Why You Should Still Get Pedicures in Winter

I don’t know about y’all, but I’ll tell you what: winter weather doesn’t just affect my mood. If I don’t intensify my skin-care routine, my face turns to sandpaper—and so do my feet. You may think that when you put away your sandals and flip-flops, there’s no point in fussing with your feet and toes. Well, bless your hearts, you’d be wrong about that. I’ve got lots of reasons why you should still get pedicures in winter—here’s just a few.

Prevent Cracked Heels and Callouses

We all tend to spend more time indoors in the winter, and indoor air can be super dry. Neglecting your feet can lead to cracked and even bleeding heels as well as callouses. A pedicure provides exfoliation of dead and hardened skin cells, and moisturization prevents calluses and corns from forming in the first place.

Catch Infections and Fungus

The air outside your boots and wooly socks might be dry, but the atmosphere inside your footwear could be sweaty and damp. This might be encouraging fungus, and the pressure of your shoes and socks can lead to ingrown toenails. A licensed pedicure technician can ensure your nail beds stay healthy before these problems arise. And if fungus or ingrown toenails have already developed, your nail technician will notice and refer you to a podiatrist for treatment.

Stress Relief

Let’s face it: pedicures are soothing. You get to immerse your feet in a nice, warm footbath and relax while your nail technician takes care of your feet. The stress and pressures of the holiday season, entertaining, visiting with family, and just making it through the gray days of winter can make you really crave a pick-me-up, which is another reason why you should still get pedicures in winter.

If you’re into saving money, like me, you can learn to give yourself a nearly professional pedicure at home using the same kinds of tools and supplies your nail salon might use. Winter pedicures are less about decorating your toes with pretty colors (although you can do that, too, even if it’s just you and your partner admiring your pretty piggies). It’s more about maintaining foot health, catching issues in time to make an appointment with your podiatrist, and keeping your heels from turning into rough, cracked, bleeding landscapes of pain. Keeping your feet in good shape through the winter means less work to get them pretty in the spring when the painted toenails come out of hibernation and show off in sandals again.