Winter is a big challenge for our body. Especially our skin suffers greatly from the dry air and cold temperatures. With the worst it hits our feet. These are packed into warm shoes and thick socks at the time of autumn and winter. They usually spend most of the day there and are only unpacked again in the evening. This not only causes heat to build up and little air circulation to our feet, but can also lead to complaints such as sweaty and winter feet. We reveal how to properly care for your feet in winter and thus prevent problems.
What happens in winter? Feet in cold temperatures
Our body reacts to low temperatures in winter by constricting external vessels in order to keep the core body temperature high. As a result, extremities such as the feet or hands do not get enough blood flow, so the temperature there decreases. Over time, our feet then become cold and start to freeze. To prevent our feet from freezing, we often pack them thicker and warmer in winter. However, socks and warm winter shoes are often very tight and not very breathable. On the one hand, this causes unpleasant pressure points and calluses. On the other hand, the lack of air circulation in the warm shoes causes air to accumulate and the feet begin to sweat. However, the sweat cannot escape through the thick socks and shoes. In extreme cases, this can cause athlete’s foot or atopic winter foot, a consequence of dry feet.
Causes of ice feet
In winter, it is especially important to wear the right shoes. Because the wrong footwear can promote the development of cold feet, because the blood vessels in the feet contract even more than it is already the case in winter. The low blood circulation makes the feet freeze. Other causes of icy feet can be low blood pressure and vascular diseases caused by diabetes, obesity, smoking and high blood pressure. If these diseases are triggers for cold feet, it is advisable to consult a doctor and change one’s lifestyle. With a healthy diet and more exercise, those affected can take the first steps in the right direction.
8 tips for ice feet
The following measures, among others, help against ice feet in winter:
- Wear heat socks with sewn-in metal fibers, these keep the feet quite warm.
- Make sure that your winter shoes are not too tight, so that a good blood circulation of the feet is possible.
- Put shoe soles with lambskin in your shoes, so that the soles of your feet also stay warm.
- Rub your feet with warming foot creams. These stimulate blood circulation in the skin and thus lead to warm feet.
- Proper sitting promotes blood circulation in the feet. For this, the legs should be comfortably next to each other, instead of being beaten over each other.
- Toe and foot exercises crank up the blood flow in the feet for some time and let them warm up.
- Regular sauna sessions as well as Kneipp showers and alternating showers train the vessels. These do not contract so strongly in the feet. This keeps the feet warm.
- Five-minute foot baths with essential oils warm the feet especially.
Sweaty feet in winter: 5 tips
Too thickly wrapped feet sweat in warm and heated rooms. The sweat can not escape so well from closed shoes. As a result, it remains on the skin and is decomposed by bacteria – creating a cheesy smell. However, a sweaty foot not only smells unpleasant, but is also particularly susceptible to fungal diseases. In addition, a cold and damp foot poses a risk for colds. The following tips will help prevent sweaty feet:
- Be sure to buy breathable and waterproof footwear (leather shoes and shoes with TEX materials). Such shoes provide dry feet and an exchange between warm air inside the shoe and fresh air outside.
- Wash your feet daily and then rub them with rubbing alcohol.
- At home, preferably wear open slippers or even walk barefoot and let air to your feet as often as possible.
- Spray your shoes once a week with disinfectant spray.
- Put on thin cotton socks, because they transport sweat to the outside better than synthetic socks and thus mitigate the moisture in the shoe.
What is atopic winter foot?
In winter, the skin on the feet can become not only damp, but also cracked and dry. The risk of this is particularly high when it is in thick shoes and generally receives little oxygen. This then favors the formation of calluses. Atopic winter foot is a mild variant of neurodermatitis. Therefore, often – but not only – people with allergies or neurodermatitis are affected by atopic winter feet. Typical symptoms are dry skin as well as bloody cracks on the soles of the feet and the tips of the toes. As a rule, affected people, just like people with sweaty feet, should rely on breathable and waterproof shoes and cotton socks and ventilate their feet frequently. In addition, the following measures are also recommended:
- Conduct lukewarm foot baths with replenishing bath additives. These make the skin supple and, used regularly, prevent dry feet.
- Consult your dermatologist. This prescribes in most cases greasy ointments.
Feet in winter: The right care
In general, it is recommended to take regular foot baths with essential oils in winter, massaging the feet. This promotes blood circulation and revitalizes the feet. Regular foot peelings are also worthwhile. They remove flakes and create a soft skin. To remove calluses, it is recommended to soften the skin on the feet by taking a bath and then work on the rough areas with pumice stones and callus files.
Beautiful and healthy feet with creams and lotions
However, the best care for the feet still represent rich creams and lotions. To prevent damage to your feet in winter, you should apply a special cream to your feet in the morning and evening. Creams and lotions support natural sebum production and maintain the protective film of the skin. For particularly cracked and dry feet, a cream with urea and aloe vera is recommended. Ingredients such as eucalyptus, lavender and rosemary, on the other hand, stimulate blood circulation in the feet. This is very soothing and warming, especially for cold feet. Against sweaty feet are mainly suitable special lotions and deodorants with aluminum chloride. In the long run, however, you should not use deodorants with aluminum chloride, as the metal can have a damaging effect. As an alternative, you can also use powder, because powder also helps to absorb sweat and provide dry feet.
