Monsoon foot care

Shahnaz Husain *

The soft rhythm of raindrops, lush greenery, and earthy aromas — monsoon is easily the most romantic season of the year. While the season is a rainbow of happiness for your heart, our feet are soaking up something else—rainwater, muck, and bacteria.

If you've ever peeled off wet socks only to discover itchy feet, painful foot cracks, or white, flaky skin, you're not alone. Navigating through puddles and enduring constant humidity creates the perfect breeding ground for fungi, bacteria, and a host of foot ailments.

Wet feet create an ideal environment for fungal infections like athlete’s foot, which thrive in warm, damp conditions. Closed shoes, which are often worn during this season, can trap moisture, further increasing the risk of infections.

Soggy shoes, smelly feet, and surprise cracks on your heels are just part of the many skin concerns this rainy season brings with it. A little extra care tendered to your feet during monsoon and rainy seasons can help prevent shoe bites & serious foot conditions.

1--Keep your feet dry------

Everyone knows to keep feet dry, especially between the toes, but technique matters. After washing or exposure to rain, pat your feet dry thoroughly with a separate, clean towel.

Pay special attention to your feet, while bathing. After washing them well, dry them thoroughly and apply talcum powder.

Wash your feet with a liquid wash every time you come home from outside. As soon as you get indoors, remove wet shoes and socks.

Never wear the same damp shoes two days in a row. Wearing the same pair of shoes on back-to-back rainy days can trap moisture, leading to unpleasant odours and fungal infections

Let them air-dry in sunlight to kill bacteria and avoid foul odour. Avoid storing wet footwear in closed spaces like shoe racks or under the bed. Keep your shoes in a shaded, well-ventilated area and avoid direct sunlight to prevent the leather from cracking.

2----Choose the Right Footwear--

Selecting appropriate footwear is crucial to maintaining foot health during the monsoon. Avoid wearing heels in the monsoons as roads get wet and slippery. If unavoidable, wear footwear that is resistant and has as little heel as possible.

Switch your heels for simple footwear such as flip-flops, slippers, rubber boots, sandals, etc., as they allow maximum ventilation and help the perspiration evaporate. But open footwear also attracts dirt and therefore, foot hygiene becomes all the more important. Don't forget to wear gum boots if you live in a region prone to heavy rainfall and floods.

If you wear closed shoes, talcum powder can be sprinkled inside the shoes.

3---Choose the Right Socks and Liners------

If socks are a must, wear clean, breathable cotton ones to lock in moisture and protect from friction.

Change socks regularly, especially if they become wet. Cotton or moisture-wicking socks are ideal.

Opt for high-performance socks crafted from bamboo, merino wool blends, or moisture-wicking fabrics. Odour-control liners with silver ions or activated charcoal. Quick-drying athletic socks for days with unavoidable moisture

In fact, during the hot and humid season, the feet should be exposed to the air as much as possible.

4----Toenails ------

Keeping your toenails short makes cleaning easier and reduces the risk of dirt and grime build-up under the nails. Take extra care while trimming your toenails; cut them straight and file the corners to remove sharp edges.

Avoid cutting nails too short or rounding the corners, as this can lead to ingrown toenails, which are prone to infections. If you experience any skin damage during a nail trim, use an antiseptic and antibiotic cream for a few days.

Keeping your toenails groomed by cutting them to an optimal short length is a way of making sure that an unnecessary amount of dirt doesn’t accumulate in your toenails. Additionally, moisture causes toenails to become brittle, so a regular trim keeps it under check.

Here are some home remedies for Monsoon foot care:

Foot Soak: In one-fourth bucket of warm water, add half a cup of coarse salt and 10 drops of lemon or orange essential oil (if you cannot get essential oil, use half a cup of lemon or orange juice). If your feet tend to sweat a lot, use a few drops of tea tree oil, as it has germicidal properties. It helps to deal with bad odour. Soak the feet for 10 to 15 minutes.

Foot Lotion: Mix 3 tablespoons of rose water, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and one teaspoon of pure glycerin. Apply on feet and leave on for half an hour.

Foot Care for Dryness: In one-fourth bucket of cold water, put 2 tablespoons of honey, one tablespoon herbal shampoo, one tablespoon almond oil. Soak feet in it for 20 minutes.

Cooling foot bath: Add rose water, lemon juice and a splash of eau de cologne in cold water and soak feet in it. Cools, cleans and removes odour.

Cooling Massage Oil: Take 100 ml olive oil and add 2 DROPS eucalyptus oil, 2 DROPS rosemary oil and 3 DROPS khus, or rose oil. Mix and keep in an airtight glass jar. Use a little of this for a foot massage. It cools and protects the skin and keeps it healthy.

Make a mix of three tablespoons of rose water with two tablespoons of lemon juice and one teaspoon of pure glycerine. Apply this daily after washing and drying the feet.

Turmeric ----Paste of turmeric, which is well known for its antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties, can be applied around the toes to get rid of fungal infections too.