Caring for your feet is no less important than your hands and even your face. It is not only about the aesthetic side of the issue, he alth comes to the fore. Most of the time, a person's feet are in closed shoes. No matter how high-quality it is, the skin can sweat and be subjected to friction. This provokes the appearance of an unpleasant odor, calluses, cracked heels, fungal infection and ingrown nails. Regular and proper care of the legs and feet helps to avoid this.
The importance of foot care
Fungus-affected nails and dry, cracked heels limit a woman's choice of shoes in summer. It is also unpleasant to appear on the beach or by the pool in this form. It will not work to hide the problem for a long time by choosing closed shoes. The condition of the feet will begin to deteriorate and cause more severe discomfort. There will be an unpleasant smell, itching,pain when walking. In addition, infection is also possible.
It is easy to avoid the development of such problems. All that is needed is regular foot and foot care at home. The following rules will help keep the skin in perfect condition:
- Regular washing. For the procedure, it is recommended to use warm water and mild antiseptic soap. Feet must be thoroughly dried.
- Moisturizing and nourishing. After washing, it is recommended to apply a cream. You can use any vegetable oil, it is recommended to warm it up a little.
- Exfoliation is one of the secrets of tender heels. If the skin is in poor condition, you will need to use a pumice stone, pedicure acid or an electric file. For well-groomed legs, it will be enough to use store-bought or self-made scrubs.
- Regular trimming of nails. Irregularities and corners should be smoothed with a file. This procedure will avoid the development of such a pathology as an ingrown toenail.
- Daily self-examination of the skin of the legs. This will help prevent the development of a fungal or bacterial infection. This recommendation should never be neglected by diabetics.
- Proper care of legs and feet is impossible without massage. It is recommended to do it before bedtime using coconut or almond oil. This procedure will help to avoid the development of edema, relax, relieve pain and improve blood microcirculation.
- Spa treatments. Soothing, relaxing and aromatic bathsmust be done at least two to three times a week.
- Control of hyperhidrosis. Excessive sweating can be inherited and develop for other reasons. Foot deodorants help keep odor under control. These products regulate the activity of the sweat glands and disinfect the skin.
- Choice of shoes. This is one of the most important points. Shoes should be sized. As well as comfortable and made from natural materials. Dress shoes with high heels should be left for formal occasions.
Foot baths
Home baths are an important part of foot and foot care. This pleasant and relaxing procedure will help soften the skin, relieve fatigue, eliminate unpleasant odors and calluses. The prophylactic cling procedure is performed two to three times a week. If you need to soften a corn, defeat a fungus or cure another disease, the baths can be used daily.
Simple but effective recipes:
- Sea s alt is used for relaxation and cleansing. One hundred grams of this ingredient is dissolved in two liters of warm water and the legs are lowered for 15 minutes.
- Soda softens rough skin. A teaspoon of powder, liquid soap and ammonia is added to two liters of water. After the procedure, problem areas can be treated with pumice stone.
- Sweating of the feet will eliminate oak bark. It is also an excellent odor remover. For the procedure, you will need to pour 30 g of bark with two liters of boiling water and leave on low heat for 10-15minutes. After the liquid has cooled, use it for baths.
Scrub recipes
Proper foot skin care is impossible to imagine without the use of a scrub. This cosmetic remedy eliminates peeling, softens the roughened epidermis and is an excellent prevention of the appearance of corns and corns. It is recommended to use it after baths, but it can also be used while taking a shower. The product is rubbed into the skin with massage movements, then washed off.
You can buy a ready-made scrub at any cosmetic store. But a homemade remedy will be much safer, he althier and more natural. The following compositions cleanse the skin well:
- Coffee. This is one of the most popular compositions. To prepare it, you will need to mix three tablespoons of ground coffee, 10 g of sea s alt and cinnamon. At the end, add a little of any vegetable oil.
- Sugar. The composition cleanses and brightens the skin. For cooking, mix 30 g of sugar (you can use regular or brown), 30 ml of natural lemon juice and 30 ml of olive or linseed oil.
- Orange. Citrus acts like an acid peel, gently removing dead cells. For the procedure, you will need to grind an orange with a peel in a blender. Apply the paste on the skin and leave for 10 minutes. Then rinse off with cool water.
Best nourishing foot creams
Foot creams nourish and moisturize the skin. They prevent the formation of cracks, unpleasant odors and destroybacteria. It is recommended to apply creams after daily hygiene procedures.
Only high-quality products can keep your skin in perfect condition. Leg and foot care is recommended with the following creams:
- Scholl Active Repair K+. The cream contains urea and another two dozen active ingredients. Eliminates cracks, corns and calluses in just a few days.
- "Healer Cream with urea". The composition also contains an extract of oak bark and celandine, tea tree oil, vitamin E. This is one of the best remedies for softening rough skin.
- Cream-care from corns from Natura Siberica. The preparation contains extracts of Far Eastern and Siberian herbs. As well as vitamins, beeswax and D-panthenol. The cream nourishes the skin, treats corns and relieves inflammation.
- Foot cream "Sofya". The tool is able to make the skin soft, like a baby, thanks to the wax, glycerin, tea tree oil, lanolin, urea and medicinal leech extract. The cream in a matter of days eliminates dry calluses and promotes the healing of cracks.
- Green Mama foot cream. This drug demonstrates the greatest effect if applied after peeling. The cream contains extracts of mint, sage and yarrow. As well as menthol, sesame, linseed and cedar oil.
Homemade mask recipes
Despite all efforts, baths and nourishing creams are not enough for proper care of the legs and feet. Masks will help restore absolute softness to the skin,cooked at home. The following recipes are considered the most effective:
Glycerin with yolk. This remedy should be used by people with very dry and rough skin. To prepare the mask, you will need to heat a tablespoon of honey in a water bath to a temperature of 40 degrees. Add chicken yolk and 15 ml of natural lemon juice to it. Then pour 30 ml of glycerin into the mixture and mix. Fold a piece of gauze in several layers and soak it with the resulting composition. Attach the fabric to the foot, cover with cellophane and insulate. Leave the application for at least one hour
Mask with clay. Moisturizes and cleanses the skin. It is recommended to use in the summer when a lot of dust and dirt settles on the feet. To prepare a mask, you need to dilute 25 g of blue clay with water to the consistency of sour cream. Add a few drops of lemon juice and 20 ml of olive oil to the mixture. The resulting paste should be generously applied to the feet, wrapped in cellophane and insulated. Leave the product on the skin for 40 minutes
Masks are recommended to be prepared immediately before use. Nutrient mixtures can be left on the skin overnight.
Best foot deodorants
From an unpleasant smell and excessive sweating, neither men nor women are immune. In order not to find yourself in an unpleasant situation, it is better to take care of buying a special foot care product in advance. Such drugs destroy pathogenic microflora, reduce the activity of sweat glands and mask an unpleasant odor. They are released in aerosol form.deodorants, creams, talcs and gels.
The best remedies for hyperhidrosis include the following:
- "Deo-Control" from the concern "Kalina" together with Rexona. The consumer can choose the product in the form of cream, gel and aerosol. All products have a deodorizing and antibacterial effect.
- Scholl Fresh Step. Deodorant eliminates infection and reduces sweating. Suitable for diabetics.
- 12 watches by Yves Rocher. The cream has a mild lavender scent. Not suitable for people suffering from pungent foot odor. This product refreshes the skin, eliminates sweat and prevents fungal infections.
Fight with corns
Increased stress and friction of the skin can cause calluses. Care of the legs and feet involves getting rid of this painful formation. Anti-corn plasters, which can be purchased at a pharmacy, help eliminate the build-up. The most effective are:
- "Salipod". Removes even calluses that have an inner core.
- Compeed. Great for wet and dry calluses.
- Leiko salicylic patch. Salicylic acid helps eliminate calluses.
Treatment of cracked heels
Cracked heels can be caused by overweight, poor hygiene, tight shoes and internal pathologies. Proper care of the legs and feet will help to avoid wounds reaching the bone.
Dermatologists advice onrestore skin integrity:
- In equal proportions, mix ammonia and glycerin. Apply the mixture to the skin after the bath. Repeat the procedure twice a day until complete recovery.
- Grate two tablespoons of cottage cheese, fat sour cream and honey. Apply the mixture on the feet, for 30 minutes.
- Heat 50 g of vaseline in a water bath. Add 10 g of crushed propolis. Strain the resulting mixture and lubricate the feet twice a day.
Features of diabetic foot care
Patients with diabetes often have circulatory problems. The lower limbs are especially affected. In severe cases, necrosis and even gangrene may develop. Often the situation ends with amputation. Therefore, the so-called diabetic foot requires special attention. Foot care should be done regularly.
Patients should have such antiseptics in their home first-aid kit as: Malavit, Miramistin, Chlorhexidine, furatsilina solution. If even small cracks or wounds are found, treat them with the listed medicines. This will help prevent infection.
With diabetes, foot baths with copper sulphate and extracts of medicinal plants are useful. To soften the skin, disinfect and improve blood circulation, it is recommended to apply gruel from crushed aloe or Kalanchoe leaves to the feet. Applications with fermented milk products, honey and essential oils have a good effect.
Fungus Prevention
Prevention of infectionfungus is an important component of foot and foot care. In summer, this becomes especially true, as people visit swimming pools, spas, gyms and baths more often.
To avoid a long fight against the fungus, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:
- Use rubber shoes in the pool and sauna.
- Take care of your feet regularly.
- Do not wear someone else's shoes and even slippers at a party.
- Examine the skin of the feet daily.
- Do not use other people's towels and manicure supplies.
Ingrown toenail prevention
Onychocryptosis is an ingrowth into the skin roller of the nail plate. This is facilitated by improper pedicure technique, fungus, uncomfortable shoes and flat feet. Every day the nail breaks the tissue more and more. This leads to the development of pain, which increases several times when walking. An infection gets into the non-healing edges of the wound and purulent discharge appears.
In most cases, pathology is fought with the help of surgical intervention. To avoid painful treatment, it is recommended to follow some rules that will avoid the development of onychocryptosis:
- Keep personal hygiene.
- Do not wear uncomfortable or tight shoes.
- Follow the pedicure technique.
- Timely treat orthopedic and fungal diseases.
- Avoid toe injury.
