You are packing for the beach or getting ready for a summer walk in Kraków’s parks. You put on your favourite sandals and reach for the sunscreen. You carefully apply it to your face, shoulders, upper chest and back. Ready? Not quite…
There is one part of the body that almost everyone forgets when applying sunscreen on holiday. The tops of our feet.
Although feet may seem “far from the sun”, they receive a substantial dose of UV radiation in summer. Why can ignoring this area lead to a painful disaster or serious health problems? The team at FEETBUSTER explains!
🌋 Sunburnt feet — an avoidable summer ordeal
The skin on the tops of the feet is very thin and delicate, with almost no underlying fatty tissue. It can therefore burn quickly in the sun. Spend a few hours on a sun lounger or sightseeing in open sandals without sunscreen, and by evening your feet can be red and painfully burnt.
Sunburnt feet are one of the most troublesome holiday problems. Why? Because for the next few days, putting on any shoes, or even feeling a sock or bed linen against the skin, can be agony. Each step feels like walking on hot coals, and sunburn blisters can ruin a long-awaited holiday.
🛑 Melanoma hidden on the foot – a threat you need to know about
UV radiation damages the skin and increases melanoma risk. However, a cancerous lesion can also appear on the sole or beneath a nail, in an area not exposed to sunlight. Alongside sun protection, it is important to examine the whole of your feet and show any new or changing pigmentation to a dermatologist.
Many patients are surprised to learn that melanoma can develop on a foot. Cancerous lesions can appear on the tops of the feet, on the soles and even… under the nail plate (subungual melanoma). Due to the fact that we rarely look at our feet from this angle, cancers in these areas are sometimes detected very late.
🛡️ How to enjoy the sun safely: podology tips
To protect yourself from pain and dangerous complications, introduce a few simple habits into your summer routine:
- The “SPF to the toes” rule: When applying sunscreen (preferably SPF 50) to your body, always finish with your feet. Cover the entire upper part of the foot, ankle area and toes thoroughly.
- Apply the cream again: Beach sand acts like a scrub, while water and sweat wash sunscreen away. Reapply it to your feet every 2 hours and each time you come out of the water.
- Watch your feet: Examine your feet carefully once a month. Look for new skin marks, irregularly shaped moles and dark, lengthwise spots or lines under the nails that are not caused by an injury or haematoma.
👀 Regular foot checks at FEETBUSTER
A podology practitioner is a specialist who examines your feet under magnification and in very good light during each visit. During a basic podology treatment at our practice on ul. Żmujdzka, we care for the skin, trim the nails and check the whole foot. If we notice any concerning change in pigmentation, we refer you promptly to a dermatologist.
Before going out into the sun, take comprehensive care of your feet.