Care for your feet – they are the only ones you have

Can you imagine life without your feet?

Our feet are the most used part of our body but few of us take proper care of our them as we should. The feet are prone to many conditions – not the least of these are skin conditions such as athletes foot, corns and eczema.

“Feet are often neglected but are extremely good indicators to what is going on in the rest of the body,” says podiatric surgeon Michael O’Neill. Ailments such as circulatory problems, diabetes and skin problems can all be determined by just looking at the feet.

If you don’t look after them…

Not looking after our feet can cause both short and long-term problems. Not drying our feet properly after washing, wearing synthetic socks and closed shoes on a hot day and allowing our feet to remain sweaty will all potentially lead to the skin becoming fragile and unhealthy with eczema and dermatitis often the end result.

Psoriasis can also be evident in the feet as the toenails may often become ridged or pitted. Joint pain or distortion, or collapse of the foot arch may also be an early indication that psoriatic arthritis is developing especially if the person already suffers from psoriasis.

We need to care for our feet especially if we are allergy prone or suffer from a skin condition such as eczema or psoriasis.

How to care for your feet

  • Wear shoes that will allow the skin to breathe. Open shoes are best.
  • Wear cotton socks in preference to wool or synthetic, as they are less likely to irritate the skin.
  • Wash sweat off as soon as possible and ensure the feet are dried thoroughly.
  • Apply a moisturizer regularly to prevent the skin from drying out and becoming rough.
  • Try alternating shoes each day so that wet or moist shoes do not need to be worn.