Here are two more interesting myths about our feet – I have to admit I had always taken them to be true.
Myth: Over-the-counter scrubs and soaks for corns are safe and effective.
Fact: “At-home soaks or scrubs would just exfoliate, not remove corns,” Vlahovic said.
Diagnosis: A corn is a buildup of skin with a hard center. This often is caused by a hammertoe in which the toe knuckle rubs against the shoe. To permanently remove a corn, the hammertoe must be corrected so that it stops rubbing against the shoe. Or, just wear shoes with a wider toe box.
I don’t have corns – honest, I don’t! But I still buy those OTC scrubs and soaks just to melt the tiredness of my feet away sometimes. The explanation above makes sense, though, doesn’t it? It could also explain why I have no corns – I rarely wear shoes!
Myth: Feet don’t need sunscreen.
Fact: “Skin cancer on the legs and feet actually has a high mortality rate due to people forgetting to do skin checks on that area. It’s often caught too late,” Vlahovic said. “This is due in large part to the fact that many people simply forget to apply or reapply sunscreen to the lower extremities.”
Diagnosis: Apply sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and with both UVB and UVA protection every two to three hours to the feet. Apply more often if you’re going to be at the beach, in and out of the water, or sweating.
This is amazing, really. I never even gave a thought to this point. Have you?
Photo courtesy of chiodachic
Originally posted on June 24, 2008 @ 11:50 am