Remove Calluses to Prevent Blisters?

[50 Cal]

I've been reading up on blister prevention around the internet and came across this acrticle about preventing blisters by removing calluses and lotioning your feet. (The Secret to a Blister-free Foot March - The Military Leader) This seems to be counter to what I have found on this forum and some other military based sites. The article says:

Traditional military advice, and the recommendation from our seasoned platoon trainer, says to make the foot tougher than whatever it’s rubbing against (sock liner, boot, etc.). It turns out that this “Hard Feet” approach to foot marching is exactly opposite of what distance hikers and ultra runners do to protect their feet.​

I looked into what some distance hiking and backpacking articles said and found some articles pretty easily that stated:

Some people believe that having thick, callused skin on your feet prevents blisters, but this simply isn’t true. Blisters that form underneath calluses can be very hard to drain and treat. Use a callus file and moisture cream to soften problem areas and also help to heal any cracks in the skin of your feet, especially on your heels. If these cracks aren’t treated, they can split open and infection can result in the tissue underneath. Best Foot Forward – Foot Care Tips for the Long Distance Hiker.

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Use a callus file and creams to keep you feet in good condition and reduce the thickness of callused skin. Blisters can form under callused skin so although many hikers believe callused skin prevents blisters deep blisters can occur. Top tips to get your feet hiking fit
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So I am wondering if anyone has had experience filing down calluses in any part of there feet to prevent blisters or a blister occuring under a callus as these articles claim happen.

I also found this article (Tips to Toughen Your Feet) which says to dry your feet with alcohol but than to also apply lotion to them. Has anyone lotioned their feet to try to prevent blisters?

It does seems like there is a consensus out there that the best thing you can do is walk barefoot though.

Thanks in advance.

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[TLDR20]

Well we have a thread on this.

I would say that having tough feet builds callouses. If you want soft little bitch feet, use all the moisturizer you want. Sure it is possible to get blisters underneath them, but I think it is significantly less likely.

While hiking you have the ability to stop and change socks, avoid moisture and wear Gucci boots and socks. None of those things are easy to do on a long range forced movement.

 

[Red Flag 1]

There are 33 threads related to feet and blisters, so this thread will be locked down.

I will add, that callouses on your feet can come from the way your foot is made. Some have metatarsal callouses that are actually from a higher metatarsal arch. Shaving or trimming there will make no difference at all. Some callouses are actually warts that need to be excised and treated by a Podiatrist. A Deep Callouses and a wart look very much the same, but they are treated differently, so have a pro take a look before you start using sharpened steel or sandpaper on your feet.

So, the right thing to do about callouses on your feet is to see a Podiatrist and have your foot looked at and treated by a professional. Some of the problems with feet can be addressed using custom made Orthotics that treat the underlying cause of callouses.

Thread Locked down.