FASHION HEALTH & BEAUTY
Su mmer
feet tips
Summer is here at last, so why not use these 10
summer foot care tips from The Society of Chiropodists
and Podiatrists to get your feet in shape?
Trim your toenails Use proper nail clippers
Ring the changes. Wear a variety of different
and cut straight across, not too short, and
sandals and shoes during summer to help
not down at the corners as this can lead to
prevent cracked heels, hard skin and blisters.
ingrown nails. File them, if that’s easier.
Lorraine says: “We understand that when the
Go barefoot or wear open-toed sandals
whenever you can in the hot weather (except
when you’re in a communal shower or
changing area) to help stop your feet getting
sweaty and smelly.
Forget flip-flops. Don’t be tempted to wear
flip-flops all through the summer. They don’t
provide support for your feet and can give you
arch and heel pain if you wear them for too
long.
Change socks daily. If you have to wear
socks in hot weather, change them once a day
and choose ones that contain at least 70 per
cent cotton or wool to keep your feet dry and
stop them smelling.
summer arrives, people are naturally going to
opt for lightweight footwear such as flip-flops
and flimsy sandals. However, we’d recommend
alternating your footwear so that you aren’t
wearing this style of shoe day-in, day-out."
Watch out for foot infections. The floors of
communal showers and changing rooms at
open-air and hotel swimming pools are hot
spots for infections such as athlete’s foot and
verrucas. Don’t wander around public pools or
in the changing room barefoot.
Tackle sweat. If you have sweaty feet in the
summer, it’s even more important to wash your
feet each morning and evening in warm, soapy
water then dry them thoroughly. You can also
use an antibacterial wash, which helps deal
Remove hard skin. Hard, cracked skin around
with foot odour. Then wipe them with cotton
the heels is very common in summer. Use a
wool dipped in surgical spirit and dust them
foot file, emery board or pumice stone to gently
with talc.
rub away the hard skin, and then apply a rich
moisturising cream such as aqueous cream or
E45 to soften the skin.
Get help if you need it. Basic hygiene and
nail cutting should be all you need to keep your
feet healthy. But if you have any problems,
Banish blisters. Blisters strike more often
such as hard skin that you can’t get rid of, it's
in hot weather. They’re caused by rubbing,
best to seek professional help. Your GP will be
especially between the toes if you’re wearing
able to advise you on local foot services.
flip-flops with "thongs". Lorraine Jones, a
podiatrist from The Society of Chiropodists
and Podiatrists, says: “The key to preventing
summer blisters is to keep your feet dry, wear
shoes or sandals that fit well and aren’t too
loose, and give your feet ample rest so they
don’t get hot and sweaty. If you do get a blister,
don’t put a plaster over it. Leave it to dry out on
its own.
Registered podiatrists, also known as
chiropodists, a &RG&