Feet are made of only 26 bones each and according to the College of podiatry, a person will walk around the world roughly 6 times which is an estimated 150 000 miles in their lifetime. During the hot days, we often wear sandals or shoes that expose our feet. As a woman, you need to show off good looking and neat feet & toes. Our feet are one of our most precious body parts, I mean they carry and handle your whole body weight. They need to be taken care of to avoid many common problems like bunions, blisters and many others. Generally, women like to pamper themselves in order to look their absolute best. As we do massages, facials, hair care and dentist visits; we need to take our pedicures seriously as well as the visit to the podiatrist to care for our feet.
NB. Doing gelish, acrylic or putting on nails is not a pedicure or manicure. Pedicures & manicures are a complete treatment of both your hands/feet/and nails. Includes skincare, exfoliation, moisturizing and massage for therapeutic or cosmetic purposes.

Here is the prevention & treatment guide for some of the common problems we are likely to face over the course of our lifetime

Athlete’s foot

Athlete’s foot is a common fungus that likes between the toes and it can be highly contagious. It tends to thrive in dark warm and moist spaces. Itchy, stinging, burning feet and toes may be a sign of an athlete’s foot.
how to prevent it: avoid public showers(workplaces & gyms) and keep your own home shower floors very clean. Avoid walking barefoot in wet public spaces(pools). Keep your feet especially in-between your toes dry and clean
treatment: make use of antifungal creams, sprays or lotions found over the counter in pharmacies. Some people use Listerine to soak feet (mix Listerine with two parts water and soak for 45-60 minutes or replace water with equal portions of white vinegar)

Bunions

A bunion is a bump on the side of the big toe caused by an imbalance of tendons and muscles in the foot. Tight footwear may cause bunions and women are more likely to have them due to the pressure they get from narrow shoes.
how to prevent them: wear comfortable shoes that give toes enough space and without heels. If you already have them it is unfortunate that you can’t get rid of them. This is a way of making them less problematic.
treatment: with a large bunion surgery will be a necessity. Get bunion pads to protect it from more pressure. Alternatively, visit a Podiatrist for prescribed custom-made shoe inserts and this will help to relieve the pain.

Blisters

Blisters are painfully raised skin pockets filled with clear fluids.
how to prevent them: by simply wearing shoes that fit
treatment: do not burst them rather allow them to heal on their own or use a sterilized needle to make a hole allowing the fluid to run out then apply antiseptic and apply a bandage to provide relief. Blisters are generally not a serious concern.

Corns

Corns are normally painless but can be painful patches of thickened or hard skin that form on toes
how to prevent them: comfortable shoes
treatment: to be removed you need to see a Podiatrist otherwise use of corn plasters or padded inserts will help with healing, pain and relieve pressure.

Cracked heels

Cracked heels look horrible and they should not be a serious problem. They can easily be taken care of with some care.
how to prevent them: avoid flip flops, wearing sandals a lot or open-back shoes. use heel balms to soothe, hydrate and protect your skin from dryness.
treatment: do pedicure or heel treatment. Try chemical peels that strip away dry/dead skin and keep those heel balms close to you to keep them moisturized. The Listerine foot soak mentioned under Athlete’s foot also works as a remedy for cracked heels.

Ingrown toe nails

Ingrown toenails occur when the toenail grows into the nail groove or when it digs in the skin. It can be significantly painful and can cause infection if left untreated.
how to prevent them: since is also caused by wearing shoes that are too tight on the toes, the best first step is to look into your shoes. Another issue is how you cut your toenails because cutting them too short can cause problems.
treatment: Trim toenails properly after a bath when they are still soft. Cut the nails straight across not in a rounded pattern to avoid the risk of inward growth. Lastly, avoid pointy shoes that put pressure on the toes.

Stone bruise

You know that feeling as if you have stones in your shoes? That’s what a stone bruise is, with occasional pain every time you take a step. It can be felt after high impact exercises like jumping or running, too much body weight, too much time on your feet, or badly fitting shoes.
how to prevent it: rest your feet and get good fitting shoes.
treatment: apply icepack, get fitting recommended shoes, rest, pain medication, and shock-absorbing insoles.

In summary, look into the dos and don’ts for happy feet

• wear fitting comfortable shoes and according to your need.
• Buy shoes to address the specific problem you might have or according to how you work or lifestyle e.g. standing all day at work, runner, walking a lot, or cyclist.
• Check your feet regularly as well as your toes. Any change of color on your toes may be a sign of an underlying problem, don’t cover up your nails by painting them rather get the problem solved
• If your BMI is above normal that could put serious pressure on your feet.
  Keep it healthy so they don’t suffer. In pregnancy, most women suffer from temporary aches, pains and swollen feet due to too much weight gain
• take care of your feet like you would your face, they are just as important
  lastly,
• remember your regular visit to the Podiatrist.

Generally, women love shoes and we can see how shoes can also play a huge role in causing a lot of problems if we wear the wrong ones.

**IF A GIRL STANDS FIRM ON GOOD FEET SHE WILL GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING**