Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD During summer, or before a tropical vacay, foot care becomes a top priority. Your feet take center-stage, and it’s important that they look their best. Besides a winter of neglect; sun, dirt, sand, water, heat and humidity can all wreak havoc on your feet.
10 Summer Foot Care Tips:
1. Exfoliate
Exfoliating your feet will make them smoother and softer and will help get rid of the dull, dry skin that probably formed during the winter months. Exfoliating your feet will also make them easier to moisturize. Aim for exfoliating your feet once a week. Tree Hut Himalayan Salt Scrub is a good affordable salt scrub to help slough the dead skin from your feet. If your skin tends to be drier, you might opt for a sugar based exfoliant like Brooklyn Botany’s Brown Sugar Scrub.
2. Don’t Forget to Pumice
Pumice stones should be part of your summer foot care. They do a great job of gently exfoliating your feet and smoothing calluses. Use your pumice stone after you’ve soaked your feet in a warm bath for 10-15 minutes, and rub them in a gentle circular motion to help improve circulation and remove dead skin.
3. Moisturize EVERY Day!
Always apply a moisturizer to your feet after you’ve pumiced or exfoliated. A good moisturizer will hydrate your skin, leaving it softer and more silky. Try to put on your moisturizer within 5 minutes of your shower or bath (while your skin is still a little damp) to seal that moisture into your skin. I like Curel Foot Therapy Cream for soothing dry, cracked feet.
You don’t have to spend a lot to soften your feet. One trick is to apply a liberal amount of Vaseline to your feet after you shower at night. Then, wrap your feet loosely in saran wrap and pull on a pair of cotton socks. In the morning, your feet will be butter soft, and you’ll look amazing in your sandals.
4. Wear Sunscreen
If your feet are exposed, don’t forget that they need sunscreen too. Sunscreen will keep your skin looking more radiant and even, and will help prevent blotchiness and worn looking skin. But most of all, sunscreen is our first defense against skin cancer. If you’re wondering what type of sunscreen to buy, check out this guide to picking a sunscreen.
5. Prevent Blisters
No shoe (no matter how cute) is worth sacrificing the health of your feet! Besides looking pretty gross, blisters can compromise the integrity of your skin, setting you up for sores, scars, or even an infection. Blister sticks can be helpful for reducing the friction between your feet and your shoes. But the most important thing is wearing a well-fitting pair of shoes and preventing blisters in the first place!
6. Eat Right
Just like your diet can affect your skin, your diet can also affect your feet. Taking in too much sugar or salt can lead to swelling in your feet, and that’s definitely not a good look. In addition to your diet, make sure that you’re staying adequately hydrated, which can also help with swelling. Elevating your feet also helps. And remember, sometimes swollen feet can be a clue to a serious medical issue (such as with your heart), so if your feet are swelling, be sure to talk to your doctor.
7. Be Careful with Pedicures
Somewhere on your summer foot care journey, you’re probably gone to end up in the pedicure chair. But don’t go just anywhere. Make sure that your pedicurist uses clean and sterilized tools. Remember, unclean tools can spread blood borne diseases, bacteria and foot fungus. And if you’re thinking of one of those super-cool looking ‘fish pedicures,’ read this first.
8. Prevent Yellow Toenails
While fungal infections and certain medical problems can make your toenails yellow looking, another big cause is yellowing from nail polish! Nail polish, especially darker colors, can stain your toenails an unsightly yellowish color, especially the longer it’s on. Wearing a protective base coat under your color can help prevent this.
9. Let Your Shoes Dry
Damp and warm shoes can be a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. If your feet sweat or if your shoes have gotten wet, be sure to let your shoes air out and dry thoroughly before you put them back on again.
If your feet tend to sweat, Zeasorb powder is great for keeping sweaty feet dry and less likely to become infected.
10. Check Your Feet!
A good part of summer foot care, and year-round foot care, is checking your feet for unusual or suspicious growths. Remember, skin cancers on the feet and nails are more common in African Americans, and have a higher mortality rate. Check your feet (and the rest of your skin) once a month to look for any unusual growths or marks. And if you find one, definitely see your doctor.
