties of Aloe Vera can help kill the fungus and soothe your skin.
Firstly, you can apply Aloe Vera gel directly to your feet or use it in a foot soak.
Secondly, you can take Aloe Vera tablets or capsules.
Thirdly, you can drink Aloe Vera juice, to rehydrate your body from the inside out.
Finally, you can apply an Aloe Vera moisturizing cream to your feet on a continual basis once the fungal infection has dissipated.
Foot Fungal Treatment
If you are using it to treat anti-fungal infections, look for products that specifically say that they are made for this purpose. And use it as instructed.
However, if you want to go the natural route, here’s what you’re going to need:
- Spray Bottle
- Tea Tree Oil
- Pure Aloe Vera Gel
- Mix half a teaspoon of tea tree oil and 4 ounces of pure aloe gel in a spray bottle.
- Use it on affected areas twice a day
- Make sure to let your feet dry completely before wearing anything over them such as socks, shoes, or slippers.
Why Is Aloe Vera Good for Our Feet?
Aloe Vera is a succulent that has been used for centuries to treat a variety of skin conditions.
The Greeks have called it the “universal panacea” while ancient Egyptians called it the “plant of immortality”.
This is because Aloe Vera is chock full of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and water that all help keep skin supple and moisturized.
Aloe Vera has gained popularity in treating a number of foot conditions.
Those who have dry feet leverage its anti-aging and moisturizing properties.
It has mucopolysaccharides that encourage moisture retention.
In addition, it has antioxidants that protect the skin from the harmful effects of UV and gamma radiation.
Foot conditions resulting from fungi, such as athlete’s foot and fungal nail infection, can be treated with Aloe Vera because it contains natural disinfectants such as lupeol, salicylic acid, and cinnamomic acid, among others.
It effectively minimizes signs of inflammation, making it an ideal treatment for swelling, redness, and itchiness.
How to Use Aloe Vera for Foot Care
There are several ways to use Aloe Vera on the feet. You can either use it as a preventative measure or as a treatment.
Either way, it’s a simple procedure.
Preventative Foot Care
If you’re looking at it as a preventative foot care regimen that protects against dry feet and fungi. Use it as you would an overnight moisturizer.
Here are the things you’re going to need:
- Pumice Stone
- Coconut Oil
- Socks
- Pure Aloe Vera Gel
- After bathing, dry your feet thoroughly. It’s recommended that you gently rub a pumice stone on them.
- This would get rid of dead skin and dirt left clinging to your feet. Then, apply Aloe Vera gel until you feel your pores soaking it in.
- To seal the gel in, coat your feet with coconut oil. You can wear socks overnight to further seal in the Aloe Vera and coconut oil.
- The only thing left to do is to sleep it off and check on your feet in the morning.
The moisturizing properties combined with the healing capabilities of Aloe Vera should make your feet look and feel brand new.
Walking, running, and working out should be much easier because of this.
For best results, do this once or twice a week.
Should Aloe Vera be left on Feet Overnight?
The answer to this question is not entirely clear. There is some evidence that suggests that Aloe Vera can be beneficial for the skin when left on overnight, but more research is needed in order to confirm this.
Some experts believe that the plant’s natural properties could help to soothe and moisturize the skin, while others caution that it could cause irritation.
Overall, more information is needed before a definitive answer can be given.
The best way to see if this method suits you personally would be to try it out and adjust accordingly.
How to Get Aloe Vera Extracts Directly from the Plant
You may opt to buy over-the-counter creams and lotions that use Aloe Vera as the main ingredient.
You can also find an Aloe Vera plant in your garden and harvest them yourselves.
Another way is to directly extract Aloe Vera gel from the plant.
Make sure you buy a plant that is already mature and organically grown.
The Aloe Vera plant has long, flat, fleshy leaves with a set of spikes on the sides.
These leaves start growing from the center, so the leaves on the outermost are larger and more mature than the ones in the center.
You will know if it is mature if the outermost leaves are at least 8 inches or 20cm.
To extract the Aloe Gel:
- Use a sharp knife to cut off an outermost leaf.
- A yellow substance will drip from it, this is aloe latex and is not useful for topical treatments.
- Place the cut leaf at a 45-degree angle so the latex can drip out.
- You may want to cut the leaf into shorter segments, so it is easier to let the latex exit. Once the latex is removed, cut away the thin, green outer covering.
- The goal is to isolate the clear, thick substance at the center, this is the Aloe Vera gel that you use to put on your feet.
Aloe Vera Foot Recipes
Other Aloe Vera recipes add some flair to the preventative moisturizer and anti-fungal treatment formulas.
Some add aromatic scents while others add more properties to the mix. Here are the best ones that we’ve seen so far:
Homemade Natural Aloe Vera Gel
There are a ton of Aloe Vera Gel commercially available.
However, why buy when you can make your own?
It saves you money and you can even rest assured that all the ingredients used are up to standards, organic, and natural.
Here’s what you’re going to need to make it:
- Aloe Vera Extracts, fresh from the leaf
- Plant-Based Oil, a fractionated coconut oil works great!
- Rose Water
- Mix fresh Aloe Vera extracts, plant-based oil (coconut, jojoba, and castor oil are popular), and rose water.
- Gently massage the mix into your feet to allow absorption.
- Wear socks to lock moisture in and keep overnight.
Aloe Vera Foot Scrub
You may also use it as a gentle and moisturizing foot scrub. You can make a jar to store in the refrigerator, although it is best to use this within 1-2 weeks.
Here’s what you’re going to need to make it:
- ¼ Cup of Organic Coffee Grounds
- ¼ Cup of Organic Sugar or Epsom Salt
- Aloe Extracts
- 15-20 Drops of Essential Oil of Choice
- Simply combine a tablespoon of rock salt, a half cup of coconut oil, ¼ cup organic coffee grounds, ¼ cup organic sugar or Epsom salt, one big leaf’s worth of aloe gel, and 15-20 drops of your essential oil of choice.
- You may scrub the mixture during or directly after a bath, or else during a foot soak at home.
Rejuvenating Aloe Vera Foot Soak for Swollen Feet
There are very few activities more satisfying than soaking your feet in the water after a long day’s work.
The cooling sensation of the water helps our muscles relax and recover from the beat down of the day’s commute.
However, you can make this activity even more effective by turning this muscle recovery method into an opportunity to regenerate the skin on your feet as well.
Here are the things that you’re going to need:
- 1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons of Aloe Vera Extracts
- 1 Tablespoon of Epsom Salt
- ½ Lemon
- 1 Tablespoon of Tea Tree Oil
- Foot Scrub
- Towel
- Lukewarm Water
- Soak your feet in a mixture of Epsom salt and water for about 12-14 minutes.
- Then, scrub your feet gently with a foot scrub to remove dirt and dead skin.
- Dry it off a little with a towel.
- In a separate foot soak tub, mix Aloe Vera extracts, tea tree oil, and lemon in lukewarm water just enough to soak your feet entirely.
- Dip your feet into the mixture and sit back and relax for about 19-25 minutes.
- When you’re finished, dry off your feet with a towel and apply moisturizer.
Aloe Vera Should Be Included in All Foot Care Regimen
Our feet are the most beat-up part of our body. It carries our entire weight when we stand, and walk, and even more, pressure when we work out and play.
Our entire mobility is hinged on having healthy feet.
It’s only fair, therefore, that we treat them with care!
Sure, massages and other foot care regimens feel great, but our feet need more nourishing approaches.
We realize in writing this article that applying Aloe Vera is perhaps the single best thing you could do for your feet.
It doesn’t only heal the damage we do to our feet daily, it also protects them from harmful fungi and bacteria that we often leave our feet exposed to.
What’s so good about Aloe Vera is that it’s a natural ingredient.
While commercially available Aloe Vera products are abundant on store shelves, there’s also an abundance of it in nature.
You can grow it in your backyard and have access to it year-round.
This way, you’re assured that no harmful ingredients end up in your foot care regimen.
There’s also a variety of ways that we can use it therefore, we’re not confined to just one way of enjoying its benefits.
From foot soaks, foot scrubs, and creams, Aloe Vera for feet recipes are in abundance.
We hope you liked our article, please leave us a comment and say hi.
Stay Healthy Folks!
It worked wonder for my athletes foot that I’ve been suffering on and off for months now. Thanks you for this blog post.
Thank you Erica for the insight. We love that your love Aloe Vera as much as us here!!