The holidays are busy, but they are supposed to be a time to rest, relax, and enjoy family. Your feet need a holiday, too, especially if you’ve spent most of yours running errands or standing around at parties. Give them a little pampering with a safe home pedicure. Here are a few at-home spa tips to keep your feet looking and feeling great, as well as benefit your general foot care.
Pampering your skin and nails is actually good for their health. It helps keep feet comfy and infection-free. It also helps your nails stay healthy and less likely to grow inward or get infected. While public spas have some level of risk for infections because of so many people using them, at home you can control the cleanliness of all your tools—and you’re not sharing them with anyone. Here are a few at-home spa tips so your foot pampering is a success:
Soak your feet in warm water with Epsom salts for ten minutes.
Pat your feet mostly dry, then gently rub your feet with a pumice stone. Pay extra attention to your heels and anywhere with calluses.
Use toenail clippers to trim your nails straight across. Then use an emery board to smooth out the edge by filing in just one direction.
Rub moisturizer into your skin and nails, though avoid the areas between your toes.
Don’t cut or clip your cuticles in any way. That could open your feet to infections.
Sanitize your tools after you use them so any bacteria or other pathogens on them can be eliminated.
You can also take this time to inspect your feet for any changes or abnormal problems. That way you can have anything unusual you come across investigated and monitored. However, if you have any sort of open cut or a condition that weakens your blood flow or immune system, you should avoid spa treatments and get medical help for your foot and nail care. Problems like diabetes, peripheral artery disease, varicose veins, and open sores increase your risk for contracting an infection that may be hard to eliminate, so it’s much better to skip the at-home pampering and stay safe.
Take care of your feet this holiday season! If you need help with your general foot care, or you already have a foot condition, let Dr. Darren Silvester of Next Step Foot & Ankle Clinic in Pleasanton, TX, know. Just call (830) 569-3338 or use our website to make an appointment.