Don’t let winter affect your feet! As people store their sandals and other airy summer shoes for winter, they are probably not thinking about how their feet will adjust to boots. In fact people tend to neglect feet during the colder months since they are no longer in public view. But the truth is your feet often need more care and special attention during winter because they become prone to dryness and fungal infections.
The colder months also leave people more vulnerable to dry and even cracking feet. The lack of moisture in the air can dry out the feet, and heavy socks and shoes may prohibit dead skin from shedding, leading to flaky feet.
To keep your feet from drying out, moisturise them once or twice a day, especially around the heels and sides of the foot. Although you may be tempted to take a near-scalding shower or bath when it’s chilly outside, that hot water damages and dries out the skin. Instead, bath or shower in warm water, then pat your feet dry and apply moisturiser. Don’t moisturise the nails or the area between the toes too heavily, as that may create an inviting environment for fungus.
To make sure dead skin is removed from the foot, scrub them with a foot scrubber and scrub your heels with a pumice stone to slough off dry skin while bathing, then apply rich moisturising cream or vegetable oil.
For people who develop cracks or fissures, in their heels, which is a part of the foot that takes a lot of stress during walking, mix a few drops of lemon juice in Vaseline and apply gently. Do this every day before going to bed. Adding some baby oil or moisturising lotion to warm water, soak the feet, pat the feet dry, pumice gently and then moisturise with cocoa butter afterwards. Put on a pair of socks before going to bed.
It is amazing how many people are wearing wrong-size shoes. Poorly fitting shoes may contribute to cracking. If you are shopping for winter shoes, do so at the end of the day when your feet are swollen and make sure you can stick an index finger in the back of the shoe.
Your feet are the most abused and often used parts of the body considering all the walking and running that you do every day. Given the many threats to feet in the colder months, take the time to protect them during the winter, so they will be healthy for their unveiling in summer!
