5 Things You Should Never Do to Your Feet

A Foot Care Nurse's Honest Guide to the Habits That Cause More Harm Than You Think

We see it every week. People who have spent years doing what they thought was fine — or what someone on the internet assured them was perfectly safe — and then wonder why their feet are uncomfortable, infected, or just not quite right.

There is no judgment here. Most foot care mistakes come from a place of good intentions, limited information, or simply doing what's always been done. As nurses who assess and treat feet every single day, we want to share what we know. A few small changes can make a significant difference to your long-term foot health.

1. Cutting Your Own Nails If You Have a High-Risk Health Condition

This is the one we feel most strongly about. If you have diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, poor circulation, or are taking blood thinners, please do not attempt to cut your own toenails without speaking to a healthcare provider first.

Here's why: when sensation is reduced, you may not feel a nick, a cut, or an ingrown nail developing. When circulation is compromised, even the smallest wound heals slowly. Slowly-healing wounds in the feet can escalate into serious infections with alarming speed. When you're on blood thinners, minor bleeding becomes harder to manage.

What to do instead: See a foot care nurse regularly. We are trained specifically for this. We use the right instruments, apply the right technique for your nail type, and assess everything we see along the way — keeping you safe every step of the process.

2. Using Over-the-Counter Corn and Callus Removers

Those medicated pads and drops you find at the pharmacy contain salicylic acid. This chemical breaks down skin tissue. For a perfectly healthy person with no circulatory or skin integrity concerns, they may seem harmless. But for many of the people who reach for them most often — older adults, people with diabetes, those with sensitive or compromised skin — they carry a real risk of chemical burns, skin breakdown, and open wounds.

We have seen significant skin damage caused by these products. They do not discriminate between the hardened skin you want removed and the healthy skin surrounding it.

What to do instead: Have corns and calluses professionally reduced by a nurse who can safely manage them with the right tools. They will also look at why they're forming in the first place.

3. Ignoring Changes in Your Feet

"It's been like that for a while" is one of the most common things we hear — and one of the most concerning. Changes in the colour, temperature, texture, or sensation of your feet are your body communicating something. A nail that's shifted in appearance. A patch of skin that won't quite heal. Swelling that wasn't there before. Numbness that comes and goes.

None of these should simply be waited out or dismissed as "just getting older." Many serious foot health issues — diabetic wounds, early infections, circulatory compromise — are far easier to address when caught early. The longer something is left, the more limited the options become.

What to do instead: If something about your feet looks, feels, or seems different, have it assessed. That's exactly what we're here for. No concern is too small, and there is absolutely no judgment in our space.

4. Wearing Ill-Fitting Footwear "Just for Today"

We understand. The shoes are beautiful. The occasion calls for them. And it's just for one day. The problem is that "just for today" adds up. Narrow toe boxes compress the toes and contribute to bunions, ingrown nails, and nerve pain. Unsupportive flats and flip-flops strain the plantar fascia. Ill-fitting shoes cause blisters, pressure sores, and changes in gait that ripple all the way up through the knees, hips, and lower back.

Your feet carry your entire body weight across thousands of steps every day. The footwear you choose either supports that work or makes it harder.

What to do instead: Invest in footwear that fits well and offers real support for everyday wear. If you're unsure what to look for, ask your foot care nurse or speak with our pedorthist. They can assess your gait and foot structure and recommend the right support for you.

5. Skipping Moisturizer

The skin on the soles of your feet is the thickest on your entire body — and it has no oil glands. This means it relies entirely on external moisture to stay healthy and intact. When the skin dries out, it cracks. Cracked skin is more than a cosmetic concern — it's an entry point for bacteria. Dry, cracked heels are one of the most common things we see in our clinic — and one of the most preventable. A simple daily moisturizing routine can make an enormous difference, particularly through the drier winter months and the open-sandal summer season.

What to do instead: Moisturize your feet daily — ideally after bathing, when skin is clean and slightly warm. Apply to the entire foot, avoiding between the toes where excess moisture can encourage fungal growth. Your nurse can recommend the right product for your skin type.

A Bonus — and an Honest One: Don't Put Off Getting Professional Foot Care

Your feet deserve better — and so do you. At Sole Renewal, every appointment begins with getting to know you — not just your health history, but your life. Your work, your hobbies, your family. Because great foot care isn't just about what we do in the treatment room. It's about understanding the whole person who walked in.

Book your appointment today at www.solrenewalfootcare.ca. We'd love to meet you.

— Natalie Doucet, RPN | Sole Renewal Footcare & Wellness | Oshawa, Ontario