E-mail: pes2001@mail.med.cornell.edu

GET A LEG UP ON FOOT CARE THIS SUMMER!

New York, NY (March 1999)  --  Feet that have been encased in boots all winter can be either a sight for sore eyes or an eyesore when summer rolls around--you can make a difference.

Suzanne M. Levine, D.P.M., a podiatrist with New York Weill Cornell Center of New York Presbyterian Hospital, says unlike the skin on the rest of the body, the skin on our feet is almost always neglected and prone, therefore, to a host of problems.  In addition, to general neglect, wearing tight-fitting shoes year round and boots that virtually suffocate the feet can make you think twice before wearing barely-there sandals or going barefoot in the summer time.  Unfortunately, says Dr. Levine, most of us take our feet for granted until something goes wrong.

Dr. Levine offers the following tips for getting a leg up on the competition this summer when it comes to foot care:
 

• Treat corns and calluses.  These hard, thickened areas of skin can be treated with warm soaks and sloughed off with a pumice stone.  Corns may be removed by a podiatrist.  Avoid over-the-counter treatments that contain acid.  They can burn skin or cause ulcers.
• Don't ignore cracked heels.  These are not only unsightly, but are prone to become infected.  Exfoliating products such as an alpha-hydroxy acid, like Lac-Hydrin 5 and Ureacin-10, are strongly recommended for treating cracked heels.
• Watch out for ingrown toenails.  The first thing to do is soak your feet in warm water with some Epsom salts or vinegar.  After you've soaked your feet, gently push the skin away from the nail with a clean orange stick.  File the ingrown nails with a clean new emery board, apply antibiotic ointment to the affected toenail and cover with a bandage.  If the ingrown toenail persists or if the toenail is too painful to treat yourself, consult a podiatrist.
• Foot Odor is commonly caused by eating spicy foods.  If you can, avoid foods that are very spicy.  Drinking lots of water and dusting your feet at least twice a day with a deodorizing powder may offer some relief.  Another treatment to try is soaking your feet in a tannic acid solution:  dissolving two tea bags in a quart of warm water should do the trick.
• Athlete's Foot is easily treated.  To avoid developing athlete's foot in the fist place, never go barefoot in public areas.  Swimming pools, locker rooms and saunas are havens for germs.  Wear rubber sandals in wet places and dry your feet thoroughly (especially between the toes) after you shower.  Desenex, Tinactin and Lotrimin AF are very effective treatments for athlete's foot.


Dr. Levine also offers the following tips to maintain healthy looking feet all year round:
 

• Soak feet regularly in warm Epsom salts solution and follow with pumice treatment to heels and calluses.
• At night, apply moisturizing lotion/cream to clean feet.  Remember, mint and menthol infused creams are excellent soothers for tired feet.
• Before bedtime, give your feet a well-deserved massage by kneading the sole of each foot with your thumbs.  Be sure to include the instep and toes.
• Look for shoes that are well-cushioned, substantially soled and comfortable.