Summer is quickly approaching, which means sandal season is almost here. It’s time to start fixing up your feet and making sure they look nice, smooth, and soft to show them off in the next couple months (for free… or not…….. that is completely up to you! #girlboss).

Skin that has become harder due to greater friction and pressure is called calloused. Even while some of them serve as joint protection, they aren't exactly fashionable for sandal season, and in other circumstances, they can get so hardened that they hurt. Here are five quick facts about calluses that you may not know:

1. Calluses can be developed anywhere on the body, but it is most common to develop on feet as that is where most weight lands on most
2. The only way to develop callus is through friction, whether you’re walking or standing, a callus will develop as long as there is friction against your shoes
3. Calluses are normally dead skin that has formed around the area that has had more friction
4. Most calluses are painless, but if it is left untreated for too long, they may start to become bothersome
5. It is dangerous to cut calluses using blades… not only because it may cause infections, but it could become a major health risk for those with diabetes

Calluses are unpreventable and everyone is able to develop calluses at any age and anywhere on the body. For instance, guitarists tend to have callused fingers from the constant friction between the fingers and the guitar strings. Also, wider feet tend to have corns on the end of the pinkies from ill-fitting narrow shoes. Tackle calluses in various ways: feet masks, chemical peels, or using pumice stones and foot files.

Here is a quick step-by-step process on taking care of those calluses:

1. Soak your feet until the calluses are soft
2. Use a manual tool to scrub and remove the dead skin, then rinse your feet
   • QUICK TIP: Make sure your feet are damp and not completely dry before this process or it’ll cause more friction
   • It is best advised to use a pumice stone or a foot file with a little water to make it easier to scrub away the dead skin
3. Moisturize your feet – This is key to keeping those feet silky smooth!

Check out the products below to keep your feet looking smooth!