Benefits of Daily Footcare – Podiatrist Perspective

Why It’s Necessary to Care For Your Feet Daily

For being the foundation of the body, our feet are often the most neglected body part of all. We usually take care to treat and maintain every other part of our body on a regular basis, so why not our feet? When your feet go long enough without proper care you can expect some significant consequences such as fungal infections, bacterial issues, corns, swelling, pain, cracked skin, odor, and more. Thankfully, you can easily remedy the issue by creating and sticking to a daily foot care routine. Hopefully, the helpful guide listed below will become second nature to you so it eventually becomes a habit, much like putting on deodorant or washing your hair.

How to Create a Daily Foot Care Routine

Wash Your Feet

The first step to your daily foot care routine should be washing. The skin on your feet is extremely susceptible to harboring fungus and bacteria, especially between the toes. Use soap and water and wash your feet all over, even in between your toes and around your nails at least once daily. 

Exfoliate Your Feet

Look for any areas of rough, hardened skin known as corns or calluses. Sometimes this thickened, dead skin needs to be removed via exfoliation. While exfoliation isn’t a daily requirement, it’s a good idea to exfoliate your feet around once every month. You can use a pumice stone or a new, clean loofah to gently remove the hardened dead skin. 

Keep Your Feet Dry

Make sure to dry your feet thoroughly after washing. Fungal infections like Athlete’s Foot thrive in moist environments and can cause burning, itching, and even skin peeling which can lead to blisters.

Moisturize Your Feet

You might not think about your feet needing moisture, but the skin on your feet still needs a boost just like any other part of your body. Lack of moisture can lead to all sorts of issues. Your feet can become scaly, dry, or chapped, especially in the heel region. To avoid this dryness and the problems it causes, make sure you moisturize daily after you wash and dry your feet. If lotion isn’t doing the job, you can use cocoa butter or petroleum jelly on the especially rough spots like your heels. 

Check Your Feet

During your daily routine, check for minor scrapes and common foot condition symptoms including redness, burning, itching, blisters, corns, calluses, etc. so that you can treat them in a timely manner. Also, make sure your toenails are clean and healthy. Trim your toenails regularly, but not excessively as this can cause other issues. Check for any jagged edges, thickening, cracking, discoloration, or ingrown toenails that may need attention from your podiatrist.

Protect Your Feet

Make sure you protect your feet as part of your new commitment to foot health. Always wear shoes that fit correctly and avoid wearing shoes that don’t support or protect your feet, like flip flops. Also, make sure you always wear socks to protect your feet and change them often to prevent bacterial and fungal growth. Finally, pamper your feet with a good soak in some heavenly bath salts to really treat the skin from time-to-time. 

Take care of your feet and they will take care of you! If you notice any pain, discomfort, recurring issues, or symptoms of common foot conditions, schedule an appointment with Dr. Hardy at Red Mountain Footcare for an expert diagnosis from an experienced podiatrist.