Buzz
Whether it's your hands or feet, calluses are bound to form with enough use. As a weightlifter, I now have calluses on my palms and fingers; when I used to play roller derby, they appeared on certain areas of my feet. The typical recommendation of using a pumice stone or rough cloth is simply not enough for more stubborn calluses.
That's why I swear by two particular tools, both more specialized than the average products you find in the beauty section, and far better equipped for dealing with tough calluses.
Why You Need a Callus File
The first step towards smoother, injury-resistant hands and feet is using a foot file, also known as a callus rasp. Just to clarify, you're not looking for something that uses sandpaper or pumice—what you need is a tool made of metal, ideally resembling a cheese grater.
In fact, it might resemble a cheese grater so closely that it's actually made by Microplane. I own one of their foot files, and it looks almost identical to the one I use for zesting lemons. Thankfully, it's a different color than our kitchen graters, making it easy to separate it as a personal care item and not a tool for zesting fruit. (They even refer to it as a 'foot grater' on their website, which I find amusing.)
If you're not ready to dive into Microplane-level foot-grating, a less intense callus file, like this one, will outperform any pumice stone or emery board by far. I've also heard positive things about the PedEgg, though I haven't personally tried it.
Why You Need an Electric Callus Grinder
Already have a callus file but need to take things up a notch? I recently purchased an electric callus grinder, and I regret not getting one sooner in my weightlifting journey.
This is the model I’m using. It's powered by batteries and charges via USB. It comes with removable heads, so you can switch between coarser or finer grits. Most importantly, it can tackle tough calluses in just a few minutes, eliminating the need for countless after-bath sessions with a file.
If your calluses are on your hands instead of your feet, there's an added benefit: the grinding surface is compact enough to target stubborn calluses at the base of your knuckles, which are nearly impossible to reach with a large, flat Microplane-style file.
As we discussed in our previous guide to dealing with lifting calluses, it's perfectly safe—and even recommended—to grind off as much of the tough skin as you can. If you've been struggling to manage it with your current tools, consider giving a callus file or an electric callus remover a try.
