Caring for Your Feet and Toenails

Providing Care

With all the walking and running you engage in throughout the day, your feet are two of the most used and abused parts of the body. Yet when it comes to hygiene and beauty practices, they are the most neglected. It’s always pertinent to give the feet and toenails the highest level of care. An accomplished Midtown podiatrist can provide great hygiene tips to help you take care of your feet and toenails. Learn how to pamper your feet, heal calluses and soreness, and when necessary get medical attention.

Good Hygiene Practices

Wash your feet daily, as they tend to get more sweaty and dirty than most parts of the body. If you don’t shower in the evenings, at least ensure good sanitary habits by washing your feet before going to bed. It would be best to make this a nightly routine. This also prevents you from carrying dirt into your bed. Make sure your feet are cleansed of bacteria, dirt, and sweat by using soap and warm water, paying extra attention to the spaces between your toes. When you’re done, wipe your feet gently with a soft towel. Take time to clean your toenails especially in summer when you’re most likely to wear sandals. Use a pumice stone to exfoliate skin and massage the soles and balls of your feet.

As part of your routine, use a moisturizing lotion to massage your feet every day. You can do this before going to bed or wearing socks. However, ensure the area between the toes doesn’t get over moisturized as this will cause fungus. Also, wear the right footwear for the right occasion. Wearing proper footwear will ensure your feet stay healthier, drier, cleaner and more comfortable. As you dress the rest of the body differently for different occasions and weather conditions, the same should apply to your feet.

Pedicure

Treat your feet to a pedicure every two weeks. You don’t have to go to a professional for this, as you can do it in the comfort of your home. Regular pedicures make a big difference in keeping your feet healthy, dry and soft, and ensuring your toenails look neat and clean. If you tend to walk or stand a lot, start with a foot massage before the pedicure. Use your thumbs to knead the soles of your feet in a circular pattern, helping to loosen the muscles. Stretch the toes one by one to ease soreness and tightness.

Soak your feet in warm water infused with a few drops of essential oils as an added treat. This will help the feet smell good and soften the hard skin. If the hardened skin on your feet need extra hydration, you may soak them a little longer. Exfoliate the skin with pumice stone and a foot scrub to moisturize your feet and remove dry and dead skin. Use a foot file or pumice stone to exfoliate the skin on the soles and heels of your feet.

Addressing Foot Problems

A common foot affliction you can deal with is an ingrown toenail. Use the right equipment for this as the toenail can easily become infected. If you have an itchy rash it could be a foot fungus such as athlete’s foot. Use creams to successfully treat them until the rash goes away. If you have bunions, stop them before they get out of hand. Wear bunion pads.