FEET WOES IN MONSOON

While all your attention is towards fighting the frizz and oily skin in this season, do not ignore what it may be doing to your feet.

Monsoon surely is the most awaited season, if not all but for most of us. And why shouldn’t it be? It makes the whole landscape look fresh, green, and glistening. The smell of wet soil, the damp grass, and the slosh of puddles under our feet make us want to dance with wanton joy.

Meanwhile what we forget is the effect that the exposure to these puddles and wet surroundings have on the pedestals of our beauty – our feet! Use these few tips to spruce up your regimen and give your feet the attention they deserve!

Foot troubles to watch out for

It is not possible to avoid getting the feet dirty and walking into puddles during monsoon. Continued exposure to water makes them soggy and vulnerable to cracks and infections, and the dirty water adds to your woes, since this invites lot of germs and bacteria. Thus resulting in severe itchiness and redness which if left untreated, often takes the shape of serious skin allergies.

The most common problem that we face in this season is fungal infection between the toes which is caused when the shoes are wet after the rains. Malodorous or “smelly” feet are another result of continued use of wet footwear and bacterial overgrowth in the footwear or the feet.

Another ailment from which many suffer during monsoon months is the athlete’s foot. A combination of bacterial and fungal infection, the disease starts from toe portion and spreads gradually. It is characterised by minute blisters splitting the skin. The skin becomes white or greenish and a foul smell comes from the discharge or pus formation.

If you think wearing covered shoes may solve all these problems, then again that is a misconception. You should wear open shoes as the chances of fungal infections between toes increases if you wear covered ones throughout the day. Not to mention the smelly feet when you open your shoes at the end of the day.

Special care is also required by diabetic patients because any injury on their foot takes very long to heal.

The way to go

Soak first

After returning home, soak your feet in lukewarm water after adding a few drops of antiseptic liquid like Savlon or Dettol. Scrub the foot and clean inside portion of nails thoroughly. If you’re facing the problem of smelly feet you could brew two tea bags in one quart of warm water and soak for ten minutes every night for a week. The tannic acid in the tea helps you to get rid of the stinking feet.

Do not forget to Scrub

The heel is the place, which gets affected maximum, and so one has to ensure that this area is kept clean. Use a pumice stone or a foot scrubber to clean the heels. This helps in removing the dead cells and keeps the area hygienic and clean.  However, do not go overboard with scrubbing your feet, once or twice a week is enough to keep them healthy. You can pick up a foot scrub from the store or prepare a homemade scrub by mixing equal amounts of brown sugar, baking soda and olive oil.

Post Cleansing Care

After soaking, dry your feet properly and apply a light moisturiser. Thereafter, apply some anti-fungal powder and keep them free in the air for some time and then wear socks if you are going out. It’s important to mention in this regard that the nails of the foot must be kept short and clean during the monsoon, because fungal infections can be caused due to dust and dirt accumulation under the nails.

Watch your footwear

Avoid wearing high heeled shoes and canvas during this season. Instead wear slippers and flip-flops. Ensure your footwear is dry before you wear it the next day to prevent the bacteria from breeding in them. Remember how back in school we carried an extra pair of shoes for travelling? Well, you should continue the good habit.

DIY Pedicure

If you do not have the time to visit the salon give some TLC to your feet at home every once in a while.

Recipe: Mix 4 tbsp of fullers’ earth or multani mitti and along with it add 2 drops of lavender or jasmine oil, half a teaspoon of turmeric and about 1 tbsp of dried crushed Neem leaves (turmeric and neem have antibacterial properties). Add warm water to it and make a paste. Apply on clean, dry feet for 20 – 30 minutes. After washing and patting dry, massage with olive oil. Other than this if you want to do quick and easy pedi at home read our story “Express Pedi At Home”.

Following these few simple tips can not only keep your feet healthy in monsoon, but also get you the beautiful heels you’ve always wished for.