Now that Christmas is out of the way for another year, we can finally begin to unwind!
If like mine, your feet took a serious pounding over the festive season, here are some tips on how to restore them to their former glory.
Use a good emollient
We are all guilty of hiding our feet away in boots, socks and slippers when it’s cold and we’re busy, but by not allowing our feet to breath we are effectively dehydrating them. A good foot cream such as CCS Foot Care Cream can rehydrate the skin and ensure that they are soft and supple. Our top tip is to use foot cream every day, preferably after you have had a bath or shower so that you can lock in the moisture. Try to make this as important as brushing your teeth morning and night and you’ll soon start to notice a difference.
Get your corns and callus treated by a Podiatrist
Corns and Callus are caused by pressure or friction. So after wearing those unsuitable heels to the Christmas party and walking endlessly round the shops you may well have developed a corn or callus. A corn can feel like you have a stone in your shoe and can become very uncomfortable. Do not attempt to treat corns or callus yourself – leave them to the experts! Your Podiatrist can also advise on suitable footwear or orthotic insoles to relieve the excessive friction or pressure which has caused you corn or callus.
Trim toenails
The key word here is ‘trim’. Although it can be very tempting to cut your toenails very short, short nails can become ingrown. We advise nails should be trimmed and always try to make sure that they are cut straight across and not rounded at the corners. If you have problems cutting your own toenails, why not make an appointment with our Podiatrist who can help you along your way.
Relax those tired feet
It is hard to find time in our busy schedules but at least once a week try to relax. Soak your tired feet in a bowl of warm salty water for around 20 minutes. If you have a pumice stone or foot file, apply gentle circular massaging pressure to both your feet concentrating on areas with hard skin such as the heel. This gentle scrubbing motion removes dead skin cells. Carefully and thoroughly dry your fresh feeling feet before moving onto the next stage. Take extra care when drying your toes and make sure that you dry in between the toes also. Follow with a good foot massage using your foot moisturiser and for all the ladies out there, add a coat of your favourite nail varnish for good measure.
Finally, if you do have problems taking care of your feet, we offer routine appointments which range from the trimming of toenails and corn debridement to the management of ingrown toenails. Our Podiatrist can see you as often as you require.