Feeling ashamed about your feet’ appearance can be caused by many different things — misshapen legs and feet, dry, dull skin, nail disorders, and a lack of body confidence in general.
Foot shame can sometimes be considered valid due to embarrassing conditions such as fungal nails, verrucas, or dry, cracked skin. Sadly, this foot shame results in clients not seeking treatment when they should. Consequently, the condition deteriorates, making treatment more challenging.
The feet are one of the most underrated parts of the body. Unless there is a medical or a cosmetic need, most people do not bother with them whatsoever.
As a podiatrist, I feel it’s vital to raise awareness about the importance of attending to our feet. That’s why at our clinic, we take time to educate our clients, reassuring them that with the right treatment, we can help them overcome the cause of the foot shame. Interestingly enough, I’ve experienced and observed over the years that those who are ashamed of their feet shouldn’t be because, with treatment, the condition will go away.
Embarrassment has an underlining value and belief, and where that comes from varies from one person to another. For some people, it develops as a result of a foot problem. When the problem is symptomatic, it can cause pain and affect one’s quality of life, especially doing the things they love with the shoes they like. The good news is that we can fix symptomatic problems with the appropriate treatment.
We can help get rid of fungal nails or verrucas, for example. These common problems can significantly impact what shoes someone wants to wear, whether they want to expose their feet in front of their partner, whether they want to wear flip-flops or sandals and show their feet at the beach, etc.
How to stop foot shame
I’ve written this article to bring foot confidence to the nation! No one should be ashamed of their feet as there is an effective treatment for most conditions. The most common embarrassing leg conditions are varicose veins, spider veins, and lymphoedema. When it comes to the feet, the most common foot embarrassing conditions are verrucae, fungal toenails, or foot deformities such as bunions and hammertoes.
As a foot expert, I believe treatment starts by educating people on what’s wrong with the feet so that they learn to identify a common foot problem. Then, helping them determine what is causing it, which really helps them understand the problem and ease any anxiety and foot shame that is present.
I see treatment as a journey to healthy feet that may take weeks or even months. On this journey, we help people select the treatment options best suited to their individual needs and go under any necessary procedures while overcoming the embarrassment and foot shame. It’s an empowering experience and one I’m always excited to be part of.
Why make feet a healthy obsession
Let’s face it! For many, feet are not the sexiest part of the body, so they neglect and hide them inside shoes for nine to ten months of the year. A lot of people don’t bother with them and forget about them unless there is a cosmetic need or a foot pain that it’s actually stopping them from doing something that they want to do.
And this is sad. Feet play a vital part in our wellbeing, so they deserve to be cared for.
So it is my intention to put emphasis on the importance of prevention and bring awareness to leg and foot health.
If you don’t like the appearance of your feet, but they’re healthy, let me reassure you there are many ways to help improve how they look and how they feel. You see your dentist get your teeth checked and polished every six months. So, why not visit a podiatrist?
Visiting your podiatrist regularly will help you maintain healthy feet. When you see the results you get, I bet your podiatrist will be your latest new best friend and an essential part of your health care team.
You can start the journey to healthy feet from the comfort of your home with our specialist products, clinically formulated for legs and feet. Click here to shop the range. And remember, prevention is better than cure.
