Who’s secretly happy to hide their feet again now boot-season is upon us? You’re not alone. Just because feet inevitably go into hiding in Autumn and Winter though, doesn’t mean you should let ’em go. Far from it in fact, the temperature drops this time of year can cause havoc with your feet, all the more reason to maintain your foot care.
Our Podiatrist explains that your feet have a blood supply that is affected by climate. “As the temperature fluctuates the skin is left hot or cold. When your feet feel cold, it means the skins blood supply to the top layers of the skin have been reduced to preserve heat.” No wonder they get as dry our chapped lips – even without being exposed to the elements.
Tight-tights and chunky socks squeezed into shoes can torture your toes and restrict blood supply too, so if you’re not careful come next Spring your foot confidence will plummet making emergency pedicures a procedure, not a pamper!
Instead, invest a little time in your tootsies regularly with our top tips. They will thank you for it.
7 home-treatment tips for lovely feet
1. Give your toenails a breather. “Regularly removing nail polish and applying a fresh coat can maintain the amount of bacteria and fungal hibernating underneath.”
2. Sounds gross, but cleaning beneath your nails is easy. “The debris is a collection of soap, dead skin and other combinations of everyday life. An easy way to clear these spaces is to use a soft toothbrush in an upward motion after a shower/bath.”
3. And to restore damaged nails..? “Using nail oil with added anti-fungal properties, such as tea tree oil, can help promote and restore a healthy nail.”
4. Fashion-wise, find footwear that has room up-front. “Imagine yourself playing the piano with your toes. If your toes move freely without feeling musically restricted, this is a good fit. The technical term is a deep toe box. If you’re not sure what size you are, a good shoe shop will measure your feet. Width and height of the front of the shoe is vital to ultimate foot comfort.”
5. Cold feet? “A brilliant way to restore the heat is to use a foot cream in circular motions from the heel up to the toes. This will not only warm your feet but also moisturise them at the same time.”
6. Dry feet? “Simple things such as olive oil and sea salt replenish the skin of lost moisture and gently remove layers of superficial dead skin.”
7. If you’re an athletic type (good on you) and get itchy feet from sweat, try a warm water soak with white vinegar or apple cider vinegar for 10 minutes. “This solution helps with many things; fatigued feet, fungal toenails and athlete’s foot. This secret can be used as and when needed. However, if your feet have open wounds, cuts or diabetes this is not suitable.”
If you would like a routine podiatry appointment with Newforge Podiatry please get in touch