The feet are the most used and often abused part of the body, as they are used for walking and running every day. But despite this, when we dedicate ourselves to our beauty and wellness routine, the feet and their nails are often overlooked. Regardless of the season, it is always important to keep them in top condition. Learn how to take care of your feet and nails to maintain good hygiene, ensure their well-being to eliminate pain and calluses, and how to get medical assistance when needed.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Practice Good Hygiene
Step 1. Make sure you wash your feet every day
Feet tend to get dirty and sweat more than other parts of the body, so it's important to maintain a good hygiene routine. If you are used to showering in the morning and not in the evening, at least wash your feet in the evening when you get home. In addition to being a good hygiene practice, this also avoids bringing dirt into the bed.
- Wash yourself with warm soapy water. This eliminates sweat, dirt and bacteria that may be present. Pay particular attention to the spaces between your fingers. When finished, dry gently with a towel.
- Also keep your nails clean. If you walk in sandals in the summer, your nails can get dirty easily. Take the time to clean them thoroughly every time you wash your feet.
Step 2. Moisturize your feet every day
Practice applying foot lotion or cream consistently. One way to make sure your feet are soft and hydrated is to rub them with lotion or petroleum jelly before bed and put on a pair of socks. The next morning you will notice how soft they are and without signs of dryness! Just remember not to keep the area between your fingers too wet, otherwise you could promote fungal growth.
Step 3. Wear the right footwear for the circumstance
Feet stay healthy if you wear the proper footwear specific to keep your feet clean, dry and at a comfortable temperature. As you dress the rest of your body to feel comfortable in different climatic conditions, you should do the same for your feet.
- In the summer, keep them cool by wearing sandals and footwear that allow perspiration. If you wear shoes that keep your feet too warm, you risk that they get a bad smell or, worse, a fungal infection.
- Keep them warm in the winter by wearing waterproof boots and socks. If you wear shoes that are not insulating enough, you risk freezing them.
Step 4. Get rid of bad smells
This is a problem that affects many people, as the feet sweat more than the rest of the body and tend to harbor bacteria responsible for the odor. If this has gotten out of hand, there are steps you can take to reduce the odor right away.
- Try changing your socks more often. If your feet tend to sweat a lot throughout the day, always keep a spare pair of socks with you to help reduce the odor. Change your socks when your feet get wet with sweat.
- Keep your shoes clean. Sometimes the smell is worse when sweat and bacteria build up in your shoes, and every time you wear them, the problem gets worse. Wearing socks with shoes, washing them often, and buying new shoes when the time comes are all ways to reduce odor.
- Try a foot powder. There are many specific products on the market to keep feet dry and odorless. Spray one of these products or powder into your shoes before putting them on.
Step 5. Keep your feet dry
Athlete's foot and other fungi tend to grow in humid conditions. Making some changes in your hygiene routine can prevent you from suffering from these unpleasant ailments, which often cause itchy skin rashes. Follow the habits listed below to keep your feet clean and dry:
- Change your socks often. It is the best solution to prevent all kinds of foot problems, from odors to fungus. Wearing damp socks provides the perfect environment for fungus to grow, so change them often, especially if you sweat a lot.
- Apply foot powder. Many people sprinkle it on their clothing to keep their skin clean and dry.
Step 6. Shower safely
If you wash in a locker room or other public place, take precautions to avoid getting infected with other people's yeast infections. Showers are usually humid environments where fungi and bacteria can lurk. It is not a good idea to enter a public shower without protecting your feet.
- Wear flip-flops or slippers when showering in public places.
- You also need to avoid sharing shoes with other people. If you are an athlete, do not wear shoes or use someone else's sports equipment.
Step 7. Trim your toenails properly
Every two weeks, adjust your nails to keep them healthy and strong. If you cut them the wrong way, you risk them becoming ingrown, with very painful consequences. Try to cut them straight, rather than making a rounded cut on the edges. However, avoid cutting them too short, as this could facilitate the formation of ingrown toenails or even an infection.
If you prefer a rounded shape, rather than a straight cut, use a nail file to give them the shape you want on the edges; this results in a clean cut on the top, with rounded corners
Part 2 of 3: Do Your Own Pedicure
Step 1. Get a pedicure every two weeks
You don't necessarily have to apply nail polish as part of your foot care routine, but a regular pedicure really makes a difference in keeping your feet soft, avoiding dry, rough skin, and keeping your nails neat and tidy. You don't have to spend a lot of money to go to a professional in a beauty salon; with some tools you can do your pedicure yourself in the comfort of your home.
Step 2. Start with a massage
If you have to stand a lot during the day and they tend to ache, get a massage before starting the pedicure. While this step isn't absolutely necessary, it's a nice way to pamper yourself a bit. If you're already taking the time to take care of your feet, why not get yourself a nice massage too?
- Work on the soles of your feet. Use your thumbs to press on the soles of your feet and massage them in a circular motion. This helps loosen the tense muscles.
- Stretch your fingers. Taking them one by one, gently pull them back and forth to stretch them and relieve tension and pain.
Step 3. Take a foot bath for about 5-10 minutes in a large bowl with warm water
In addition, if you wish, you can put a few drops of essential oils and Dead Sea salts, to give your feet a good smell and at the same time soften the hard skin. The soaking time shown here is just a suggestion, you can decide to soak them for much longer if you want to relax, or if hardened skin needs more hydration.
Exfoliate your feet with a specific scrub to eliminate dead cells and dry skin, as well as to moisturize them. The skin in this area is thicker and to keep it soft and smooth it is important to eliminate dead cells with exfoliation. Massage the product in circular movements and then rinse. To smooth the hardened skin on the heels and bottom of the feet, use a file or pumice stone. Make sure you make gentle movements, don't scrub too aggressively. If you have hard calluses, use the special razor to remove them from the heels and sides of the toes. This will prevent them from getting bigger and causing pain
Step 4. Take care of your toenails
If you cut them while they are still soft, after being in the bathroom, the task is much easier. Remember to cut them straight and not too short. Use an orange stick or a 'cuticle cutter' to gently push the cuticles back towards the skin. Finally, rub some special oil on your nails and cuticles to moisturize the area and prevent the cuticles from tearing.
- Cut the nails straight, do not give the rounded shape, to prevent them from becoming ingrown. However, if you prefer a rounded shape, use a nail file to smooth the tip and give a little curve to the edges; in this way the nail takes on a square shape with rounded corners. Make sure you file them to the right length, they need to be short but don't hurt you.
- Remember not to neglect the cuticles. Although you shouldn't cut them, you can apply a specific oil to soften and moisturize the hardened edges if you wish and push the cuticles back with an orange stick to create a smooth and well-stretched surface so that the polish can be applied properly. Don't push too hard though, or you risk cutting your cuticles and exposing your feet to possible fungal infections. Some people prefer to skip this step entirely and leave their cuticles intact; if you want it too, that's fine.
Step 5. Hydrate your feet
With all the work they go through, it's important to hydrate them every now and then. After soaking them, exfoliating your skin and clipping your nails, apply a lotion or cream to protect your skin. Rub the entire top and bottom of your feet, including the space between your toes.
- If your feet tend to form calluses often, use a thicker cream. This keeps the skin hydrated and slows the growth of other calluses.
- If your heels tend to crack in dry weather, wear socks when you go to bed after thoroughly hydrating them.
Step 6. Apply polish if desired
If you want to finish the pedicure with a nice finishing touch, put a nail polish in the color of your choice. If you want it to stay long, you can start by applying a clear base coat. Let it dry and then apply the color you have chosen following the "three coats method", which consists of applying the glaze first on both sides and then in the center. This ensures that the polish is applied evenly over the entire nail. Finish by loosely placing a layer of clearcoat to prevent the color from splintering.
- Use finger separators to space them out; this will make it easier for you to apply the nail polish and avoid staining yourself.
- Remove the nail polish after a few days so as not to stain your nails. If you keep it for too long, your nails may turn a little yellow.
- Keep in mind that the active ingredient of acetone, in addition to removing the nail polish, has a serious dehydrating effect on the skin and nails. Consider using another solvent that doesn't contain acetone.
Part 3 of 3: Coping with Foot Problems
Step 1. Treat an ingrown toenail
This is a common foot disorder that you can treat yourself at home. Be careful with the tools you use though, as ingrown toenails can get infected easily. Start by cutting it straight. Gently lift the ingrown area and slide a small cotton ball underneath to prevent it from growing deeper. Change the cotton every day until the problem is over.
- Protect the tip of the nail during the healing process. It is wise to put a bandage on to make sure it does not become infected.
- If you notice any signs of infection, see a doctor.
Step 2. Treat foot fungus
If you experience severe itching, it is likely a fungal infection. You can take topical, non-prescription medications that are effective in treating athlete's foot and other fungal infections. Apply the cream following the directions on the leaflet until you notice that the rash is reduced and the foot is better. In the meantime, make sure you change your socks often.
- If the problem doesn't go away after a few days, contact a doctor.
- Foot fungus differs from other types of fungal infections and is much more difficult to treat. If your toenails are brown, yellow, and cracked, see a doctor to get a prescription for a medication that's right for your condition.
Step 3. Stop the formation of hallux valgus before it gets out of hand
This disorder occurs when the bone on the side of the foot is under too much tension and begins to grow outward. This condition can become very painful if proper steps are not taken to correct the problem early. This is often a genetic disorder, but it can also be caused by shoes that are too pointy (such as high heels or dance shoes).
- Make sure your footwear isn't causing any problems. It might be time to swap out those stilettos for other more comfortable flat shoes.
- Wear bunion pads. You can easily find them at pharmacies. They must be placed over the hallux valgus to avoid friction against the shoes.
- Do not rule out the possibility of surgery. If your problem is causing you a lot of pain, you may want to consider having surgery, since there is nothing you can do to get rid of it on your own.
Step 4. See a podiatrist if you experience foot pain
If you are constantly in pain, it is important to see your doctor.
- There are a lot of bones in the feet and they can easily break.
- If you walk on an injured foot you can aggravate the problem.
Advice
- If you don't have finger separators to apply nail polish, you can also use paper towels to add thickness.
- Don't cut your nails too short! You could make them bleed!
- Do not cut or peel off the cuticles.
- Moisturize your feet every day.
- Always use acetone-free nail polish remover, as this can dry out your nails and skin / cuticles.
- Use the orange wood sticks wrapped in cotton and soaked in nail polish remover to remove those small spots of color that can form around the fingers after applying the nail polish.
- When your feet are healthy and beautiful and ready for the summer, you can show them off by wearing beautiful flip flops or fantastic sandals in the color of your choice.
- You can learn a lot from the professionals, so reach out to them when you 'need', ask for information and pay attention!
- You don't necessarily have to do a "professional" pedicure and manicure. You can't know what health products they use, and the risk of an infection or other problems is always present.
