DIY Tips for Smooth Feet

Keeping Your Feet Smooth: DIY Tips and Product Recommendations from Doctor Gotham (Dr. Cunha)

Finally! The sun is out and it's getting hot. Hello, summer weather! It's time for your feet to feel the beautiful sunshine and warm summer breeze no matter where they take you, be it the sidewalks of Manhattan, the sandy beaches of Europe, or the hammock in your backyard. That's the good news. The bad news? Your feet look and feel like... well,sandpaper. They're rough and dry and in need of some serious TLC. But let's be honest, we don't always have time for a pedicure or feel like sitting in a pedicure chair worrying about what's growing in those foot tubs. (Ew!) Doctor Gotham knows all about this. Here are his recommendations to get the skin on your feet looking good overnight at home.

In the winter the air is colder and drier which causes your skin to lose a lot of moisture, especially your feet. The lack of moisture causes our feet to callus and crack, especially on our heels. Although we might remember to moisturize our face and our hands, our feet are often neglected. Out of sight, out of mind!

Well, Doctor Gotham has an easy solution for you that works wonders overnight and will leave you with soft, presentable feet. "When my patients present thick calluses and cracked heels I commonly recommend the use of urea 40% gel, such as Bare 40 Moisturizing Urea Gel." Doctor Gotham recommends using the gel at night, just before bed. He instructs his patients to apply the gel all over clean, dry feet and to then wrap them in plastic wrapup to the ankle. Wrap them so the wrap is snug on your feet but still allows for blood circulation. Cover your plastic-wrapped feet with socks. The plastic wrap keeps the gel on your feet and allows it to penetrate into those rough calluses and dry cracked skin, to soften the skin. Leave on overnight. "In the morning, I recommend the use of a foot file, such as the Amope Pedi Perfect Foot File." Remove your socks and the plastic wrap. While showering or sitting in the tub, file your feet, focusing on the thickened callused areas of the feet. Rinse and dry. Voila! Softer, smoother feet! To keep your feet smooth and soft longer, file and moisturize your feet on a regular basis, preferably right after a shower or bath.

Now that you've got smoother and softer skin, why not make your toenails look clean and neat too! If you've got old polish on your nails remove it. Push your cuticles back while they are still soft using a Cuticle Pusher. Don't cut them. That allows bacteria to be introduced to the nail bed. Trim your toenails. To avoid painful ingrown toenails, a Straight Edge Toenail Clipper is recommended by Doctor Gotham. "A straight edge toenail clipper ensures the nails are cut straight across decreasing the chance of ingrown toenails." Then, gently file your nails (in one direction to avoid breakage) with a Cushioned Nail File if you want a cleaner finish. To get a natural shine on your nail, buff the surface gently with a Nail Buffer.

Keeping your feet soft, smooth, and presentable can be easily achieved at home, following these tips from Doctor Gotham. If an ingrown toenail does present itself (as sometimes they are unavoidable) it is recommended to have it treated by your podiatrist.

Author

Dr. Miguel Cunha, Board Certified Surgical Podiatrist, founder of Gotham Footcare, and expert Manhattan podiatrist is a highly trained and skilled foot and ankle surgeon with experience treating a wide array of foot and ankle conditions from minor problems to complex reconstructive foot and ankle surgery. Dr. Cunha takes pride in having a genuine interest in each and every one of his patients while providing them the utmost compassion and exceptional care.