As we get older, our foot skin becomes drier and thinner. After a bath or shower, treat your feet to a massage with your favorite moisturizing cream or lotion. Use an exfoliating foot scrub on the rough spots.
Essential steps in optimal foot care include gently washing the feet with mild soap, exfoliating calloused skin with a scrub or pumice, patting feet dry, and regularly applying a high-quality, skin-protective foot cream.
TOENAIL TRIMMING
While it can be difficult for aging adults to properly trim a toenail, it is indeed necessary for their good foot health. The recommended toenail trimming procedure for older adults includes first soaking the toenails, sanitizing the nail clippers and then trimming the toenails straight across.
By regularly filing your toenails at home, you can help to reduce the thickness of your nails. This can also assist with the appearance by removing the outer layer which is often discoloured.
With age, there is a rapid decrease in the growth rate for both toenails and fingernails, said Dr. Richard K. Scher, head of the nail section at Weill Cornell Medical College. As a result, both kinds of nail thicken, because of the piling up of nail cells, called onychocytes.
Abstract. Gerodermia osteodysplastica (GO) is a connective tissue disorder characterized by premature aging, wrinkled, and lax skin with reduced elasticity which is more marked on the dorsum of the hands and feet associated with hyperextensible joints and osteoporosis.
Smooth, youthful skin can help make the foot look more attractive as well. The biggest challenge in the foot is keeping the skin from drying out. There are different products used to help either moisturizer or exfoliate the skin.
Mature skin makes less oil and elastin, which leaves it drier and less supple. Without regular care, your heels may harden, crack, or hurt.
Some of the most common foot problems in older adults include bunions, corns, calluses, hammertoes, ingrown, thickened or discolored nails, diabetic foot conditions, poor circulation, and heel pain. Regular visits to a podiatrist can help you maintain your foot health as you age.
Simply add 1/2 cup Epsom salt or a few drops of essential oils to a gallon of warm water. Soak your feet for 10-15 minutes, then dry gently with a fluffy towel. Be sure to dry especially well between your toes.
In addition to acidic properties, vinegar can act as an antibacterial agent. There have been several things written supporting the notion that vinegar and water soaks can be used to soften dry, cracked heels. Some even recommend this for mild athlete's foot.
Corns and calluses are caused by friction and pressure from repeated actions. Some sources of this friction and pressure include: Wearing ill-fitting shoes and socks. Tight shoes and high heels can squeeze areas of the feet.
This is a common condition today. The usual cause of rough skin on feet is tiny micro-lesions or cracks in a callus, which cause susceptibility when coming into contact with tinea.
Use an Overnight Treatment – Vaseline® Jelly can be used as an effective overnight cosmetic treatment for dry, cracked feet and heels as it helps create a sealing barrier, locking in the essential moisture your feet need to repair themselves .
Moisturize
Use a specialist high moisturization foot cream, and not just any lotion. Using cotton socks at night after using a foot cream is a great way to reduce evaporative loss and keep the moisture sealed in. Moisturizing after a shower is always a good idea to help the skin retain moisture.
If you've ever wondered whether putting on socks can help keep your feet soft, the answer is yes. The key is to put them on right after applying your foot cream or lotion. This helps to hold in moisture while keeping dirt and dust out. Socks help your feet stay clean and avoid infection.
“Applying Vicks VapoRub to fungus-infected toenails can clear up the notoriously hard-to-treat condition. Michigan State University clinicians found that applying the product daily to the infected nail cleared the condition in 32 of 85 patients, though it took anywhere from 5 to 16 months…”
Keratin is a protein that promotes the development of the skin and nails. Nail psoriasis sometimes causes too much keratin to grow under the nail. This overgrowth is called subungual hyperkeratosis. People with hyperkeratosis may notice a white, chalky substance under the nail.