Looking to up your foot attractiveness game – here are some tips to do so and get those feet looking their best.
Step 1: Remove the Toenail Polish
Strip the nail polish from time to time. It lets you inspect your toenails for any issues including hangnails or nail fungus (onychomycosis). Don't forget to use a non-acetone polish remover to strip nail polish. Most nail polish removers contain acetone and can be quite harsh on your nails. These nail polishes may cause the thinning of your toenails as well as the formation of unsightly ridges.
Give your toenails a break from nail polish every now and then. In fact, when you constantly paint the nails, they tend to become discolored with a yellowish or reddish hue. If you notice the nails changing color, leave them bare for a couple of weeks, and they will soon return to their normal color.
Step 2: Soak the Feet
Soaking your feet for 15 to 20 minutes should do wonders for aching feet. Adding aromatherapy oil to the tub of water will enhance the results of the treatment - though it's not essential. Soaking the feet helps soften thick and hardened layers of skin on the heels and balls of the feet as well as loosen dry scales.
Don't use very hot water since it will crack or make the skin dry. It happens due to the water quickly evaporating and drawing moisture from the outermost protective layer of the skin. Gently scrub the nails with a toenail brush at the end of the soak, to get your feet looking picture perfect.
Step 3: Trim Your Calluses & Corns
After you soak the feet, use a callus file, energy board, or a pumice stone to gently reduce corns & calluses on the heels. It could take a few trimmings before you remove all the hardened skin. But you shouldn't cut or file the skin too deeply.
Removing calluses will help prevent cracks from forming on your heels. But if you trim too much, it may cause the skin to split when pressure is applied to overly thin tissues. It will cause pain and bleeding as well as increase your risk of infections. The goal should be to remove dead skin cells and not healthy tissue.
If you have not done a pedicure for a long time, you shouldn't try to remove the corns and calluses in one sitting. Instead, you should break up the task over the course of 2-3 treatments every 4 to 6 weeks.
Step 4: Trim Your Toenails
Trim your toenails using a stainless steel nail nipper. Try to cut the nails straight across in order to prevent over-trimming. You can then round the corners with an energy board.
You may push the cuticles back but don't cut them. There is no good reason to cut your cuticles (eponychium) as per most dermatologists. In fact, cutting cuticles will increase the risk of splitting and bleeding as well as provide fungus and bacteria easy access to the nail bed.
Step 5: Give Yourself a Paraffin Wax Treatment
A paraffin wax treatment session will make your feet feel soft and look better. In fact, the warmth of the paraffin wax will help increase blood flow to the area and open up the pores in the area. When the pores are open in the skin, you will absorb more moisture.
There are portable paraffin wax baths on the market. You can easily purchase a good product online or at a brick-and-mortar store in the area. Such a device will make sure that the wax treatment doesn't exceed 125 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also find pre-packed paraffin wax kits that will save you the hassle of having to break down larger blocks of paraffin wax and melt them using a double boiler. Once the wax bath begins to cool, wrap the feet in a towel in order to retain the therapeutic heat for longer.
You should use food-grade paraffin for this treatment. If there are adhesives like coloring, stearic acid, and perfumes in the product, they can increase the melting point of wax and cause irritations in the skin.
Step 6: Moisturize & Massage Your Feet
In order to complete your foot spa treatment, you should apply an emollient moisturizer on the feet. The softened feet tissues in the feet will better absorb the emollients in the moisturizer and make sure your feet are soft and well-hydrated.
As you apply the lotion, don't forget to gently massage the feet. This is quite helpful when you have plantar fasciitis, which is a disorder of the tissue that supports the arch.
After the lotion, you should wear a pair of socks and wrap the feet in plastic wrap for an hour or two. This is known as occlusive therapy and makes sure the lotion is better absorbed.
Once you have beautified your feet, keep them that way with regular pampering and most importantly well-fitting shoes. Visit OrthoticShop.com to find shoes that you will love and will love your feet.
