It’s your feet that carry you through life so it’s important to keep them happy and looking good.
It’s an all too familiar scenario and it happened to me just last week. My night out dancing with the girls ended in a slow journey home, cursing my heels and the person that invented them and vowing to never again put fashion before comfort. Women everywhere share such tales of trauma and abuse, yet it doesn’t stop us from stepping out in our stilettos the following Friday night.
Feet need to be cared for to ensure they don’t become rough and dry and that more serious problems like cracked heels and infection don’t occur. To keep them in tip-top condition, you need to know the potential problems and how to prevent and treat them.
Dry skin and cracked heels
Dry skin is a common problem, which may cause other symptoms such as itching, redness and cracked heels. Some people tend to have naturally dry skin that predisposes them to cracks, and thickened dry skin around the heel (that is more likely to crack) is often due to increased pressure. Any shoe without an enclosed heel cup can expose the wearer to the risk of cracked, dry heels.
The best way to prevent and treat dry skin is to keep your feet hydrated with refreshing lotions and moisturisers. Feet get a rougher deal than the skin on your body or hands so it’s worth investing in a specialised product to take care of them. Some regular exfoliation and buffing will stop the build up of hard, dry skin. A range of foot scrubs is available from the luxurious to the down-to-earth, along with buffing stones and other products.
Corns and calluses
A corn or callus is an area of hard, thickened skin on the foot that is formed in response to pressure or friction. They are part of the body’s defence system to protect the underlying tissues and if the cause of pressure is not relieved, calluses can become painful. Some people are at higher risk of developing corns or calluses such as those who spend a lot of time standing and people who regularly wear shoes that are narrow, tight or high-heeled.
A good exfoliating scrub will soften even the most tortured soles but pay special attention to your heels and the balls of your feet. Treatments such as corn plasters will generally only treat the symptom, not the underlying cause, so seek professional advice if they continue to form.
Ingrown toenails
An ingrown toenail results from the nail growing into the skin around it. It most commonly occurs for two main reasons: poor cutting technique (cutting the nail too far down the side and leaving behind a sharp edge) or poor nail growth (the nail, instead of growing flat, has a curvature which can either irritate the surrounding skin or make it very difficult to cut the nail).
Self-treatment and prevention of ingrown toenails involves following the normal curvature of the nail when cutting and file any sharp corners or thickening of the nail.
Handy hints
Refresh on the run
A little foot spray will revive any tired feet. Most sprays contain peppermint or menthol for cooling, antiperspirant or deodorant to keep your feet sweet and an antibacterial component to refresh on the run.
Relax while you soak
There’s no better way to treat your feet after a long day than a soothing foot soak. Throw in some Epsom salt or your favourite aromatherapy oils and soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
Ease the pressure
Purchase some adhesive gel-filled pads that cushion the pressure on the ball of the foot caused by high heels and help alleviate discomfort from walking, standing and dancing in heels for extended periods of time.
