Are you aware of the importance of foot hygiene? If no, then read this post thoroughly.
Feet with poor hygiene are surrounded by lots of problems. It may hamper your mobility.
A good foot hygiene practice can keep your feet healthy and fit. It gives confidence in every step you walk. It improves the overall health of your feet.
Let’s dig deeper.
What is Foot Hygiene?
Foot Hygiene, in simple, is a way to keep your feet problem free. It is a part of foot care. Good foot hygiene practice can give you relief from infections, odor, nail problems, etc. And foot hygiene is so much important for diabetic patients. Research shows that people suffer from more foot complications who practice poor foot hygiene.
Don’t’ think it is simply washing feet every day while bathing. Though, washing feet is the main part of foot hygiene. But, few more things need to be considered for good and effective foot care. It includes cutting and cleansing nails, scrubbing, moisturizing, and more.
And, beyond everything, we should know why we need to practice good foot hygiene.
[N.B: I have written a post on Foot Hygiene Tips. You must go through it later.]
Importance of Foot Hygiene
Gives Fresh Feet
It is one of the great benefits of foot hygiene. If you don’t wash your feet properly, cut nails carefully, and exfoliate with a foot scrub, your feet will look terrible. You will notice dead skin cells buildup on the toes, scaly skin over the ankle, white dry skin between toes, hard cuticles around nails, and more. It makes a very uncomfortable situation for you when you need to stay barefoot. Only good and proper foot hygiene helps you to stay away from this situation by ensuring a fresh foot.
Protects from Fungal Infections
Foot hygiene is very much important for your foot care. It not only gives you fresh foot but also protects from various infections. Our feet are prone to fungal and bacterial infections. It only happens because of the unhygienic condition of the feet.
And the unhygienic foot is an ideal resident for fungi. It can colonize there easily and causes various fungal foot problems. The most common fungal foot problems are athlete’s foot (tinea pedis), ringworm, and toenail fungus (onychomycosis). These foot problems appear with simple symptoms and with time they can turn into severe conditions. As a preventive method, proper foot hygiene practice always comes first for the fungal foot problem.
Read Also: Best Epsom Salt for foot Bath
Protects from Bacterial Infections
Like the fungus, bacteria also hampers our foot health. The most common bacterial foot infections are erythrasma, foot abscess, and cellulitis. Most often, these bacterial infections appear in the fold between toes. Though, it can appear in any part of your feet.
The common bacteria involved in these foot problems are Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium minutissimum, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Arcanobacterium pyogenes, and more. At the primary stage of these foot infections, your feet turn red and swollen, and at the final stage, pus may discharge from those infections with unbearable pain. A properly hygienic foot is quite safe from these infections.
Helps to Detect Common Foot Problems
If you have a regular habit of maintaining proper foot hygiene, you can detect your feet problems at a very early stage. The common foot problems are bacterial infections, fungal attacks, corn, ingrown nails, bunion, blisters, hard skin, cracked heels, and more.
As you look after your feet carefully every day for better foot hygiene, your eyes can detect the single sign of foot problems. Because of early detection, you can treat those foot problems very easily.
Prevents Foot Odor
It should be the main purpose of practicing good foot hygiene. Foot odor is so embarrassing for those who have it and disturbing for others. Foot odor happens, when your feet suffer from a lack of ventilation. As a result, the sweat that comes out of your feet does not get evaporated.
It is ok till now if there are no bacteria. But, our foot is a great habitat for bacteria and lots of them live there happily. They literary eat the sweat and produce isovaleric acid and we smell the stinky odor. If you wash your feet regularly, you definitely have fewer bacteria than others who don’t wash. Don’t forget, like washing feet, ensuring enough ventilation is a part of foot hygiene.
Improves Nail Health
Caring for your nails and toe is a big part of foot hygiene. Because this foot part is affected most due to poor foot hygiene. Nails are more prone to fungal and bacterial infection than any other part of your feet. Acrylic nail and ingrown toenail infection are the most common nail problems caused by fungi and bacteria.
You should cut your nails properly and clean them from time to time especially the corner of the big toe. You should also take care of the cuticles of your nails. Do a foot soak once a week to protect your feet from fungal and bacterial infections.
Improve the Tone and Texture of Your Feet
Another step of foot hygiene is exfoliation. You should exfoliate your feet once or twice a week. It helps you to remove dead skin cells, impurities, and dust buildup from your feet. There are many foot scrubs available in the market. You should use one which kills bacteria and fungal stains besides exfoliation.
You know, exfoliation helps to regenerate new cells. Regular exfoliation will help to improve the tone and texture of your feet. Finally, you get attractive, soft, and glowing feet.
Foot Hygiene Tips
- Wash your feet every day regularly, and every time when you come back home from outside.
- Exfoliate your feet twice a week.
- Do a foot sock at least twice in a month.
- Check your feet closely every week.
- Use a pumice stone or foot file once a week to remove hard and thick skin.
- Use a moisturizer before bed. And after every time you scrub or use a pumice stone.
- Cut your nail properly and clean them carefully.
- Use footwear that is not too tight or not too loose. And ensures enough ventilation for your feet. Unfitted footwear can create corns, callosities, and ingrowing toenail problems.
- Finally, consult with a doctor at least once in six months.
The Last Word
Don’t neglect your feet. It is the base of your body. If the base gets weak, the entire structure will suffer.
So, make your feet strong and live happily.