Let's face it: we have a little neglected, hidden in our boots or our closed shoes. With the return of good weather, it's time to look at our feet and revise our routine.
Hygiene of the feet: a meticulous toilet essential
We wash our feet every day, of course, but not with too hot water. The foot is devoid of sebaceous glands . It is very dry, and the hot water weakens it. So lukewarm water and mild soap. The ideal is a good soap Marseille or Aleppo.
We wipe well between each toe. It's tedious, it's true, but essential to prevent fungal infections .
The good house plan: one to two times a week do a foot bath of 5 to 10 minutes with baking soda for an antibacterial effect (3 tablespoons in a bowl).
Regular scrub to prevent horn formation
The "horn" (hyperkeratosis) underfoot is actually a reaction of the skin to friction : poorly fitting shoes, poor foot posture. If you rasp too hard the horn comes back faster and faster . So no more than one to two times a week, in moderation and on dry feet.
You can also take a cure with a daily keratolitic cream 50% urea for one to two weeks.
Bluffing too: today there are slippers to keep an hour that remove all calluses and roughness. After 3 to 5 days the desquamated skin, the dead cells fall and we find his baby feet. Be careful: repeat only every three months and on healthy feet, without abrasions or blisters.
The good house plan: for a gentle and ecological scrub , mix brown sugar with our foot cream and rub gently.
The importance of good hydration
We choose a moisturizer and relipidante to soften this hyper-dry area. Heel to toe mass , but never between the toes to avoid the macerations that make the nest of fungal infections or "athlete's foot".
The best moisturizers are based on urea, but be careful: they are chosen at a concentration below 10% because, above, the urea becomes keratolitic. Excellent also shea butter creams , glycerin, avocado oils, coconut.
The good house plan: apply a nourishing mask care in the evening and keep it all night under cotton socks exclusively. Not madly glam 'but very effective.
Prevent bad smells
Antiperspirant sprays are effective but often dry out the feet. Better to invest in a bomb that sprays talc into the shoe.
Once or twice a week you pour a few drops of mint essential oil into your footbath, or you dive one to two tea bags, excellent astringent. The ideal would be to change shoes every day to let them dry and "breathe" 24 hours. If you wear socks, choose them, it is essential, in natural fibers, cotton or Scottish thread.
The good house plan: no talc? Maïzena does the job very well.
Tips for relieving swollen and painful feet
To relieve legs and feet we massage with 10ml of olive oil in which we add 2 drops of essential oils of mint, cypress, ylang. This preparation stimulates the venous circulation and brings freshness to the feet and ankles while draining the edema.
Even simpler, a fresh footbath with a handful of coarse salt.
The good home plan: back home, we lie on the ground and put the legs in the air vertically by putting feet as close to the wall as possible. Almost immediate relief.
To care for your toenails
They are always treated dry. A real forceps is more effective than a nail cutter because the edge must be cut straight to avoid ingrown nails. We can round the sides with a soft file, always cardboard.
They should not be too short (they do not protect the toe) or too long (they stumble in closed shoes which can traumatize them). They should never exceed the pulp of the toe, ideally 1 to 2 mm shorter than the tip of the toe.
The good house plan: so that they shine without varnish, they are polished gently with the chamois leather or one passes a layer of protector with silicon.
Prevent blisters
These are real burns caused by rubbing on new shoes, too stiff leathers, etc. To prevent them, an anti-friction dressing, an anti-rubbing cream or even petroleum jelly is used in prevention, in a thick layer, under a dressing.
When the blister has appeared, it is gently pierced to evacuate the liquid. The small skin that covers it is never cut. Disinfect and cover with a hydrocolloid dressing that promotes healing.
The good house plan: to relieve pain and accelerate healing, we always think of baking soda (3 to 4 tablespoons in a basin of warm water) or we apply a gel compress pure Aloe Vera, anti natural inflammatory and healing.
Relieve small plantar sores
The corns are due to a localized skin cluster , with a more compact center that is painful. It stings, while the callus, yellow in color, forms a small pad whose central part is thicker. He burns. No questions about touching yourself with a blade or any other cutting object.
Waiting for appointment with the pedicure relieves discomfort with pads that dampen the pressure of the shoe. Hepatic cracks, which are very painful, are also the specialist's responsibility: the cut of the skin has reached the dermis and the chiropodist will remove the surrounding stratum corneum from the blade and prescribe moisturizing Vaseline care to close it. .
The good house plan: to relieve a horn one crushes a stamp of aspirin in a little water and a juice of lemon and one puts it in mask under a bandage which one leaves 10 to 20mns. This keratolytic plaster will soften the stratum corneum and temporarily relieve pain.
Thanks to Nathalie Broussard, Director of Scientific Communication SVR and Nicolas Grenot, pedicurist-chiropodist, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Podiatrist.
