I tried exfoliating socks to get rid of dry skin on my feet and this is what happened

Warning: Includes graphic before, during and after pics

When spring/summer hits, I live exclusively in sandals, I simply refuse to wear any sort of closed shoe. But this comes with drawbacks, mainly my feet getting super dry from excessive rubbing with no socks to protect the skin.

It’s not completely dire, but I have cracked heels and corns on my toes (see picture below) that no amount of scrubbing with a pumice stone in the shower will get rid of. Trust me, I tried. Hard.

So having had enough of investing in expensive foot creams that didn’t work, I turned to my trusted friend, Google, to find out if there were any other solutions like at-home pedicures out there, and Footner exfoliating socks popped up. Accompanying that review were before and after pictures that blew my mind a little bit, so I thought I would give them a go, and here’s what happened.

Warning: Do not scroll down if you don’t want to see slightly awful before and after pictures of my feet peeling.

Footner Exfoliating Socks, £19.99, Boots

Footner exfoliating socks are also available at Superdrug and Amazon.

Buy now

What are exfoliating socks?

They are basically plastic socks containing a special solution that will help break down dead skin over time. You use scissors to open the top and slip your feet in them, wear them for 60 minutes and then bin them. That’s pretty much all you need to know for now.

How do exfoliating socks work?

Firstly, you’ll need to soak your feet in water, because that helps with the exfoliating process (damp skin means product will be absorbed better). So that’s what I did, before popping my feet in them for 60 minutes while watching an episode of Poldark – I’m all about multi-tasking.

I thought that soaking my feet in a product that essentially causes skin to peel would be painful, but I didn’t feel so much as a tingle, so much so that I was pretty sceptical whether it would actually work. After the allotted time was up, I took the socks off, binned them (you can only use them once), and rinsed my feet with warm water. And waited.

How long does it take for the dry skin to peel?

I didn’t see any results straight away, and the instructions say it takes 5 to 7 days for the peeling process to start. After 5 days, I started thinking nothing would happen, until I got home after work and noticed what looked to be a massive air bubble under my foot. Yep, the process had started.

The PR for the brand advised me to soak my feet every day (‘plug in when showering is enough’) and to make sure not to moisturise, so that’s what I did, and I found it made the process speedier. Over the next few days, the peeling got worse and worse.

Now I’m a person who actually likes to squeeze blackheads (TMI?), and you’re not meant to peel your skin, just let it fall off, so that was hard for me. I must admit I did cave during day 7 and just started picking at it. If you can imagine peeling clingfilm off your feet, but instead of clingfilm, it’s skin, that’s pretty much what it’s like. I really didn’t realise I had this much skin. It was gross, but in a satisfying sort of way.

As I write, I’ve hit day 10, and the peeling has stopped.

Who can use exfoliating socks?

It doesn’t matter how little or how dry your feet are, these will get rid of any dead skin.  They’re one size fits all, and I’m a size 3 so thought they would be too big but it wasn’t a problem. The skin is delicate after you use the socks though, so sunbathing isn’t recommended.

Also if you are pregnant, nursing, diabetic or have sensitive skin, you can’t use these as they contain alcohol amongst other ingredients.

Are exfoliating socks worth it?

A big fat yes. My feet have never been this soft (when I was a baby maybe?) and all signs of dry skin have disappeared. I would absolutely do it again.

How long do the results last?

I’ve only just done this, so obviously my feet are still looking great, but the instructions seem to advise to do this every 2-3 months depending on how quickly your feet get dry again, and you need to leave it at least three weeks between treatments because your skin will still be sensitive.

Buy foot exfoliator products

If you’re still unsure about the foot exfoliating socks, then here are a few more products I rate for dry, cracked feet, from foot scrubs to leave-in masks.

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