Taking Care Of Hands And Feet: How Often Do We Forget Them!

Feet – sigh! How often we take them for granted! They take us to places; they support our bodyweight; they make us wear those hot heels; they make us jump, dance, walk, cycle, swim…and live life beautifully. Yet, do we take care of them as we must?

Do you know our feet endure impact of hundreds of tons of force in an average walking activity daily? They are the ones that deserve the most pamper, don’t they?

Expert tips for beautiful feet

Forget expensive spa treatments or pedicures. You can start respecting and taking care of your feet by choosing the right footwear first. If you love heels, make sure you take them off for a few hours during the day. Go without heels at least once or twice a week.

Wash your feet at the end of the day. While bathing, soap them well and rinse them well.
Ensure that your feet are dry completely, especially between toes. This prevents buildup of bacteria and fungus.
Love soaking your feet? Plain warm water is the best. Add a few drops of liquid soap.
Always moisturize your feet after washing and soaking them. Moisturize them several times a day during winter.
Before going to bed, massage moisturizer or warm oil on feet. This keeps your feet warm, soft, and kissable.
Always wear clean socks.
Treat cracked heels. They can be an eyesore.
Avoid completely flat shoes. They fail to offer arch support.
For fashionable feet, keep your toe nails well trimmed and shapely. Coat them with your favorite nail color. Avoid chipped color at all times.

Foot care for pregnant women

While pregnant, you must invest in appropriate shoes that feature arch support, good shock absorbing material, and high comfort. If you wish to wear heels, choose wide ones that give ample support to your body. According to experts, added body weight may lead to a change in your shoe size. So, it is good to get your feet measured. Experts advise against wearing stilettos during pregnancy. The narrow pointed heels may not provide enough support to your added bodyweight.

Apart from pregnancy, aging and diabetes also affect feet. Aging can lead to loss of cushioning fat on feet balls. So, you need feet that offer higher shock absorbance.

Diabetics have a tendency to develop feet-related conditions. You must monitor your feet regularly and see a doctor, in case you find something wrong. You must be extra careful while visiting a salon for a pedicure. Check their hygiene. Please consult a doctor before visiting a spa or salon.

Expert tips for beautiful hands

Skin of hands is thinner than that of the face. So, hands may show aging signs earlier. You need to take care of hands more than you think. These ‘hard workers’ need more pamper and regular care, as they are the ones always exposed to different conditions – in water, in chemicals, in heat, in cold, and doing all sorts of things. This exposes them to constant wear and tear.

According to a dermatologist study, skin cell production rate dips by 10 per cent by the time you reach 30. This decreases the ability of your skin to repair itself. This makes your hand lose plumpness and appear thin and worn-out. Knuckles and veins become more prominent due to breakdown of collagen and elastin.

In spite of taking good care of facial skin, your hands can reveal your age…and it’s not just about age. Ill-cared hands look unattractive. Eventually, the skin may get chapped and wrinkled. Such hands give a bad impression, especially when you are well-attired in an executive suit with high heels and well-done hair. It feels embarrassing to extend a worn-out, aged-looking hand for a handshake.

Hand care is in your hands

It is impossible to stop aging, which is a biological phenomenon. Yet, you can keep aging signs away through proper care of hands.

Check your soap. Check your hand wash. Choose those that have moisturizers in their formula.
Always moisturize your hands well after washing them.
Wear gloves while scrubbing dishes. Cleaning solutions are often harsh and may harm your thin, delicate skin of hands.
Indulge in a manicure once or twice a month.
Coconut oil and olive oil are found to be great moisturizers for skin, especially during dry, winter months.
In case you work too much outdoors under the sun, use a moisturizer with SPF for hands.
Keep hands clean. Dirty hands are a breeding ground for bacteria.

Don’t forget nails. They play a vital role in increasing the beauty of hands. Keep them at appropriate length. If you love them long, make sure you shape them well. Chipped nail color is a strict no. Either keep your nails bare, or apply a nice shade of nail color with an even finish.

After 30, oil production in the body decreases. This may make nails brittle. Some of you may notice yellowing of nails. Massage them with castor oil regularly to strengthen them. Invest in good quality nail colors. When applying dark shades apply a nude base coat first. The same applies for nails on feet too.

It is no daunting task to take care of hands and feet. It is a matter of habit. We usually invest a lot in facial and hair products and spend hours to fix our hair and facial skin; but forget hands and feet…despite the fact that these are our body parts that make us do our daily deeds.

Kissable hands and feet are possible for everybody. Make it a habit to keep them clean by soaping them well during bathing and keep them well moisturized at all times. These two simple steps can go a long way in maintaining softness and beauty of your hands and feet.

Step outside with your beautiful, stiletto-ed feet with grace and confidence. Feel proud to extend your beautiful hand for a handshake. Let the world be mesmerized by your beauty, which extends from top to toe.