Winter is here, which means cold, wet weather. While snow can look picturesque outside, it’s harsh effects are taking a toll on your feet. Here is a list of tips you should follow to keep your winter feet looking summer-shoe ready all season long.
- Remove nail polish to allow your toenails to breathe. Applying coat after coat of nail polish can allows bacteria and fungus to grow.
- Clean beneath your nails. Debris can build up under your toe nails from everyday life; it is a mixture of soap, dead skin and dirt. A quick and easy way to clean under your nails is to use a soft toothbrush (moving in an upward motion) after a shower or bath.
- Using nail oils such as tea-tree oil promotes healthy nail growth, and has added anti-fungal properties as an extra bonus!
- Wear shoes that have a bit of wiggle room in the toe-box. Cramping your toes in a small confined toe-box can allow bacteria and fungus to grow from the natural moisture and sweat your feet produce.
- Appropriate footwear is key. You want to look for shoes that have padding, but are also roomy enough to not cut off circulation. Wearing shoes with breathable fabrics can help control sweat- this will curb any bacteria growing.
- Moisture wicking socks are excellent at keeping your feet warm. When your feet sweat, it allows the cold to seep in- making you extra cold. Not to mention all the bacteria that will grow from your feet sitting in their own sweat. If you are unsure if your feet are sweating during the winter, look for extra paleness and wrinkly toes.
- A nice way to restore heat into your feet is to apply foot cream in a circular motion, starting from your heel up to your toes.
- Suffer from dry, cracked feet? Using a mixture of olive oil and sea salt replenishes your feet of moisture while gently exfoliating away layers of superficial dead skin.
- If you are a runner, you most likley get itchy feet from sweat. Soaking your feet in a warm water bath with vinegar (white or apple cider both work) for 10 minutes will help. The solution helps with fatigue, athletes foot and the start of fungus in your toe nails. This is not recommended if you have open wounds, cuts or suffer from diabetes.
- Remove wet shoes and socks ASAP. With snow sitting on the ground, it is hard to keep your feet completley dry. Removing wet shoes and socks as soon as you can is key. If you leave them on too long, you beome susceptible to fungal and bacterial infections. Before putting your shoes back on, you should check for total dryness.
Thank you to Cosmopolitan and FootFiles.com for the original information. You can read more at Cosmopolitan and FootFiles.com