Are you confident enough to bare your feet?
Over a third of people have felt too embarrassed by the appearance of their feet to reveal them during summer, according to new research.
So, here we have some tips to ensure you feel confident and happy to bare your feet this season.
The study, carried out by LloydsPharmacyfound that women were much more likely to be embarrassed about exposing their feet although more than a fifth of men felt the same. The results showed a strong correlation with age – with younger people being the most bashful about their feet.
Fungal nail infections topped the list of flip-flop phobias with this condition being voted the worst foot problem to have, closely followed by foot odour, then cracked heels.
However, it seems that people’s perceptions change when it comes to their other half’s feet. When questioned, 41% of people said that foot odour is the most unattractive feature with 26% loathing their partner’s fungal nail infection.
LloydsPharmacy pharmacist, Alison Freemantle, commented on the findings: “It’s a shame that so many people feel the need to hide their feet away when there are so many simple solutions to tackle common foot conditions. Many treatments are available over the counter and pharmacists are a great source of advice for these conditions.”
TOP TIPS
Alison Freemantle, LloydsPharmacy pharmacist, has provided these tips for keeping your feet healthy this summer:
1) Use a pumice or foot file regularly: Try and use a pumice stone or foot file once every couple of days when washing your feet to stop the build-up of hard skin. Removing dead skin will make your feet more supple and less susceptible to cracking.
2) Moisturise your feet before bed: Choose a moisturiser, especially one with urea, which will help the cream soak in to hard skin and soften the foot. To stop the cream going on your bed linen, it might be worth wearing a pair of socks once you’ve moisturised.
3) Avoid walking around bare foot: Take flip flops with you for walking around communal changing rooms at the gym or pool, as you may pick up unsightly fungal infections and verrucas.
4) Change your socks or tights daily: During the summer months, your feet perspire more which can create a warm, damp environment which is ideal for harmful bacteria or fungus to breed in. Fungal infections are more common and easy to treat with simple anti-fungal products.
5) Buy the correct shoe size for your feet: Don’t try and squeeze into shoes which are too small or slip around in shoes which are too big as this will increase the likelihood of you developing corns, callouses and blisters which can be painful.
Tagged in Beauty Tips Feet