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During pregnancy, apart from everything else, you need to take care of your feet in particular. So, before you put on your summer flip-flops, check your feet carefully. It may turn out that they require a general renovation after winter. If the skin is dry, there are corns, thickenings, cracks on the feet, a pedicure will come in handy. Feet require treatment when suffering from corns, warts and bunions.
The foot consists of 26 bones, connected together by 107 ligaments and tendons, 33 joints and 19 muscles. Each foot takes 3.5 million steps each year. But, according to the observations of beauticians, it is one of the most neglected parts of the body. The average Polish woman spends half a minute a day on her feet. This is a mistake, because we should pay as much attention to our feet as we do to care for the face. After all, every dayfeetcarry a body weight of several dozen kilograms. Inpregnancyyou need to take special care of them, because the body weight increases by an additional dozen kilograms, and this in turn causes a different pressure on the feet than usual. This is why future mothers are often bothered by corns and calluses. Unfortunately, an enlarging belly is not conducive to homepedicure . You can take care of your feet on your own until the sixth month, then your belly will be too big and it will be difficult for you to bend down.
Feet: dry and rough skin
Nature has equipped the feet with a large number of sweat glands - there are almost 600 of them on one centimeter of the skin. However, there was no room for sebaceous glands, which is why the skin on the feet is one of the fastest drying parts of the body. This property is especially evident in summer, when sweat evaporates quickly under the influence of high temperature, which makes the feet rough, the skin peels, and in extreme cases - it burns. How to prevent it? During the day, pat your feet and calves with a cooling cream that helps to prevent puffiness and additionally moisturizes the skin. In the morning and in the evening, lubricate the skin on your feet and heels with a moisturizing cream. If the skin is very dry, you can apply a nourishing compress overnight instead of cream: rub a thick layer of cream or a special foot mask (available at any drugstore) on your feet, wrap them with foil and put on socks. You can treat your feet to a moisturizing bath once a week. Pour warm, warm water into a bowl (or a special mini foot jacuzzi).but not hot water with a little bath oil or olive oil added. Such a bath should last about a quarter of an hour. Every now and then - preferably once a week - it is also worth making a peeling to exfoliate the dead epidermis - thanks to this, the skin will absorb the ingredients contained in the creams better.
ImportantFoot massage - yes or no?
Reflexotherapy is an element of many foot massages. It is based on the strong pressure of the fingers on specific points on the foot, which - as reflexotherapists claim - correspond to specific organs of the body. If any of the organs is unwell, all you need to do is apply pressure to the corresponding places on your feet to improve your well-being. However, it is better to be careful with massaging the feet during pregnancy. A he althy pregnancy is theoretically not a contraindication to surgery. Reflexotherapy specialists say that foot massage during pregnancy relieves low back pain, improves blood circulation, reduces constipation, nausea and indigestion. But after the procedure, side effects may occur, e.g. increased urination due to increased metabolism, rash on the skin of the feet, various hidden diseases may also appear, e.g. neglected rheumatoid diseases, sometimes there is also a high fever. Therefore, foot massage is better to postpone until after the puerperium. If you absolutely want to undergo such a procedure, then only to a professional reflexotherapist.
Feet - corns
Many pregnant women complain of painful corns - hard lumps that form, especially between the toes. They arise as a result of excessive pressure on the skin and the rubbing of the fingers of the foot against each other. Before removing them, soften the impression with a special ointment or lotion (note, some have an unpleasant smell). You can also apply a patch soaked in salicylic acid (available from pharmacies). Repeat the treatment every day until the imprint softens and falls off by itself. If you are impatient, you can soak your feet in warm water and rub the impression with a special grater. Do the same for calluses, which are oval, calloused, yellowish lumps on the sole of the foot (especially on the heel, metatarsal and tips of the toes). What about cracked heels? Here the matter is a bit more complicated. Cracks on the feet appear when the skin is extremely dry. Women who have this problem, doctors recommend taking vitamin A + E in capsules, but in pregnancy this way is not necessary, because vitamin A is easy to overdose, and its excess is harmful to the baby. Some relief may be provided by soaking your feet in warm water. However, this simple treatment will not improve the level of hydration, so you should rub a special cream for cracked heels every day. Not only will it help you healdamaged skin, but it will also prevent further cracks. However, you should not use graters or exfoliating creams, as they can severely irritate chapped skin.
Pregnant pedicure
At the end of the second and third trimester, when your tummy is so big that you won't be able to cut and polish your nails yourself, you can go for a pedicure at the salon. A visit is recommended especially if you are bothered by ingrown toenails. However, this solution can be risky if you have never used the services of a pedicurist before and you do not know a proven office. Unfortunately, it still happens that pedicure tools are not properly sterilized. This is very important - if during the procedure the pedicurist accidentally scrapes the skin with sharp nippers, you can get infected with various viruses (e.g. herpes or hepatitis B). Ideally, ask for tools to be disinfected in your presence. Note: Be sure to tell your pedicurist that you are pregnant, especially if your pregnancy is not going well. Part of the pedicure treatment is a foot massage with elements of reflexotherapy, which is not forbidden but is also not recommended for future mothers. The pressure of some points on the foot may ( although it does not have to) cause premature contractions, especially if it is done by a person without appropriate qualifications. Therefore, it is better to be safe than sorry and give up this part of the pedicure at all.
Feet at the doctor's
Sometimes the feet suffer from more serious ailments that require specialist treatment. You should visit a dermatologist when you have:
- Fungus- its symptom is severe itching of the skin, discoloration and furrows on the nail plate. Mycosis must be treated, doctors usually prescribe topical ointments for pregnant women.
- Halluksy- these are painful deformations and thickening of the big toe joint. They arise from wearing too tight shoes. When halluxes bother you a lot, you can buy a special protective cushion at the pharmacy to put on your fingers. But you will need to see a specialist who will prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs or suggest a hallux excision.
- Kurzajki- viral warts. They are caused by the Human papilloma virus. You can get infected with it, for example, at the swimming pool or in a shop changing room. They do not hurt, but they must not be torn off. The doctor may suggest removing the warts with the help of special preparations or cryotherapy, i.e. treatment with cold. During the procedure, the warts are frozen and then removed.