Gehwol foot cream: choosing and using it

Which foot cream should you choose?

For ordinary dryness, a simple moisturiser is often enough. A moisturiser does not have to be sold as a foot cream, even if the packaging would prefer a separate department for every body part. For dry, cracked heels, look for a cream containing 10 to 25% urea, or a cream containing alpha hydroxy acid or salicylic acid. Those are general ingredient options for heel care, not a statement about what any Gehwol cream contains.23

Before choosing a Gehwol cream, identify the full product name and read its ingredient list and directions. An exact formula is needed to judge its strength, fragrance, lanolin content and suitability for known allergies. There is no specific Gehwol price, texture, application frequency or pregnancy advice to give here without that product information.4

How should you apply foot cream?

1. 1Wash your feet daily in warm water with a gentle cleanser. Keep bathing brief: prolonged soaking can remove natural oils and worsen dryness.
2. 2Dry your feet carefully, especially between the toes. If the skin is fragile, gently dab those spaces with a tissue rather than rubbing.
3. 3Apply moisturiser to the feet and heels, leaving the spaces between the toes clear. For dry heels, apply within five minutes of bathing while the heel skin is still damp.
4. 4Repeat moisturising at least daily. For very dry skin, morning and night is a useful general routine; use any particular Gehwol cream as its label directs.
5. 5For dry, cracked heels, plain petroleum jelly before bed is another option. Socks can help keep it off your bedding.

Socks can keep petroleum jelly off bedding, which did not volunteer to be moisturised.3

What can foot cream help with?

Daily moisturising helps keep dry skin soft, and heel balms can help with dry, cracked heels. There is no specific number of days to promise for a Gehwol cream. If heel cracks are severe or do not improve with home care, see a dermatologist rather than continuing the same routine indefinitely.23

Will cream remove hard skin?

Calluses are thickened skin that develops in response to pressure or friction. Moisturising belongs alongside reducing that pressure, not instead of it. Wear shoes that fit properly, with enough width and depth at the front. For cracked heels, avoid shoes with open heels, worn soles or a poor fit.36

You can gently rub hard skin with a pumice stone or foot file, but avoid filing hard skin over a joint or bony area. Do not pick it off or cut it with blades, knives or scissors. Avoid corn paints and corn plasters containing acid.56

What if you have sensitive skin or allergies?

If you have a fragrance allergy, avoid products containing fragrance, including scented natural extracts. Fragrance allergy can cause an itchy rash with burning, stinging, swelling or blisters, and the reaction can appear hours to days after contact. "Unscented" does not necessarily mean free of fragrance because masking fragrances can still be present.7

If you have a known lanolin allergy, avoid lanolin and its derivatives. Labels can also call these wool alcohols, wool fat or wool wax. People with eczema, wounds or otherwise damaged skin appear more likely to become sensitised to lanolin. A product containing lanolin can cause redness, itching, swelling or blistering even after it was previously tolerated.4

Do not keep using a cream that produces a rash. A dermatologist can investigate a suspected contact allergy with patch testing, which checks the skin's response to specific allergens. Avoiding the ingredient responsible is central to preventing further reactions.47

What if your feet are itchy or peeling?

An itchy red rash, especially between the toes, can be athlete's foot, a fungal infection. Do not assume it is simply dry skin or that a moisturising cream will treat it. A pharmacist can advise on antifungal treatment. Follow the treatment instructions; treatment commonly continues for two to three weeks even after the rash disappears. If symptoms persist, see a doctor or podiatrist.26

To reduce the spread of athlete's foot, dry thoroughly between the toes, change socks daily and alternate footwear so shoes can dry. Do not share towels or footwear.6

Can you use foot cream if you have diabetes?

Daily moisturising is part of foot care for people with diabetes, but a particular Gehwol cream still needs to be assessed by its exact formula. Apply moisturiser to the foot and heel, not between the toes. Diabetes can damage nerves and reduce blood flow, so check your feet every day and attend your annual foot check. Use warm rather than hot washing water and check its temperature with your elbow first.1

If you have diabetes, seek urgent care for open wounds, cuts, blisters, bleeding, sudden swelling, sudden temperature changes or new pain, particularly pain that disturbs sleep. Cover any break in the skin with a sterile dressing or plaster. Do not wait for your next annual appointment.1

Moisturising treatments can be a fire hazard whether or not they contain paraffin. Read the safe use information for your cream.6