5 Ways to Treat Your Feet

Show your feet some much-needed attention: Scrub, soften and safeguard.

Scrub every day
Keep a nailbrush in your shower, along with a pumice stone or foot file, and spend a few minutes focusing on your feet every time you bathe. Scrub under your nails, and rub callused, rough areas with the file or stone for up to one minute. (You can also add an exfoliating scrub to this skin-smoothing routine.) Just don't scrub so hard that you rub the skin raw or you get rid of calluses altogether. Some callus is necessary to help protect your feet; keep razors away from your heels. If you puncture skin or use instruments not sterilized properly, you could end up with an infection.

Clip nails right
If you leave your nails too long, they can hit the edge of your shoes and bruise. If you clip them too short, you may trigger ingrown toenails. The best advice: Every three to four weeks, after you've showered or soaked your feet, use small clippers to trim, cutting straight across. If you start to notice redness or inflammation around the nail (early signs of an ingrown nail), clean out the area by soaking your foot in vinegar diluted with water. If the condition persists, see a podiatrist, who can clean and drain the infection using specifically designed, sterilized tools and prescribe antibiotics if necessary.