As summer months approach, don't you look forward to taking your open toed shoes and sandals off of the shoe rack, and awakening our feet from their rough, callused winter slumber? Dr. Marc A. Brenner, a well known podiatrist, shares his advice on how to ensure your feet will be flip-flop ready in no time.

Use warm, not hot water, to cleanse feet
It may obvious that it’s necessary to clean feet thoroughly with soap and water. However, what you may not realize is that using hot water to cleanse your feet will strip the surface layer of natural skin oils, drying out skin cells. For this reason, always use warm water rather than hot water to clean your feet. Dry your feet completely, paying special attention to drying between your toes. Keep in mind that hot water also can be a problem if you have diabetes or vascular disease.

Always exfoliate
It’s important to exfoliate dead skin prior to moisturizing, otherwise new skin layers will not properly hydrate. A pumice stone will remove dead skin layers and prepare the skin for moisturizing. Keep in mind that when not used properly, pumice stones can often damage feet especially if you do not have enough blood flow. And here’s another unpleasant reality: they’re also hotbeds for bacteria growth. What to do? One safe and hygienic alternative is to apply a moisturizing product that also has a kerolytic agent built in. Kerolytic agents slough off dead skin and promote growth of new, softer skin cells.

Moisturize at least once a day
Your feet receive more abuse than you may realize, when walking the pressure on your feet can exceed your body weight. Applying foot ointment once a day will help to control callus build-up, repair cracked heels, and keep your feet soft and smooth. Get into the habit of applying foot ointment nightly, for instance right after brushing your teeth in the evening.

Always an ointment, never a cream
Use an exfoliating moisturizer that's oil-based, rather than water-based, as the oil will create a protective layer on the skin that retains more moisture than a cream or lotion. Cover your feet with a cotton sock to assure proper absorption and to keep the ointment off your sheets and on your feet.

Use only clinically proven products
There a plethora of ointments, creams and lotions on the market, however very few have been proven to be effective. Don’t be fooled by cute packaging or pretty smells. Many products only contain emollients, or use only hydration ingredients that do not exfoliate. Your best option is to only use products that are clinically proven, professionally recommended or approved by a reputable medical association such as the American Podiatric Medical Association.

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