The heat arrives. Our habits change. Our feet are exposed for longer, we wear footwear that is not the usual one. Our feet sweat. And as a consequence of all this, many times, chafing or blisters are formed, so annoying and unfortunately so frequent at this time. What can we do to prevent them?
He Professor of the Faculty of Nursing and Podiatry of the University of A Coruña, Daniel López He tells us in an interview with Infosalus that chafing is a habitual wound that appears on the surface of the skin of the feet, as a result of rubbing that irritates the area.
This podiatrist explains that the appearance of chafing, and ultimately instance of blistersis usually due to the lack of periodic control by the podiatrist, since going to this specialist can help to increase the number of feet and correct the appearance of alterations and deformities in them.
In turn, López maintains that the appearance of chafing is associated with inadequate foot caredue to incorrect self-treatment, the result of the use of home remedies for foot care, daily or weekly filing of the skin, with files or blades that burn and damage the skin of the feet, the application of exfoliating creams that destroy the most superficial layer of the skin, the use of callicides that irritate and destroy the healthy skin of the feet, or, for example, the use of plasters and dressings that moisten and soften the skin, contributing to the breakage of the skin and the appearance of infections.
“For this reason, this incorrect care, without supervision by the podiatrist to carry out a correct treatment, usually leads to the appearance of papillomas, fungus on the feet, bad smell, contact dermatitis, cracks in the heels, corns, calluses, and alterations in the nails”, he remarks.
The influence of footwear
On the other hand, Daniel López maintains that footwear is another habitual element that contributes to their appearance, mainly due to wearing a shoe in poor condition, inherited or inappropriate footwear, in length or width.
It also warns that the shoes can be made from rigid materials that prevent foot movement control and adequate protection, and that they fail to ventilate the foot, as they are materials whose composition does not comply with the conditions for the feet to remain at a correct temperature for walking or standing. “In the same way, the presence of seams in the materials also facilitates the presence of these common foot injuries,” Alert this college professor.
Likewise, this expert emphasizes that if people are diagnosed with diabetes, they are more likely to present less sensation of pain in the feet, which is also another consequence that favors the appearance of these problems. “Diabetes also entails a series of complications, such as infections, which can compromise the health of the feet, ending in their amputation. Also, the lack of use of socks or pinkies is also another reason that promotes the appearance of chafing or foot infections,” he says.
It also alerts about walking barefoot, “another very harmful habit”, where there are groups of people and pseudoscientific movements, such as Barefoot, that promote walking barefoot, a practice that is not recommended, since it is what will help increase foot fractures , infections, pain and inflammation, and premature aging of the same, apart, of course, from the risk that our feet are more easily injured.
Prevent chafing and blisters on the feet
With all this, the professor of the Faculty of Nursing and Podiatry of the University of A Coruña, Daniel López lists the following Tips to prevent this type of injury In the feet:
- periodic reviews at least every six months by the podiatrist is the essential advice to evaluate how our feet are, to know what are the recommendations to improve their care, and thus avoid the appearance of chafing and any disease in them .
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In people who present foot deformities, pain, muscle problems check-ups should be performed every one or two months to maintain their health. As well as in people with chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, stress, anxiety, respiratory diseases*.
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In addition, to improve the condition of the skin it is essential that all people daily hydrate your feet with a specific podiatry cream that nourishes and restores skin tone, to protect the most superficial skin layer responsible for the entry of pathogens that cause the appearance of infections, when the skin is in poor condition. It is always key to regenerate the skin and keep it in good condition, since the outermost layer is the gateway, if it is in poor condition, for germs that can harm the foot, causing infections such as athlete’s foot, papillomas, the bad smell of the feet or any invasion generated by different types of fungus.
- If we have to brand new shoes In summer it is recommended to wear socks, stockings, tights or pinquis to avoid direct contact of the foot with the footwear, which will be the common cause of the appearance of wounds, chafing, fungus and bad smell. Besides, find that the shoe fits in length and width to the shape of our foot, that it is composed of materials that help perspiration and that present an adjustment system, such as laces, straps or velcro to hold or release the feet according to each circumstance.
- Consult the podiatrist with any questions related to foot care and avoid home remedies and/or information that we find on the Internet without having scientific endorsement by the podiatrist to improve their health.