Care for the Feet in the Summer Heat

Summer is almost here. The pool and beach are calling. We’re excited and can hardly wait to wiggle our tootsies in the sand and run barefoot through the grass.

Our tootsies, however, may not be quite so anxious. They take a beating during the summer. We cram them into sandals that may not fit right. We beat them to death on pool decks. We run them into patio furniture. They sweat on the tennis courts and pick up who knows what on the locker room floor.

So, it behooves us to be kind to our feet, and they will go the extra mile for us.

The nail technicians interviewed all advocate a pedicure every four to six weeks, but they had great ideas for keeping the feet looking fine in between fixes.

Terra Traylor, nail technician at Stonewater Spa and Boutique in Plaza Frontenac, 1701 Lindbergh Blvd., said that dry heels are one of the biggest complaints by her clients and they are caused by that beloved summer shoe – the flip flop.

“Women, for the most part, wear flip flops in the summer and we live in them,” she said. “They’re comfortable, but not the best for your feet. They have no arch support, plus your feet are exposed to the outside elements and constantly get dry. You can get a pedicure today, and in three or four days, your heels are dry again if you’re wearing flip flops.”

She suggested scrubbing the bottom of the feet and along the heel area to keep them hydrated.

Exposed feet get much drier, said Kim Stahnke, manager of the Salon at Saks Fifth Avenue, Plaza Frontenac, 1701 S. Lindbergh Blvd.

“The key is to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize,” she said. “Before getting a pedicure, you might want to exfoliate a bit with pumice or a foot file paddle to get rid of the dry skin.”

When getting a pedicure, cutting the nail straight across guards against ingrown toenails which could cause an infection.

“Never cut the cuticle,” Stahnke said. “This can also cause an infection. And always use cuticle cream.”

Using a blade to remove calluses is a bad idea that some states have outlawed she said. Stahnke advocates using the “nail paddle” for exfoliating.

“Use a daily moisturizer for sure,” she said. “Then a weekly treatment of a deeper moisturizer and a pumice paddle to exfoliate, and then put moisturizer back on, then every four weeks get a professional pedicure.”

Kim Nguyen, manager at Ladue Nails & Spa, 1548 S. Lindbergh Blvd., said that going barefoot is very rough on the feet.

“Wearing sandals is important if you want to take care of your feet,” she said. “Going barefoot dries out the feet more than they already are because of sun exposure. And when exfoliating your feet, don’t forget the area beneath the toes on the bottoms of your feet. They also need care.”

All the nail technicians agreed on one tried and true method to get your feet in the “playing footsie” condition – socks and a heavy foot cream or Vaseline.™

 “My dermatologist told me many years ago to do that when I had an issue,” Stahnke said. “I put on a first layer of Vaseline, rub it in well, then put on another layer, and then put on socks.”

Nguyen also advocated Vaseline and socks.

“Lots of things can be fixed with Vaseline,” she said. “It really helps dry skin, especially on the bottom of the feet. After a pedicure, dry skin has been removed so you want to keep it smooth, so I would put Vaseline on them or a very intensive lotion.”

For a real special treat, you might want to use a good extra virgin olive oil – also a proven product for dry skin.

Then, you could use your toes to toss a salad.

Stonewater Spa Salon-Boutique: 1701 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 314-569-2111,  www.halcyondayspa.com

Business Hours: Monday and Friday-9 a.m. to 5 p.m.;Tuesday -Thursday – 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday – noon to 5 p.m.

Salon At Saks Fifth Avenue: 1701 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 314-567-3364,             www.halcyondayspa.com

Business hours:  Monday through Saturday – 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday – noon to 5 p.m.

Ladue Nails and Spa, The Village at Schneithorst's, 1548 S. Lindbergh Blvd., 314-727-1119, www.laduenails.com

Business hours: Monday through Saturday – 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday – 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.