How To Do Your Foot Care At Home: A Shopper's Guide
Don’t Ignore Your Foot Care.
Foot care is commonly ignored. We often get embarrassed when we talk about our feet. We ignore visible signs of foot trauma or injury and hope it will just go away. But our feet can’t afford to go unchecked. If you’re on a budget or at home due to covid-19, continue to read this blog to discover how you can take care of your feet at home. With social distancing rules in place, I understand that coming to my Ottawa Foot Care Clinic location for foot care services might be out of the question right now, but while you wait for the right time for an in-office visit, here are some tools, products and tips that will aid you when doing your foot care at home.
Tools For Doing Your Foot Care At Home
If you can’t get to my foot care clinic in Gloucester. You can go to your nearest Shoppers Drugmart, Dollarama, or Walmart to pick up these products for your foot care routine at home. Professional foot care tools can cost over $50, especially if they’re medical-grade quality. However, stores like Shoppers Drug Mart and Dollarama are great places to look for nail clippers, files, and nippers. During your next visit, look out for these products for your nail/foot care:
Quo Nail Nippers $19.50
Instead of using a toenail clipper, I suggest using a good pair of nippers. Quo Nippers can be purchased at Shoppers Drugmart and are comparable to professional nippers which can cost over $100. These nippers are sharp enough to cut through any nail. If you have involuted or thick nails, this might not be as easy to do at home. If you’re diabetic or taking a blood thinning medication, avoid cuts and risk for an infection by seeking assistance from a foot care specialist.
*If you use nippers at home, or any reusable foot care tool – keep a clean set that’s yours only. This will prevent any possible spread of bacteria, such as fungal nail, to other family members.
Emery Boards $1.25
You can pick these up at Shoppers Drugmart or from the nearest Dollarama. It’s important to file your nails after you cut them, this will help tame any jagged edges or hang nails. Also, be sure that the file that you use is solely for your use, no file sharing – no pun intended. The great thing about these emery boards is that you can toss them in the trash after each use.
Footlogix Foot File
This might be one foot care tool that isn’t at Shoppers Drug Mart. If you can find a product like this one (I’ve seen similar styles at Winners). The reason why I love this foot care tool is because it works well to slough off any dead skin with little effort, but not abrasive enough to damage the skin.
Quo Cuticle Pusher $8
The cuticle is a thin, clear layer of skin at the bottom edge of your toe or finger. This layer of skin helps protect your nail from bacteria as your nail grows. This area is very sensitive and can get dry, damaged and infected. Cutting your cuticles can be dangerous and can leave your toenails and feet prone to infection. I suggest leaving your cuticle care to a professional and never push them back. This cuticle pusher by Quo is one of my favourites, not for cuticles, but for cleaning out dirt and debris lodged into your nail. Make sure to use this tool after you clip and file your nails in order to maintain healthy toes to reduce risk of infections or ingrown nails.
* You can use orange sticks as a substitute for cuticle pushers too
If you’re diabetic or suffer from serious foot ailments, consult with an advanced foot care nurse before touching your feet.
Products for your home foot care routine.
When doing foot care at home, it’s crucial that you not only use the right tools, but also the right products. Certain lotions and over the counter foot products may contain ingredients not suitable for certain ages, skin types, or health conditions. Consult with a licensed professional before investing in any foot care products. For more advice, click here to ask me any questions regarding your at-home foot care plan. If you’re short on time and can’t wait for a reply, here are some foot care products to look out for:
Eucerin $21.99
Euricin creams can contain 5 -10% urea and work wonders on dry, cracked feet. You do want to be careful when applying any type of lotion to the skin. Be aware of all the added ingredients and chemicals. Even over the counter creams can be harmful to people with sensitive skin, including those with diabetes.
Urisec $11.99
This cream contains 22% urea: a chemical that is used to reduce dead skin cells. If you suffer with heavy callous build up, you may want to try a cream such as this one. Be careful when using products with urea, as too much can be harmful. It’s important to seek professional advice before committing to any foot care product that is purchased over the counter.
Foot Soak or Epsom Salt $9.99
“When walking, each time your heels lift off the ground it forces your toes to carry half your body weight”, – according to ontariochiropodist.com. That’s why it’s important to soak your feet every once in a while in order to relieve those aches and pains, or soften calloused skin caused from pressure. However, if you’re soaking your feet at home, make sure that the basin in which you use is solely yours and clean (always).
Moleskin
If it feels like you are walking on glass, or something is poking you between the toes as you walk, that feeling may be associated with corns or calluses. These foot ailments are very common, painful and are usually associated with improper footwear. If you are experiencing this type of pain, don’t attempt to cut or pick at these areas yourself. To avoid harm or infection, seek help from your foot care specialist who has the proper, sterile tools to help treat these areas. In the meantime, grab some moleskin from your local Shoppers Drugmart to help protect the skin.
HOW MOLESKIN WORKS
Moleskin acts as a second skin; it is not a bandaid, so do not use this for cuts or bruises. Moleskin is meant to stop friction while you walk which can create blisters, corns and callouses. I like this large roll from Shoppers Drugmart because I can cut to fit any area of the foot, and it’s relatively Inexpensive compared to the pre-cut patches sold in smaller quantities.
Your Home Foot Care Plan
The feet are commonly overlooked, and many people don’t know that the feet can indicate serious health problems which may be unknown to them. Maintaining a good foot care routine at home is just as important as having regular appointments with a licensed foot care nurse. Having a home foot care plan isn’t hard to create, you just need to isolate your problems and find the best solution for you. You can get in touch with me here, if you have any questions or need assistance in creating an in-home foot care plan. Taking care of your feet is just a quick trip to your local Shoppers Drug Mart, Dollarama, or Winners, and hopefully by reading this blog, you’re now equipped with the tools and confidence to take care of your feet when I am not able too!
Thanks for Reading,
Jana RPN, FCN
Enjoyed This Post? Share it with your friends!