"We all go to great lengths to pamper our feet, to get them looking fabulous during the summer months. But, as soon as the temperature drops, we cover up with tights and winter boots, and they often get neglected." says Emma Supple - leading Consultant Podiatrist.
Top five Supple tips for keeping your feet and toes tip top this winter:
1. Don't let the frost bite
Unfortunately a lot of 'fashion' shoes don't 'cut the mustard' in the winter months. It's important to invest in a good pair of winter boots and thick socks that keep the chill out, especially in the snow. This is even more important if you suffer from any health issues that can lead to poor circulation, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or Raynaud's syndrome.
Some footwear brands manage to combine fashion with good insulation - we like Hotter Shoes, Mephisto, Russell & Bromley, New Balance trainers and Geox.
Man made materials can be great, but where appropriate leather shoes are best, as they are breathable and mould to the feet to avoid increased pressure on the skin. Wear them on the journey to and from work, and save those 'to die for' peep-toe heels for the office Christmas party!
2. Heel Healers
Dry and cracked heels are commonly caused by a loss of 'elasticity' in the skin when dryness sets in, or when the skin thickens and cracks, breaking under pressure. Which can occur through everyday activities such as walking and exercise.
In the winter months, central heating, a lack of fresh air, and cold temperatures can exacerbate cracked heels. The best treatment is one that contains urea, which is a moisturiser produced naturally by our skin, Supple London, The Mineral Foot Cream Hydrating and nourishing with added vitamins and minerals. It contains the all important threshold of 10% urea a natural exfoliant and moisturiser, and is great to hydrate and improve dry, cracked heels.
3. Chill out those chilblains
If you spot any small, painful or itchy lumps on your toes when the temperature drops these could be the start of chilblains. A sluggish circulation could put you more at risk, but chilblains also affect people who work outdoors, and women who wear high heels that are too tight. There is no prescribed treatment, however, over the counter remedies can help ease the discomfort. As always, prevention is better than cure, so avoid stepping on cold sufaces bare footed and wear sensible, cosy slippers indoors and bed socks at night.
Never be tempted to heat up cold feet with a hot water bottle or on a radiator or even a hairdryer! This can make the condition much worse. Instead, wear slippers which have been heated on a radiator before getting into a bath or shower, and moisturise them thoroughly afterwards.
We recommend our wonderful Supple London Cream as it nourishes and hydrates the skin.
4. Winter Wonderland - Near or Far.
If you're one of the millions who jet off for a bit of winter sports action on the slopes of Europe's glamorous ski resorts, then you need to take extra care of your feet. Skiing can be very hard on your feet and ankles, as they act as shock absorbers and brakes. Muscles also take much longer to warm up in the snow, not to mention whilst wearing those constricting ski boots. It's important to limber up before venturing out in the cold.
Frost bite and broken bones are the worst case scenario. But more common injuries including sprains and nasty blisters on the toes, feet and heels caused by ill-fitting boots, are still 'snow laughing matter'.
Help prevent unnecessary rubbing, by removing hard skin and calluses, with Supple London, The Mineral Foot Cream It's a multi-action product, which has been developed by Emma Supple to get to work immediately, breaking down hard and callused skin, whilst moisturising newer layers of skin at the same time.
To remove hard and callused skin, massage our wonderful Supple Cream cream onto your hard skin and calluses, and repeat morning and night, until the callus is softened. Your feet will thank you for it.
5. Toe (nail) the line
Covering up your feet throughout the winter months means we tend to see our toes a lot less! This can lead to neglected toe nails, that can become discoloured, dry, brittle or thickened which over time can start growing into the flesh or become infected with fungus.
Emtrix offers a convenient way to care for, condition and treat, discoloured and thickened nails, on the hands or the feet.
If left untreated the toenail situation can turn nasty and surgery may be required. But, if an ingrown nail is in the early stages there are a number of things you can do to prevent it getting worse. These include: practicing good foot hygiene, washing feet regularly, trimming nails straight across to prevent them digging into the surrounding skin and avoiding toe pinching high heel shoes whilst they recover.
Speak to and arrange to see your local Podiatrist.
06/12/2021
