Summer Foot Care: Carla Ferreira’s Essential Advice

A podiatrist shares recommendations on looking after your feet during hot weather and summer. From thorough drying to keeping shoes hygienic, here is what you should do.

Summer foot care: sun protection and hygiene

According to podiatrist Carla Ferreira, sunscreen should be applied to every area of exposed skin - including the feet. Discussing summer foot care, she advises daily washing “with a neutral soap” and drying carefully between the toes after bathing “to prevent the spread of fungi”. The specialist also suggests using “sunscreen and moisturising creams to prevent dryness”.

During the day, “sunscreen should be applied to the tops of the feet, as well as to other areas exposed to the sun, to protect against burns and the risk of skin cancer”, warns the Lusíadas podiatrist.

Shoes and nail care in hot weather

As warmer temperatures call for more open, ventilated footwear, Carla Ferreira recommends giving “preference to breathable materials”. Naturally, she says, “do not forget to deodorise your shoes and let them air out”. The specialist is unequivocal: “we should not wear the same shoes for two consecutive days.” As for the most suitable approach, she recommends “putting shoes in the sun and fresh air”.

Finally, she advises people to “avoid walking barefoot in public places such as beaches and swimming pools, to protect themselves against fungal and parasitic infections, such as jigger flea infestation”, and to “cut nails correctly, without making them too short or cutting the corners, to prevent them from becoming ingrown”.