Do you want soft smooth baby-like feet? This article is about 10 simple foot care practices that you can follow at home for healthy, beautiful feet.
If you spend even 10 minutes in front of a television, there will at least be 2-3 commercials on face creams echoing the most important beauty concern women have. Face, hands, bodies and then the foot. Most of us will have a night regime which includes brushing teeth, washing and moisturizing the face. Our hands get washed multiple times throughout the day but the feet stay in those beautiful shoes all day without much care. It is time we give the two little beauties that carry us throughout the day the care and concern they truly deserve. Let us not wait for a foot pain, sore feet, bunion or a cracked heal to start healthy foot care practices. Imagine wearing a summer sandal with cracked heels showing up!
Just a little care for good foot health will help to keep away common foot problems like cracked heels, sores, infections, and pains. While you must take time to pamper your feet once in a while most of these home foot care practices require very little time.
1. Cleanse
Wash your feet twice a day — in the morning and in the night before hitting the bed. Make it a part of your night cleansing regime. Every time you shower make sure you soap and clean properly in-between your toes. The area in between the toes collects sweat and dirt throughout the day no matter what kind of shoes you are wearing. Just letting the water run down and expect it to do its work will not work. Run your fingers with soapy water through your toes and clean.
After cleaning, it is also important to dry them properly so that there is no remaining moisture.
2. Scrub
Twice a week (or at least once) scrub your feet and heal with a scrub cream or a handheld scrubber in the shower itself. The skin under the feet is thicker than rest of the body and a dead skin build up is very natural. Regular scrubbing exfoliates the rough skin under the feet, removes soft dead skin and not let a build up of dead skin happen.
A foot scrub cream is more hygienic but if you are using a handheld scrubber, wash and dry your foot scrubber after each use and do not share foot scrubs with others.
3. Moisturize
Cracked heels are one of the most common foot ailment. A little moisturizing will go a long way. Each time after you wash & dry your feet, apply a good foot cream. A basic massage will happen even if you simply rub in the cream all over the top and bottom of your feet and in-between the toes till it is well absorbed.
If you suffer from cracked heels, use a deep moisturizing cream with ingredients like shea butter and nut oils. Also wearing soft cotton socks to bed will help keep the heels moisturized for long.
4. Massage
Massage doesn’t mean that you need to visit a parlor or spend too much time. A simple 2-3 mins massage will greatly help especially before going to bed. Take a generous amount of cream/oil, rub it between both your palms and then slowly massage the foot with both hands starting from the sole, then moving down to the heel and then rubbing in between the toes. End by gently pulling and releasing each toe. Apply a little extra pressure with your thumbs at the balls of the feet and the heel. Keep massaging until the cream is totally absorbed and make sure there is no excess moisturizer in between the toes.
You feel be amazed at how relaxing those 5 minutes feel after a whole day of standing/sitting and walking on your feet.
5. Foot Soak
With our lives really running by the clock, a foot soak seems like a luxury and you probably should treat it as a luxury and treat yourself to it at least twice a month. Foot soaks are relaxing and they also help soften the tough skin under the foot.
Make your own foot soak by adding 1 tbsp Epsom salt (or ¼ cup white vinegar) to a tub of lukewarm water. The water should be just enough to cover till a little above your ankles. You can also add a few drops of essential oils like lavender, peppermint, or tea tree oils. These oils boost circulation. Soak your feet for about 10-15 minutes maximum. Remove, towel dry and then moisturize.
6. Toenails
Cut and file toenails once a week or as often required. Toenails soften after a shower or foot soak and it is easiest to cut them then. Always cut the toenails straight across and then file the edges. If you try to cut the nails at an angle, there is a risk of ingrown toenails. Ingrown toenails occur when a nail has grown into the skin next to it. It hurts especially when you press the skin right next to the toenail and sometimes there is also redness.
If you often wear nail polish, let your nails be without any for a week in-between every 2 weeks of nail paint.
7. Strengthen
Like the rest of our body muscles, foot muscles also need dedicated strengthening exercises. Some of the exercises you can do in your bed itself while you still thinking of whether it really is time to get up!
Ankle Stretch 1: Lie on your back, bring your legs together and keeping the heels fixed, bring your toes as much in front as possible. Hold for 10 seconds. Now take your toes as much away from yourself as possible. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
Ankle Stretch 2: Lie on your back, bring your legs together and turn just your feet to left such that one foot in on top of the other. Hold for 10 seconds. Bring back to the center. Turn both feet to right again such that one foot is on top of the other. Hold for 10 seconds. Bring back to center. Repeat 5 times.
Towel Curl: Stand or sit on a chair, lie a towel below and keep both your feet on it. Scrunching your toes, grab the towel and “pull” it towards you. Release and repeat till most of the towel is bunched up under your foot. Smooth your towel and then repeat 5 times. Make sure your legs and feet are parallel to each other and that your heel is fixed. You can also try the reverse direction and “push" the towel away from you.
Ball Roll: Standing or sitting, roll the bottom of your foot over a golf ball or a soft reflexology ball. Roll it back and forth, with one foot at a time for 5 times. This would help stimulate the nerve endings in the foot.
8. Proper Footwear
Wear comfortable shoes that fit properly with sufficient room for you to curl your toes. Shoes that are too tight will hurt your feet and can also lead to corns and blisters. Measure your size standing and preferably during the later part of the day when the feet are a bit swollen.
Buy shoes of breathable materials that allow air to circulate. Prolonged use of closed shoes, especially in summers can cause swelling and lead to foot odor. Use sandals if the weather and occasion permit. Always wear fresh socks to avoid foot odor and let your shoes dry completely before using again. Avoid wearing high heels and pointed shoes for longer durations. High heeled shoes result in shifting your weight forward towards the ball of the foot, this may cause may foot issues like hammer toes (downwards bent toes), bunions (swelling on the side of the big toe), and ingrown toenails. In common areas at the gym, locker rooms and public pools, wear shower shoes to avoid catching infections. These areas are humid with a higher probability of bacterial infections.
9. Blood Circulation
Whether you are sitting or standing during most of your day, a little care will ensure proper blood circulation to you feet. 3-4 times a day, sit down and let your feet up. Remove your shoes, wiggle your toes and twist your feet. Also when sitting, don’t cross your legs for long hours as it restricts blood flow to the feet.
10. Pedicure
A monthly pedicure by a trained professional will not only be a treat for your foot and help you relax, it will also help keep them healthy. A pedicure is a great way to provide all the basic foot care in one sitting. It also helps in early detections of foot problems like the beginning of a corn, ingrown nail, bunions or any fungal infection.
There are plenty of natural, organic products in our foot care section to help you rejuvenate and keep your feet healthy and happy.
Disclaimer: All content found on our website, including images, videos, infographics and text were created solely for informational purposes. Our content should never be used for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment of any medical conditions. Content shared on our websites is not meant to be used as a substitute for advice from a certified medical professional. Reliance on the information provided on our website as a basis for patient treatment is solely at your own risk. We urge all our customers to always consult a physician or a certified medical professional before trying or using a new medical product.
