PLAYING FOOTSIE: HEALTHIEST WAY TO WEAR HIGH HEELS & WHY YOU SHOULD (ALWAYS) WEAR HOUSE SLIPPERS
St. Croix Podiatrist Dr. Regina Flippin recommends never going bare feet, even indoors. Wearing comfortable house slippers will keep your heels moisturized and free of callouses and dry skin.
Not long ago, we featured Dr. Regina Flippin’s enviable style—naming her one of St. Croix’s most fashionable women. Today, we’re dishing on insights the board-certified podiatrist shared with us about how to properly care for our feet—both indoors and outdoors.
When it comes to wearing high heels and maintaining healthy feet, the fashion-forward foot doctor, who enjoys wearing high heels to physically and aesthetically elevate her look, says it’s all about striking the right balance.
“I’m not going to say that heels are the best to wear all day, although we do damage wearing heels because we want to look cute,” she says. “I think I have a happy balance. I feel like platform shoes work best, and you can find really fashionable platform shoes, and the next day, I’ll wear a flat to [off-set] that.”
She says this tried-and-true formula—alternating between high-heeled shoes and flats—will help local fashionistas maintain the best foot health possible.
Alternating between high heels and flats is the best way to maintain healthy feet, Dr. Flippin says.
Never one to leave you hanging, Dr. Flippin highly recommends the brand Sorel, which she says offers both cute and comfortable shoes to meet women’s styling needs.
“I find that they have some really cute shoes where you can get the comfort and the style, but definitely when I want to wear my heels, I try to look for more of a platform and alternate,” she says. “You never just want to wear one particular type of shoe because that’s when you start doing damage to your feet.”
“You want to wear what’s comfortable and what works for you—your foot structure,” she adds. “And that can take some time to figure out, but if it’s painful, don’t wear it all day. You can find some really cute shoes, especially this day and age, that are more comfortable and more functional for your foot structure.”
Caring for Feet at Home
In the current economy, getting professional pedicures at your local nail salon and spa might not always be in the budget; however, Dr. Flippin says one area of footcare women should make a priority is to never go barefoot—even indoors.
“Walking barefoot is awful, and that includes in the house,” the experienced podiatrist says. “You should always have some shoes on because that friction [between your bare feet and the floor], it causes callouses, it causes your feet to get dry, it causes the crusty heels, so never walk barefoot.”
A true house slipper, not rubber flip-flops or Crocs, fits the bill. “People think Crocs are house shoes, but I’m totally against Crocs. House crocs are not good for your feet,” she says.
And here’s a pro tip for you. In our tropical climate with year-round access to sea and sun, slipping into a pair of aqua socks and visiting any of our beautiful beaches can feel just like treating your feet to a spa day for free. “I would go so far as to say that if people do have foot problems or problems with dry skin on their feet, when they go to the beach, wear the aqua socks. That’s really important. You’ll definitely notice a difference,” Dr. Flippin advises.
Lastly, Dr. Flippin wants women to be more intentional about caring for their feet in much the same way as they pamper other parts of their body.
Dr. Regina Flippin of Urban Foot Care Center on St. Croix. Photo courtesy of www.urbanfootcare.com.
“A lot of people, they don’t care to moisturize, they don’t take care of their toenails because they are in shoes,” she says. “They would put lotion onto their knees, but from the keens down, they don’t. So, I find that a lot of women don’t pamper their feet. And after walking barefoot—I see the heels, and here [in the Caribbean], you know, we wear sandals all the time, and I see so many crusty heels. Pamper your heels like you do the rest of your body.”
Definitely wise words to live, and walk, by.
Book your next appointment with Dr. Flippin at the Urban Foot Care Center, located at 3001 Est. Orange Grove on St. Croix and at the Paragon Medical Building, Ste. 307, on St. Thomas.