How to Use Essential Oils between Podiatrist Visits

There are a variety of reasons why you may see a podiatrist, but the crucial time for you is between visits. You need to maintain your foot health and ensure that small issues don't become large problems. One of the ways you can maintain your foot health between visits to the podiatrist is to use a few simple essential oil recipes. Here are a few recipes, how to use them, and how they can benefit your foot health.

Weekly Foot Bath

You may think that a weekly foot bath isn't necessary since you wash your feet every time you take a shower or bath. The truth is, a foot bath is your chance to pay special attention to your feet and pamper them. This foot bath is designed to help you exfoliate dead skin, remove any fungus that may be in or around your toenails and notice any issues with your toes and feet that you may otherwise overlook. An ideal foot bath to relax your feet and help with fungus and dry skin includes Epsom salt, tea tree oil, and lemon oil. The lemon and tea tree helps with the fungus while the Epsom salt will help with the dry skin and rejuvenating your feet.

Foot Scrub

Sometimes a simple foot bath will not remove the dead skin cells. This can leave you with dry and cracked skin and areas of your feet that are rougher than normal. You can use a foot file to help, but another step you can take is to use an essential oil based foot scrub. Coconut oil, sugar or salt, and lemon oil can give you a refreshing citrus foot scrub with moisturizing properties from the coconut oil.

You can also choose to replace the lemon oil with vanilla or lavender. If you have foot fungus issues, you may want to use an anti-fungal oil like tea tree. The sugar or salt will help exfoliate the dead skin and remove it from your feet. Remember to rinse your feet and pat dry as well as store the remaining foot scrub in a cool dry place or in the refrigerator

Foot Cream

One way to keep your feet soft and help prevent cracking or severe dry skin is to use a foot cream along with socks. This is an ideal step to take at night before bed. You can use shea butter or coconut oil as your base, but the most important aspect is choosing an essential oil to mix in that is specifically for dry skin.

An ideal choice is frankincense. You can add a few drops of this oil to your base. Spread the lotion mix on your feet and cover with your socks. This will help moisturize your feet throughout the night and won't bring a menthol aspect that could keep you awake from a cooling sensation like some over the counter foot creams and lotions.

These are just three of the essential oil based recipes for your feet.  You can mix and match or choose oils based on their scent rather than their healing properties. Remember, keeping your feet clean and dry is the top step to take for your foot health between podiatrist visits. Talk to a professional podiatrist, like those at Glenelg Podiatry Clinic, for more information on how to keep up your foot health.