Caring For Your Feet This Summer

Bring on sandals and bare feet! Do you want to feel the sand between your toes this summer? While it does feel good to stretch your toes outside and walk through the grass or sand, it is important to take good care of our feet. Your podiatrist in West Milford reminds you to pay attention to potential hazards and sun exposure this summer.

How to Take Care of Your Feet in the Summer

Wear supportive shoes as much as possible. Whether you are in your backyard, enjoying the pool at a friend’s house or showering at the community pool, it is a great idea to cover the bottom of your feet to avoid injury. While swimming pools themselves are kept hygienic through the use of chlorine, the surrounding areas are not. Just a simple set of supportive footwear can protect your feet from anything on the surface of the sidewalk, shower floor or grass in the yard.
Wash your feet thoroughly. When you come indoors from being outside in sandals or bare feet, wash your feet thoroughly to ensure that you have removed any ground-in dirt or bacteria. If you have sensitivities or allergies to something, you may not notice any signs of a reaction right away. Washing your feet will remove the irritant and soothe the skin.
Treat injuries and bites immediately. If you do find yourself with an injury, take the time to thoroughly clean and treat the area right away to reduce swelling and treat the affected area with a topical antibiotic if it is a cut or scrape. Stings from insects are are very common during the summer months and we highly recommend keeping an eye on them and taking precautions to make sure that they don’t become a more severe problem.
Remove rough skin and calluses. Walking around with your bare feet and even wearing sandals can cause more rough skin or build calluses on your feet. To soften the skin on your feet, you can use a pumice stone on rough areas after bathing or showering when skin is softer to gently exfoliate the rough, dry skin. If you have diabetes or decreased sensation to your feet, be sure to ask your West Milford, NJ podiatrist alternative ways to care for your rough skin or calluses to ensure the overall health of your feet and ankles.
Use heavy-duty moisturizers regularly. Moisturizers that are designed especially for feet will help keep skin soft and smooth throughout the summer. Use a moisturizer after bathing or right before bed to give it time to soak into your skin.
Use sunscreen on your feet to prevent burning. Feet can burn like any other part of your skin even when you wear sandals. You don’t need to end up with a lobster red burn to end up damaging your skin. Sunscreen helps keep your skin happy and healthy so you can stay focused on the important parts of your summer!
Water is great for you. Remember to stay hydrated! Summer heat brings increased chances of swelling. To prevent water retention, continue to drink your water regularly.