With warmer weather on the way, you may be consigning your boots to the back of your closet, and readying space for lighter spring shoes. If a shopping trip to check out the new spring styles is in your plans this week, don’t forget that your feet may be tender after a winter of being enclosed in socks and shoes. Finding a new pair that fits well can help prevent corns and calluses from forming as you transition to sandals and barefoot styles that don’t protect your feet as well.
Shoes are the major source of the friction that causes hard calluses to build up on the soles of your feet, or corns to form where your bones rub against the inside. Extra dry heels can crack and split, and open shoe styles can expose them to infection as they encounter the environment. Corns can be aggravated by heels and tight shoes, and the added pressure can cause quite a bit of pain. Eliminating the friction with the right shoes reduces your risk of getting these patches of dry skin.
There are other things you can do, too, to prevent corns and calluses. Soaking your feet in warm water and then gently abrading the built up layers of skin with a pumice stone can help keep them under control. Using a good lotion or cream will also help to keep the skin softer and reduce the pressure from hard corns. Don’t underestimate the power of hydration, either. When warm weather has you perspiring more, make sure you drink enough fluids to keep your skin supple and smooth.
Don’t let corns and calluses ruin your fun this spring. For this and any other foot problem, come to the experts at The Plateau Foot & Ankle Clinic in Sammamish, WA. Call (425) 868-3338 for excellent foot care in a caring environment. We also serve the Bellevue, Issaquah, and Redmond areas, and you can request an appointment right on our website.
