June is National Men’s Health Month. This month is all about encouraging the men to take care of their health by eating right, exercising, and working to prevent disease. This includes men’s feet. Let’s look at some tips that men can follow to encourage good foot health.

There are a few ways men can make their feet look and feel better:

• Change your socks every day. It’s easy to just put on yesterday’s socks, but feet tend to sweat during the day, and this can cause excessive moisture. If you’re particularly active, especially in the hot summer weather, you may even wish to change your socks twice a day.
• Wash your feet. You should wash your feet daily. Always use soap and water. This will prevent or control athlete’s foot. Athlete’s foot is common for men, especially if they wear shoes that don’t breathe well.
• Dry your feet thoroughly. After you finish washing your feet, remember to dry the areas between the toes. You can also apply lotion to prevent dry skin, but if you do, remember not to put it between the toes. This can cause tissue breakdown and ulceration.
• Cut toenails properly. First, you should sterilize your toenail clipper. You can use rubbing alcohol for this. Make sure you make small cuts on your nail. Don’t attempt to cut the whole nail at once and don’t dig at the corners. Try to cut straight across, leaving the nails a bit long. It’s not a good idea to cut your nails too short, as this can leave the nail plate vulnerable to additional weakening. It can also lead to infection or an ingrown toenail. It’s important to cut nails when they are dry because wet nails can bend or tear when they are too soft.
• Don’t do any at-home surgery on your feet. Men often take a more hands-on approach to managing a nonthreatening foot issue so they are more likely to engage in ‘bathroom surgery.’ Instead of trying to remove areas of your flesh, you can treat calluses using a pumice stone or put padding in your shoe.

As always, if you do find an issue or are experiencing any pain or discomfort, contact a specialist right away. Dr. Ryan L. D’Amico, Dr. Donal M. Erickson, Dr. Keith Sherman, and their staff will help you diagnose and treat your foot or ankle condition. Call Syracuse Podiatry, located in East Syracuse, New York, for more tips and expert advice. Call 315-446-3668 or make an appointment online today.