Help Your Feet Look and Feel Good

By Renee Carter-Perpall, DPM

Renee Carter-Perpall, DPM

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Help Your Feet Look and Feel Good

Your feet are important to your daily life. They carry you wherever you are going; they hold your body weight upright as you walk, run, swim, dance, bicycle and perch on cutesy stiletto pumps and sandals.
Your feet can also itch, burn, ache and become dry and scaly. On a daily basis, try to be good to your feet. Show them the respect they deserve. Its time to pamper your feet.
In our busy schedules there should be time allotted to properly take care of your feet at home. You can create a spa in the comfort of your own home.
After a long day at work or school, your feet may experience muscle strain or fatigue and feel tight, swollen, achy or sore. Take time for a nightly foot soak. Just pull up a chair to the bathtub, fill it with warm (not hot) water and your choice of mineral salts, Epsom salt, bubble bath or just soap.
Fill the tub just until the water is above your ankles, then sink your feet into a soothing 15-minute soak. The warmth of the water will gently relax the muscles and tendons. Wiggle your toes or try flexion-stretching exercises of your toes and feet under water. Pull the stopper, dry your feet with a towel while gently massaging your arches. Be sure to dry between the toes.
If you have dry, scaly or calloused skin on your feet you may add a little bath oil to the water during the soak. Afterwards the key is to moisturize your feet.
Do not use abrasive tools on your calloused areas. Harsh scrubbing of the feet strips the calloused (dead skin) and damages the rising new layer of skin cells. Gentle exfoliation of the dry skin can be accomplished over time by using loofa sponges, pumice gels and moisturizing soaps in a slow circular motion over the calloused areas.
Moisturizing lotions that contain essential oils help to lubricate and renew the skin. Deep moisturizing shea butter products are also good for dry, scaly skin.
To help prevent callous build-up under the ball of the feet and heels, reduce friction to those areas when walking. Wearing shoes too big or loose can allow abnormal shifting and sliding of your feet, which leads to friction rub, then calluses. When wearing high-heel pumps, place cushions in the ball and heel of the shoe to reduce forward sliding of the feet. Constant barefoot walking at home can lead to callous build-up from the friction rub on the flooring.
Finally, show your feet in your sandals and shoes, or while relaxing at home or on vacation. They look and feel good!