Research from psychologists at the University of Massachusetts has revealed that the most attractive part of a woman’s body, according to men, is her legs. Men’s interest in women indeed rises from the ground up: following legs in the attractiveness hierarchy are the waist, hips, and lips (breasts, collarbones, neck, eyes, and hair didn’t even make the top four). Most surveyed men admitted that they primarily focus on the length, shape, and grooming of women’s legs: the elegance of the calves, the smooth transition to the ankles, and the softness of silky skin. Therefore, summer foot care routines are essential. These include maintaining hygiene, moisturizing the skin, controlling sweating, protecting against the sun, preventing cracks on the soles, and combating calluses, corns, fungi, and swelling.
For Confident Walking
Even if we’re not walking barefoot on the sand at the beach or on grass at the cottage, our feet in open shoes get dirtier than they do under during the cooler seasons. Another issue is that our feet sweat. So let’s start with some general recommendations.
Hygiene
Wash your feet daily with antibacterial or regular soap. Pay special attention to the areas between your toes—these spots should be dried thoroughly to prevent creating an environment for bacteria and fungi to thrive. It’s advisable to use foot deodorants or antibacterial products to control sweating and prevent unpleasant odors.
Sweat Control
Foot sweating requires the use of special deodorants or antiperspirants. The main difference between these products lies in their function: deodorants combat the smell of , while antiperspirants reduce sweating. Deodorants neutralize or mask odors using antibacterial components and fragrances without affecting the intensity of sweating. In contrast, antiperspirants, thanks to aluminum salts that temporarily block sweat glands, regulate the amount of sweat produced. There are also combination products that serve both functions. Deodorants and antiperspirants can be used twice a day (no more), as zinc and aluminum in these hygiene products are not the best for the skin.
To manage excessive foot sweating, evening baking soda baths can be helpful: before bed, dissolve half a cup of baking soda in three liters of warm water and soak your feet in the solution for 15 minutes. These baking soda baths should be taken for at least a week—usually, foot sweating decreases after such treatments.
For this purpose, fresh or dried birch leaves are commonly used. They are scalded with boiling water, cooled, and applied to the feet and between the toes. Some people even put this compress in their socks or shoes. This procedure should be done once a day until sweating decreases. Additionally, talcum powder or baby powder can be used to absorb excess moisture. Those with excessive sweating should avoid tight, non-breathable shoes. It’s important to frequently change socks, prefer natural materials, and avoid synthetics.
Moisturizing
Foot baths with sea salt or herbal infusions with anti-inflammatory properties—such as chamomile or calendula—are beneficial for health and beauty: they soften and moisturize the skin. After each foot wash or at night, apply foot lotion or moisturizing cream to the skin. Opt for moisturizing products with oils or urea, as they effectively soften even rough skin on the heels. Particularly effective for foot care are coconut oil and shea (or karité) butter—both plant oils are derived from seeds and have a pleasant nutty aroma.
Nail Care
Nail hygiene involves regular trimming. To prevent ingrown toenails, shape the edges of the nail plates straight. Soften the cuticles and carefully remove them if they are bothersome. At the same time, it’s important to recognize the protective function of the thin skin that forms at the junction of the nail plate and the nail folds, which protects the nail root from infections and damage. The cuticle’s role is to prevent injury to sensitive areas of the nails, water penetration, and fungal infections. Trimming the cuticle can enhance the aesthetics of the nails, improve their growth, and prevent hangnails. However, improper cuticle trimming can lead to infections and inflammation. If nail polish is used in nail care, it’s better to choose acetone-free products.
Sun Protection
For those who spend a lot of time in the sun or wear open shoes, it’s essential to use sunscreen with a high SPF (Sun Protection Factor). This product should be applied to the skin of the feet half an hour before sun exposure and reapplied every two hours spent under the hot rays (especially after swimming).
Fungal Prevention
When visiting a pool or , it’s important to protect yourself from fungal infections. To prevent infection in public places, antifungal products should be used, and at the first signs of a fungal infection, it’s necessary to consult a doctor, as incompetent self-treatment can be ineffective and harmful to health.
Light Physical Activity
Exercises for the legs improve blood circulation in the limbs and increase muscle tone. However, in hot weather, it’s best to avoid intense workouts. Swimming, walking, or light jogging during favorable times of the day is recommended, and after physical activity, it’s beneficial to lie down with your legs elevated to relieve fatigue and reduce swelling.
Foot Massage
Massaging the calves and feet relaxes the muscles and improves blood circulation. Apply oil or cream to your legs using massage movements from the feet to the knees. If possible, seek a professional foot massage at a massage salon or get a pedicure. A pedicure involves a comprehensive set of cosmetic and hygienic procedures for caring for the feet, nails, and toes, where you can receive all services at once: removing calluses or corns, tidying up the nail plates, cleaning, moisturizing, and massaging the feet.
The “Favorite” Corn
Wet corns on the foot are fresh skin abrasions caused by wearing tight, new, or uncomfortable shoes. These soft, painful blisters filled with cloudy fluid are not just a cosmetic defect but a potential health threat. Blisters can burst and bleed. If bacteria enter the wound, the consequences can be severe: inflammation, infection, and even blood poisoning. Therefore, corns should not be ignored. Wet corns on the toes can be treated with folk remedies.
Potato
A paste made from grated raw from last year’s harvest should be soaked in gauze, applied to the affected skin, and secured with a bandage or adhesive plaster. The compress should be changed after a day. Experts assure that usually, three treatments are sufficient for the absorption of a wet corn.
Plantain, Wild Sorrel, and Calendula
Corns can also be treated using a mixture of washed and chopped leaves of plantain, wild sorrel, and calendula in the same manner: can be used for compresses individually or together.
Tomato
Dry corns, unlike wet ones, are not painful but can be unsightly. To avoid the fear of wearing sandals, you can use a compress made from a ripe attached to the corn overnight. The corn should peel off layer by layer: after removing the compress, the thickened skin that separates should be gently scraped off daily with a pumice stone or nail file.
Lemon
A whole (peel and pulp) should be passed through a meat grinder, and this paste should be applied to the dry corn, bandaged, and left overnight. In the morning, as in the previous recipe, the softened skin that separates should be removed with a nail file.
Onion
A baked should be cut in half and applied cut-side down to the “favorite” corn, bandaged, and left on overnight while wearing socks. After five days, the dry corn will disappear. To eliminate the onion smell after the procedure, wash your feet in warm soapy water and use foot deodorant.
Fighting Calluses
A callus is a dry, hardened corn or a localized thickening of the skin’s keratin layer due to constant pressure or friction. Unlike a watery corn, a callus has a more prolonged origin and deep rooting (the so-called core corn is a type of callus or dry corn on the foot). The most challenging to treat are old calluses, which require comprehensive treatment and prevention.
Prunes
A warm paste made from chopped, soaked prunes should be applied to the calluses overnight (secured on the foot and covered with socks). In the morning, the peeling skin should be scraped off, and the callus should be smeared with warm olive or .
Onion and Vinegar
Another folk remedy for old corns involves soaking 150 grams of onion peels in half a glass of table vinegar in a glass container with a tight lid, sealing it, and letting it steep for two weeks in a dark place. The resulting infusion should be used for compresses, applying them overnight until the problem disappears.
Dandelion and Alder
For foot care, fresh leaves of alder, dandelion, or coltsfoot can be placed in shoes.
Salt
For painful corns, foot baths with salt (1 teaspoon of salt per 1 liter of warm water) should be taken. Let your feet soak in this solution for 20 minutes and then dry naturally without using a towel—the pain should subside immediately.
Baking Soda
Baking soda baths are recommended at night to soften the skin: in the evening, soak your feet for half an hour in a solution made of 1 liter of warm water, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, and 1 tablespoon of grated household soap. After the procedure, the softened skin can be easily scraped off. After treating corns and calluses, apply a nourishing cream to dry feet. For prevention, it’s essential to remove hardened skin from the feet weekly after soaking.
Vitamins
To keep the skin on the heels and pads of the toes soft, the body needs to receive vitamins A and E (found in , , , green onions, carrots, citrus fruits, butter, milk, and liver).
Cracks on the Heels
If you are prone to developing cracks in the skin, it’s advisable to include foods rich in vitamins A, B, and C in your daily diet. You should eat , raw , butter, egg yolk, caviar, and liver—these foods are rich in retinol and carotene, deficiencies of which contribute to dry skin.
If the thick skin on the heels has cracked, treat the cracks with antibacterial and antifungal medications.
The causes of cracks on the heels can include:
- vitamin deficiencies;
- poorly fitting shoes;
- irregular foot care;
- excessive peeling procedures that hinder skin recovery;
- thyroid disease;
- metabolic disorders;
- ;
- .
There are numerous folk remedies for treating cracks on the heels. Here are some:
- boil potato peels and soak your feet in the broth for 20 minutes, then rinse your feet with warm water and apply castor oil;
- for deep cracks on the heels, take daily starch baths: dissolve 1 tablespoon of potato starch in 1 liter of water and steam your feet in this mixture before bed, then apply a fatty cream or glycerin to the cracks (usually, ten half-hour treatments are needed for healing);
- steam your feet in a decoction of calendula flowers and leaves (brew the herbs in 1 liter of boiling water);
- add 1 liter of herbal decoction or infusion, 3 drops of ammonia, and 1 tablespoon of baking soda to 3 liters of water and take foot baths for a week (for 20 minutes);
- brew 1 tablespoon of chamomile in 1 liter of water and take foot baths while caring for cracks on the heels;
- at night, apply compresses to the cracks in the skin made from pureed green ;
- make a compress with cabbage and : slightly bruised cabbage leaves smeared with honey, dusted with flour, should be applied to the heels and secured, leaving it on overnight (repeat the procedure for a week);
- before bed, take a foot bath with boric acid (dissolve 2 tablespoons of boric acid in 1 liter of warm water), dry your feet, fill the cracks with petroleum jelly, and cover with a plaster;
- after the bath, treat the cracks on the heels with salicylic ointment or a mixture of egg yolk, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of starch;
- always nourish the rough skin on the heels with moisturizing products.
What Causes Mycoses?
Dermatologists assert that fungi are present on everyone’s skin, but fungal infections only develop when the body’s protective functions are weakened. Among people over 60, one in three suffers from fungal infections. Most often, individuals catch fungal infections in spring or late winter when immunity is low due to a lack of sunlight and vitamins. Fungi thrive in warmth and humidity. The most common places for fungal infections in summer are beaches, saunas, and pools. It’s crucial not to go there with cracked heels.
Risk factors include:
- “standing” jobs;
- varicose veins and vascular diseases;
- frostbite and wounds on the legs;
- infected or ill-fitting shoes;
- overuse of synthetic socks and .
Foot fungus is a long-term infection. It affects both feet and often spreads from the skin to the nails. Pain, unpleasant odor, and the need to hide one’s feet are issues caused by mycosis, which significantly impacts comfort and self-esteem. Fungi often settle in the soft tissues under the nails and the corners of the nails, so it’s best not to cut the corners. After visiting a public bath or beach, treat your feet with boric alcohol or antifungal ointment (the most accessible antifungal agents are tar and sulfur ointments).
Nail fungus causes discoloration of the nail plates, dullness, splitting, thickening, and deformation. Yeast-like fungi can provoke inflammation of the tissues around the nail, causing itching and dull pain. Fungal infections often begin not with changes in the appearance of the nails but with the emergence of cracks on the heels and between the toes.
For treatment and protection of the nails, dermatologists recommend antifungal lacquers that can be applied under a tinted layer. The skin affected by mycosis on the legs should be wiped with boric alcohol or an acidic solution (1 teaspoon of table vinegar per 1 cup of water). When the disease is not advanced, local treatment may suffice: trim the affected areas, cover the nails with therapeutic lacquer, and apply antifungal ointments or iodine to the skin. However, if 15-20% of the nail is affected by fungus, only combined therapy can help.
Mycosis can be caused by vascular disorders or deficiencies of , silicon, or zinc. To prevent deficiency states, it’s essential to take calcium gluconate courses twice a year and enrich the diet with vitamins A, B, D, as well as plant or animal proteins. Consuming cheese, butter, fish, , , nuts, carrots, and is beneficial for the health and beauty of the feet. Gelatin also promotes nail strength. Treating fungus improves overall health.
To prevent mycoses in summer, wear socks made of natural, hygroscopic fabric (cotton), and ensure that leather shoes are dry and breathable. It’s important to disinfect shoes, pedicure tools, and the bath, and above all, maintain foot hygiene.
Why Do Feet Swell?
Two more issues that hinder the beauty of feet are swelling and cellulite. To combat these, a comprehensive approach is needed, including healthy eating, limiting salt and intake, regular exercises for the legs and buttocks, manual or machine massage, and cosmetic procedures such as mesotherapy, cryolipolysis, and RF lifting. At the same time, adequate water intake is crucial for skin hydration and normalizing metabolism.
Certain foods cause excessive fluid retention in tissues: fast food; salty dishes; spicy foods; fatty foods; sweets; dairy products; baked goods; alcohol. At the same time, there are foods that help prevent swelling. These include: ; ; dried fruits; citrus fruits; ; potatoes; ; greens; green tea. Foot care will be incomplete if we ignore proper nutrition.
For those prone to swelling, consuming baked or boiled pumpkin pulp as a diuretic is recommended. Drinking half a glass of fresh pumpkin pulp juice and tea made from pumpkin seeds daily is beneficial. Another effective remedy is to steep 2 teaspoons of chopped in boiling water overnight in a half-liter thermos, strain, and drink half a glass four times a day.
To prevent foot swelling, exercises that improve blood circulation are helpful: rise onto your toes and then drop sharply onto your heels. To prevent foot swelling, avoid high heels and heavy lifting. It’s beneficial to pick up small objects with your toes and to stroke and massage your legs, starting from the feet. Ironically, the attractiveness of our legs is in our hands.
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