A pedicure is a great way to relax after a long day on your feet. A well-done home pedicure can help you cleanse and soften your skin, calm inflammation, and prevent the development of foot odor, corns, calluses, fungal nails, Athlete’s Foot, and other common fungal problems. Here are some great ways to maintain the health and beauty of your feet without ever setting foot in a salon.
Foot Soaks
Begin your home pedicure with a soothing foot soak, keeping your feet in warm water for about 10 minutes. Gentle soap, epsom salts, and essential oils can be added to help your feet smell fresh. After you’ve soaked your feet, exfoliate dead skin with a pumice stone, emery board, or body scrub.
Toenail Trims
Before trimming your toenails, push back your cuticles with a Hindu stone or an orange stick. Be sure to trim each toe straight across rather than in a curved pattern, as this helps prevent ingrown toenails. Then, file the edges of each nail, maintaining the straight shape. Be sure that you can always see a few millimeters of skin along each nail’s margin.
Lotion Massages
Massage a dime-sized dollop of lotion or moisturizing cream into your foot, focusing first on your cuticles and nail margins. Then, massage the rest of your foot, rubbing your arches, heels, ankles, and any other sore areas. Excellent self-massage techniques include:
- rubbing your thumbs over the skin in small circular motions
- pushing two thumbs up and down in opposite directions (known as cross-fiber friction)
- kneading your balled fist into the arch of your foot
- rubbing in-between each individual toe
- rolling your feet back and forth over a bottle, rolling pin, or round ball
For more professional foot care tips, visit Foot First Podiatry in New Albany, IN. Our highly qualified podiatrist Dr. Zahid Ladha, D.P.M. is dedicated to providing the highest quality diagnostic care and medical treatment for you and your feet. Contact us at (812) 945-9221 and schedule an appointment today!