Summer foot care for women

Without doubt, your feet are the most active part of your body, even more than your hands. In fact, most of the time they are definitely overworked. Especially in today’s day and age, the big metros are so widespread that one has to cover long distances to get from one place to the next be it for job or other work.

This time of year our most common complaints come mainly from women and it has to do with wearing open toes, sandals, and going to the beach and showing off their feet. Most complaints are cosmetic rather than medical at this point. They range anywhere from fungal nails to corns and calluses and include cracked heels; they can range also to deformities such as bunions and hammertoes.

Wash your feet frequently

When you’re wearing tight shoes, foot perspiration can be a problem. Where there’s moisture, there’s the potential for a fungal infection. Plus, you’re more prone to colonization with bacteria that can produce odor. Wash your feet several times a day if necessary, but be sure to dry your feet thoroughly before putting your shoes back on.

Change your socks frequently

You want to avoid the accumulation of moisture in your socks which can make you more susceptible to a foot bacterial or fungal infection. Change into clean, dry socks several times a day in warm weather.

Exfoliate feet regularly

Twice a week use a pumice stone and foot scrub containing granules (sea salt, sugar or oatmeal) to remove dead skin and calluses from the feet. Spirit of the Spa’s foot scrub contains marine extracts and sea kelp. Sally Hansen’s Just Feet line has a scrub, “Spa Sugar Scrub” that contains sugar crystals, a variety of vitamins, and Olive and Tea Oils. Most scrubs can be massaged onto wet or dry feet depending on treatment required.

Get a Professional Pedicure or Do it Yourself

Pedicures are a must, and can be done at home if going to a salon is not in the budget. The basic steps of a pedicure include:

•     Soaking feet
•     Trimming the toenails and filing edges smooth
•     Removal of old polish
•     Exfoliating entire foot with a foot scrub
•     Moisturizing the cuticle and feet
•     Polishing the toenails

The most common infection you can get from visiting the nail salon is fungal nails. This often will arise from salons that do not adequately sterilize their instruments.