Seasoned Orland Park Podiatrist Gives Foot Care Tips For The Open Footwear Season

By Peter Wagner


As the warm weather sets in, you will find it more comfortable to ditch your sneakers and socks for your favorite sandals. What you should know is that full-cover footwear offers protection that you may not get from your open shoes. This means you will be more vulnerable to concerns like ingrown toenails and toenail fungus. When suffering from foot or ankle concerns, you owe yourself the favor of visiting a reputable Orland Park podiatrist as soon as possible.

To get your feet summer-ready, there are several basic tips that would come in handy. First, you should always wear your flip flops when walking around public pools or visiting their locker room showers. Ringworms, athletes foot and toenail fungus are highly infectious and walking bare feet around common areas is a dangerous affair.

Another tip that will come in handy is that you should cut your toenails straight across. This will assist greatly in preventing ingrown toenails. When you cut down either edge of your toenails, this can prevent them from growing outwards and they could instead grow towards the skin.

It is possible to treat an ingrown toenail without seeking medical assistance. Simply avoid cutting the nail any further and clean and disinfect the area at least two times each day. If this does not help, then it could be necessary for you to see a podiatrist. Any time the infection worsens, the pain will double and pus may begin to form. You may also experience some numbness on the affected foot.

Pedicures are crucial for reasons that go beyond aesthetics. It pays to schedule for regular appointments at the nail salon in order to maintain clean and healthy feet. Before you visit the first salon you can find, bear in mind that nail artists use a range of shared tools and products and this can increase your chances of picking a nasty infection. To prevent this, choose specialists who maintain high standards of hygiene.

It is crucial to keep your feet dry even during the warmer seasons. When it is warm, the feet tend to sweat more and this can provide the perfect conditions for fungus to thrive. In case you have to wear closed shoes, apply antifungal powder between your toes. Also choose breathable footwear that can help keep your feet dry and comfortable.

In order to reduce the odds of suffering from hangnails, toenail fungus and other infections, do not trim your cuticles. What most people do not know is that cuticles help in defending the nails against germs that cause infections. Instead of trimming the cuticles, soak your feet in lukewarm water and use a cuticle pusher to gently push them back.

Foot, toenail and ankle concerns are quite prevalent during the warm seasons. Irrespective of the nature of the concern you are nursing, a competent podiatrist will be able to help. Reliable experts can accurately diagnose various concerns, provide treatment and even offer the best preventative care.




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