The best ways to pamper your feet at home

Feet put up with a lot of abuse! When it comes to at-home care and healthy living, feet are often overlooked. Poor foot health can result in pain, reduced mobility and affect overall health and well-being. Here’s what you need to know about foot care and how to alleviate common foot problems.

Pumice:Rub away dead skin cells two to three times a week by exfoliating in the shower using a pumice stone or foot scrub.

Moisturize:Hydrate your feet with a rich, exfoliating cream every day.

Footbath:Once a month, soak your feet in lukewarm water infused with sea salt, effervescent bath salts or essential oils.

Cuticle maintenance:After soaking them in a foot bath, push back the cuticles while they are still soft.

Deodorant:Applying a foot deodorant every day will absorb excess moisture and prevent odours.

Very dry feet:If your feet are drier than normal, use a medicated lotion containing ingredients such as urea, glycerol and amino acids. It’s also recommended to put socks on after applying lotion in order to help retain the moisture.

Blisters:Never burst a blister! Instead, cover it with a bandage, gauze or tape, and let it be. Bursting a blister not only exposes the wound to a risk of infection, but drains it of the beneficial fluid inside. Fluid in blisters is the result of the body’s own natural anti-body response, which allows the wound to heal naturally. Blisters usually disappear relatively quickly on their own.

Corns and calluses:Soak your feet in warm water until the skin begins to soften, and then scrub them thoroughly with a pumice stone. Medicated disks and bandages can be very helpful. Prevent the skin on your feet from drying out and hardening by moisturizing them regularly. Also, wear properly fitted shoes and use protective pads where you experience friction between your feet and shoes.

Odour and wetness:To control foot odour, use deodorant and practise good foot hygiene. This means washing and drying your feet each time you put on socks and shoes. Avoid wearing wet shoes and wet socks. When it comes to socks, go with natural materials like cotton, which are effective at whisking away humidity. Foot deodorants keep feet feeling fresh and are available over-the-counter at all drugstores.

Keep in ind if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, you have an increased risk of encountering foot problems and need to take extra precautions to protect them. Since some foot injuries can be quite serious for diabetics, you should consult your physician before starting any treatment.