Prepare Your Feet for the Summer Heat
It’s that time of the year, time to start prepping your feet for the sunshine and summer fun! After months of wearing boots and heavy socks, your feet may not be summer-ready. If you don’t have any underlying health issues, conditioning your feet can be very simple.
Follow these five easy steps to get your feet ready for summer!
1. Soak - Soaking your feet for 10-20 minutes in warm water can be relaxing, softening any hard and dry skin. Over the winter months, your feet most likely have formed calluses. This easy method will help boost circulation, hydrate your skin and relax the muscles in your feet and lower legs.
2. Exfoliate - 20% of adults suffer from dry skin and cracked heels. To relieve dry patches and cracked skin you can add epsom salt to your foot bath while you soak or use a pumice stone to rub away hard areas. Be gentle, the pumice stone should not hurt your feet.
3. Moisture - Our feet are exposed to a lot more in the summer which can cause these rough patches. A great way to fight this outcome is to apply a thick layer of lotion to your feet right before bed. Additionally, to cut down on mess and keep the moisture locked in you can put on thick clean socks.
4. Toenail care - Wearing sandals and general toe exposure in the summer can lead to a few issues including ingrown toenails and even fungal infections. To prevent these conditions, make sure your toes are completely dry after a shower. You can also walk around the house barefoot to allow your toes time to breathe. This will help to prevent fungal toenail infections. Ingrown toes can often be caused by the shape of your toenail. To steer clear of these sometimes painful nails, cut your toenails straight across and keep them a little longer than the tip of your toes.
5. Suncare - Just like the rest of your body, the skin on your feet is susceptible to sunburn. Be sure to apply SPF from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet.
Bonus Tip: Treat Yourself! - Another great way to keep your feet healthy and happy is to treat yourself to a pedicure. Kick back, relax, and give your feet some extra TLC.
These five helpful tips should help you have a great, healthy, and fun summer. If you do find yourself with foot and ankle issues, be sure to call us at Gulf South Foot and Ankle. We literally get you back on your feet!