If you spend a lot of time on your feet, you most likely already have large calluses on your soles. These thickened areas of skin, which can also occur on your hands, are the result of repeated friction, irritation or pressure on your skin. That’s why they most commonly occur on your feet. While poor fitting footwear can exacerbate the problem, the truth is that calluses are almost guaranteed if you walk a lot every day. Luckily, these toughened skin patches are relatively easy to remove. You can choose to soften the skin using moisturizers, soak the affected area in water, or attack the problem head on using a pumice stone. Pumice stones are the result of water and lava mixed together.