Often overlooked but usually in need of some TLC, the foot is neglected when it comes to one’s skin care regimen. But Dr. Neil Sadick, a board-certified New York dermatologist, wants people to put their best foot forward with a new skin care regimen. His new Stride line is billed as the first and only dermatologist-developed solutions for dry, calloused, rough and cracked feet.  
 
The range delivers medical-grade solutions that are designed to treat the toughest skin through a regimen that includes a peel, a cream and a daily supplement. 
 
Stride’s medical-grade peel is designed to peel away layers of thick, calloused skin on soles, delivering softer, smoother feet in just 3-14 days. The Foot Cream, which is designed to address skin that is thicker than the skin on other parts of the body, nourishes, rejuvenates and restores feet to post-pedicure status. Lastly, Stride regimens includes The One, a supplement that supports new nail growth and helps with cell turnover, providing the body with the fuel it needs to build new skin, healthy nails and luxurious hair.
 
There are mass market products that address the foot and cracked heels, but Sadick contends foot care has been taken for granted, and current OTC products did not offer a treatment that truly addressed the special needs of this area of the body.
 
“Our feet are the workhorses of our body as just as important as our heart, yet they are often the most overlooked and neglected part of the body. Without our feet, we cannot get around and do many of the things we take for granted and I realized there was a definite void in terms of products that are available for foot care. This was the impetus that led me to begin to develop the Stride line,” he told Happi.
 

Stride formulations, he said, are based on decades of data and clinical expertise.
 
The foot peel includes lactic acid to peel away hard, dead and calloused skin. The foot cream, which has high concentrations of urea and salicylic acid, can be used right after the foot peel and then daily thereafter.
 
The supplement contains a blend of biotin, collagen, hyaluronic acid and antioxidants. 
 
“It will help support strong nails, healthy skin and luxurious hair,” noted Sadick. 
 
Foot Health
 
The Stride range is about more than having feet that look good in sandals.
 
“Foot skin health matters because the foot is another important part of the body in terms overall body health,” Sadick said. “The foot can be secondarily impaired by infections such fungus on the feet or fungus on the toenails. There are certain diseases like psoriasis that can affect the feet and nails as well. More importantly, the foot acts as a barrier and is most exposed to our everyday walking activity. If there are fissures or ulcers in the foot that occur, it can lead to generalized infection that can be serious and may even lead to hospitalization with secondary cellulitis.” 
 
According to Sadick, in genetically predisposed individuals, the foot can have thickened soles and that can make it difficult for an individual to walk.  
 
“These infections become more common as we get older and our immune system gets compromised. Everything including Stride’s development is all about prevention. We want to keep people healthy.” 
 
In fact, Sadick contends the industry is underestimating how many severe problems occur from inflammation, thickening of the soles and heels, and fungal and bacterial infections of the feet.
 
“This is why foot health is really so important,” he insisted. “Feet and nails are an important part of our constitution, for which there has not been a really good solution in the past.”