Make Sure Your ‘Summer Feet’ Don’t Turn Into ‘Winter Feet’

The dog days of summer have passed, and so have well-kept feet. While we (ideally) take better care of our feet while we’re wearing flip flops, stiletto wedges, and mandals in July, things start to deteriorate when we’re wearing sneakers, slippers, and Uggs later in the year. It’s simple to cover the barking dogs with socks as fall approaches and forget about them until spring. Unfortunately, that would be a mistake, should we wake up one frigid morning with our bedding torn to pieces by the hacksaw edges of skin that have taken up home on our heels.

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Attention must be paid to the cracks, often known as “fissures.” Not only does it look bad, but dry skin may itch, bleed, make walking difficult, and even cause infections. Here’s how to protect them from becoming parched gullies where a complete crop of spring greens might be planted.

Establish a nighttime routine (aka exfoliate)

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When you’re a middle-aged woman with heel fissures. You must first remove the dead skin from your heels before you can recover them. Wash your feet in plain or slightly soapy water before going to bed. Exfoliate with a loofah, a foot file (yep, the mini-cheese grater), or a pumice stone after patting dry. Exfoliate your skin a few times a week, but not every night, since quite so much exfoliating can make your skin dry and prone to calluses.

This white wine vinegar and Listerine soak are for the more daring DIYers. (Their acidity and antibacterial characteristics, respectively, aid in the removal of dead skin and the cleansing of what lies underneath.) Here are some additional natural home cures.

In one direction, file your heels

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You’re not wrong if you think too much forceful exfoliating action is harmful to your heels. Dr. Jacqueline Sutera, a podiatrist, told Well + Good that enough back and forth motion might exacerbate cracks. Sutera recommends using a device foot file like Amope to keep the scraping from getting too deep, “down to dermal layers of skin,” which can lead to infection, discomfort, increased cracking, and scarring.

also read: How to Get Away of Gel Nail Polish Without Visiting a Salon

Showers should be warm (not hot)

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On a gloomy, bone-chilling day, nothing beats a hot shower or bath to warm you. (Not much, but walking in comfortable heels is certainly worth forsaking this pleasure.) The body loses natural oils and moisture when exposed to hot water. Although it may be disappointing, lukewarm water is ideal for your entire body, not just your heels.

After showering, moisturize immediately

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While your skin is still damp, it is the greatest moment to seal in moisture and cure it (not soaking). Moisturized skin absorbs products more quickly, and the moisturizer acts as a barrier to keep the water inside the skin. But once isn’t enough in this situation. Heels that are in pain should be moisturized twice a day and covered with thin cotton socks.

Apply “winter moisturizer”

Although the warmer, humid months necessitate a milder moisturizer, the cooler, drier air and central heating of the fall and winter months necessitate a thicker, more moisturizing cream. Because they’re greasier, use a lesser quantity and massage them in well. Mineral oil, jojoba oil, lanolin, beeswax, paraffin, isopropanol, coconut oil, shea butter, or glycerine are all components to look for. (Emollients soften the skin, replenish oils, and keep moisture in.) Kerasal, Eucerin, Cetaphil, and Aquaphor are all popular products.)Wear flip-flops or socks about the house until the extra grease is totally absorbed if you don’t want it to migrate to your flooring or bed.

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“Marinate cracked heels with petroleum jelly,” WebMD advises, “wrapping them in plastic wrap and sleeping in a pair of socks until desired results are achieved.”

Use a foot mask or a heel sleeve to protect your feet

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Some claim by this foot mask’s capacity to peel away your foot’s outer layer, revealing the delicate newborn skin below, if you’re alright with some severe skin peeling (and some lasting irritation). (A word of caution: if you have sensitive skin, check the reviews first.) Recognize using a moisturizing heel sleeve for a less dramatic look.

Make an appointment for an autumn pedicure

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Of course, you can accomplish all of this yourself. However, you might want to try starting the frigid months off well with a professional pedicure and investing in an extra treatment like callouses removal, exfoliation sugar scrub, or moisturizing mask to give you more desire to keep them healthy throughout winter.

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