Spa Girl Beauty Tips

Common Foot and Nail Issues and How to Solve Them

Feet are fascinating. They are so individual and get beat up all day by us.

Cute yet impractical shoes and the whatnot. Standing all day. Walking all day. Unbreathing.

Since they’re always closed in, issues revolving around moisture and bacteria and fungus are VERY common.

Foot odor, athletes foot, ingrown toenails and nail fungus are very common. I won’t subject you to pictures of them, but when you do pedicures, you see it all. Repeatedly.

General foot care is fairly simple. Keep your feet, socks and shoes clean and dry. But life still gets complicated. Let me offer some solutions.

Foot Odor and Sweaty Feet: By far the most common ailments. Moisture, warmth and bacteria, it’s a perfect mix.  The more your feet sweat the more likely you are to create a breeding ground for the odor producing bacteria. I’ve seen explanations from anemia to the same bacteria that causes acne. Either way it’s unpleasant. Guidelines to reduce that lovely aroma usually involve keeping the feet as dry as possible.

1. Always thoroughly dry feet off after showering. Get right in between those toes. If you do have sweaty feet, you don’t need to give the bacteria MORE moisture to work with.
2. Use an absorbing foot powder. This will help keep the foot dry, reducing the moisture that the bacteria thrives on. Some also can have anti-bacterial properties
3. Wear clean socks with your shoes. Creating that absorbing barrier will reduce the smell as well. Bring an extra pair to change into if you’re going somewhere different after a long day at work.
4. There are lotions/foam to help reduce sweaty -ness, but you can also use antiperspirant on the feet as well. Don’t forget those shoe sprays! Anti-bacterial they help to sanitize the inside of shoes to reduce bacteria.

Athlete’s Foot (Tinea Pedis): This is also very common and comes in various degrees. It’s a fungal infection, basically ring worm, of the feet and is usually between the toes and near the nail. It’s usually picked up from other warm environments like public showers, baths and locker rooms. Also sharing shoes or socks with someone who has it.

It will start off as scaling, flaking and slight reddening between the toes. As it worsens it will start to turn white and remain damp. The odor increases as well. As it spreads to the sole of the foot it will redden the skin and create more scaling and a blistering type look. There’s usually quite a bit of itching.

Luckily it is possible to get a handle on the Athlete’s Foot if treatment begins fairly early. Keeping feet dry is very important. You can also use topical applications of over the counter products such as Footlogix and Allpressan. they contain a small percentage of clotrimazole which is beneficial at killing off the fungus.

If the spread is really bad, over the whole foot, it is best to go see your doctor,podiatrist or dermatologist.

We have specific formulas that help to control athletes foot. Foot Foams are great because they soak in without causing more moisture to aggravate the condition.

In Grown Toe Nails: You’ll know if you’ve ever had one of these. The painful pressure on the top corners of the nails can really make itself known. The toe nail starts to grow into the skin and can cause swelling, redness and even infection.

These are caused from either poor shoes (all tight and constricting in the toe area) or improper nail care. Cutting the nails too short or rounding the corners too deep. You want the end of the nail to grow out straight and true.

The inclination is going to dig around in there to try and free it. Please don’t do that, it can cause serious damage and infection.

Try and help it grow out. Soak the feet for 10-15 minutes, gently push a small piece of cotton under the offending edge, just enough to lift it slightly off the skin and guide it in the correct direction. Repeat this everyday, changing the cotton and keeping everything very clean. Avoid constraining shoes during this time. If after 4-5 days it hasn’t improved or has gotten worse, you will want to see a doctor. If at ANY point it turns red or starts to ooze anything, go to the doctor.

If it’s a severe and re-occuring problem, there may have to be some minor surgery, but that’s ok. I’ve seen many a foot that has had the procedure done and the results are fine.

Nail Fungus (Onychomycosis): According to the Mayo Clinic nail fungus is acquired similarly to Athletes Foot. Damp, warm places are where those fungi thrive. They get under the nail and cause yellowing, thickening and crumbling. The nail will usually change shape over time and become dull.

Unfortunately this is the most time consuming to remedy. Topical applications can work, but some people require more, in the form of oral medication. Vite 20 is a great solution.

Since nails grow quite slowly, getting a fungal nail to be replaced by a completely healthy one can take as much as a year.

It’s important to have realistic expectations and be consistant and patient. It’s also best to not polish over those toe nails! Let them breathe and heal.

Here at www.spaboutique.ca we carry several foot care lines that focus on keeping the feet in their best shape. For the month of May most of those lines are also 20% off.

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Tags: allpressan, athletes foot, feet, foot health, foot odor, footlogix, fungus, Gehwol, healthy toes, nail care, nail fungus, opi, pedicure tips, sweaty feet

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