Summer heat calls for summer feet! “Treat your feet the way you treat your face,” says Dr. Suzanne Levine, an internationally acclaimed celebrity podiatrist and America’s Top Podiatrists by Consumers’ Research Council of America. Levine recommends soaking in Epsom salt to reduce swelling and other foot irritations that are common in the summer.

“Swelling can cause problems year-round, but it’s especially troublesome in the summer, when people wear sandals and other shoes with straps,” she says. “The inflammation aggravates bunions, bursas, corns and hammer toes."

To combat swelling and soothe sore feet:

1. Add half a cup of Epsom salt to a gallon of lukewarm water.
2. Soak your feet for 15 minutes at the end of the day.
3. Repeat at least three times a week.

To work on callouses and hard skin:

Epsom Salt exfoliation paste

1. Mix half a cup of Epsom salt with a holistic, natural moisturizing agent, such as 5% or 10% glycolic cream.
2. Massage into tough patches of skin to smooth and soften.
3. Keep in a Tupperware container in or near the shower.

Additional tips and tricks:

• Prevent ingrown toenails by trimming toenails straight across without cutting into the sides.
• Use a pumice stone and a moisturizing agent to soothe callouses.
• Bring your own equipment to your nail spa to help guard against fungus and other infections.
• Apply zinc oxide sunscreen to your feet to reduce sun damage, including sunburn, premature aging of your skin and hyperpigmentation.

Note: For human use, the Epsom Salt Council recommends only Epsom salt with the USP designation.