Everyone wants their feet to be healthy and beautiful. During the warmer months when sandals and flip flops are the go-to footwear, the desire for pretty feet can be extremely high. Sadly, it can be nerve-racking to keep your feet in great shape because wear and tear occur frequently as they support your entire weight.
If you want to have healthy, strong and pretty feet, you must find ways to maintaining and preserving them. Here are eight ways to so.
Wear The Right Shoes
Shoes can either help or harm your feet. Some tend to go on long walks or runs than others. Nonetheless, it is important to put on comfortable and well-fitting shoes. Wearing the wrong shoes can harm your feet.
For example, small shoes can rub your feet causing corns and blisters. Therefore, be careful when buying a new pair. Also, shoes take time to break in, so don’t wear new high heels for three consecutive days.
It is also wise to protect your feet in public places, like the gym, public schools or locker rooms. These areas tend to be the perfect breeding grounds for fungi that can cause infections.
Examine And Never Ignore Problems
Examine your feet once a week when taking a shower or bathing. When drying off your feet, look on the soles for any rough patches or scaling, and between your toes for signs of peeling. These symptoms can be a signal of athlete’s foot. In addition, look for discoloration because it is usually associated with nail fungus. And if you are diabetic, please inspect your feet every day. Diabetes can put you on a higher risk of foot infections.
Don’t Share Footwear
Sharing footwear puts you at high risk of contracting fungal infections. Therefore, avoid renting or sharing footwear. Always have your own footgear and clean them regularly to keep your feet healthy.
Soak Your Feet Frequently
Feet develop dry or rough skin from time to time. If you want to keep them soft and clean, you must soak them more often. Fortunately, there are a lot of fancy foot baths, like healingfootspa.com.
Generally, you need a bucket of warm water. For additional luxury, consider adding a few drops of olive oil or a scented essential oil of your choice. For great results, it’s advisable to soak your feet for about 15 minutes. Removing your feet early can make them pruned, which isn’t effective when removing dead skin.
Scrub Your Feet Often
After soaking your feet, give them a good scrub to remove dry, rough areas leaving them smooth. You can use a foot scrub or a pumice stone to massage these areas once you remove the feet from the water. Keep in mind that pumice is highly effective on damp feet and should always be applied to the grain of your feet.
Allow Your Feet To Breathe
When you get home, always take off your shoes and allow your feet to breathe. During the day, feet sweat and accumulate dirt whether you put on socks or not. And during winter, always put on socks after moisturizing your skin to lock in moisture. People who don’t allow their feet to breathe always end up with athlete’s foot and other similar diseases because sweat and dirt build up creating breeding grounds for disease-causing micro-organisms.
Remove Polish And Trim Nails
Before applying new polish on your nail, it’s best to remove old layers completely. With time, nail polish can wear down toenails. If possible, allow your nails to stay polish-free for a few hours before applying a new layer to strengthen them.
Also, trim your nails to the right length. If you trim them too short, it can be discomforting and if you leave them to grow or develop ingrown toenails, they become unsightly. So trim them regularly to maintain a suitable length.
Invest In Good Moisturizers
To maintain soft feet, you need to invest in great moisturizers like foot creams or natural oils. Your feet usually require a thicker cream than other parts of the body. Also, choose creams that have vitamin E and coconut oil to keep your feet smooth.
Alternatively, go for regular coconut massage to soothe and hydrate your feet. But if you notice some serious dry skin, try massaging your feet with cocoa butter and wear cotton socks overnight. You’re more likely to see softer and smoother skin in the morning.
Feet support the rest of the body and require special attention. If you want to have beautiful, healthy feet, follow these tips.