Happy Feet

Josephine Fairley proves that a bit of pampering is good for the sole... Illustrations: Susanne Hayes

Strange as it sounds, and more than almost any other 'anti-ageing' advice, I believing in being very, very nice to feet - every single day. We put more stress on our feet than any other part of the body - cumulatively, hundreds of tons over a single day. And, as leading podiatrist Margaret Dabbs says: 'Foot pain shows on your face' - which makes you look 10 years older than you are. Plus: feet take us walkabout, and walking really is nature's greatest medicine - good for our heart and lungs, good for improving bone density (of our lower half), doesn't strain the joints - and gets you from A to B. Absolutely free. It can also, even on its own, work as a weight-loss technique, if you put in the miles regularly. All of which means that after about 35, we need to think of our feet in terms of much more than opportunities to show off fabulous shoes and glam nail polishes. Foot problems before then aren't unknown, of course - though they're usually shoe-related. (Corns and bunions, in particular.) But as we age, feet become more problematic. And my experience is that whenever I stop walking - because of illness, or injury, or simply painful feet (I was once almost crippled by an allergic reaction to MSG) - it's not long before everything feels like it's falling apart. So foot 'wellbeing' is vital. With 26 bones and a complex network of supportive muscles, ligaments and tendons, feet are the foundations of the body so it's not surprising that when they go wrong, it impacts on our whole being. Personally, I turn to the aforementioned Margaret Dabbs for foot treatments, medi-pedis and advice - so here's her advice on dealing with specific foot 'challenges'. First off, the biggest problem that Margaret sees in older feet, she says, is dehydration. As we age, the skin thins, we lose subcutaneous (just-under-the- surface) fat, and feet become as dry as the desert. Fascinatingly, that's partly a side-effect of the circulatory system preferentially looking after the female organs, and directing blood there. ''Your feet are the end of the road,' explains Margaret. The rest, though, is down to us not looking after them - so it's vital to moisturise every night. Whenever possible, avoid wearing closed-in shoes without socks or tights: 'The moisture from your feet drains into the shoes, drying out the skin -and your feet and shoes are liable to get a tad whiffy, too,' says Margaret. (Open sandals with bare feet are fine because they let your feet breathe.)

Calluses and corns. A callus is a thickening of the surface layer of the skin - hard skin, in other words - which usually forms in response to pressure, often on the ball of the foot, the heel and/or underside of the big toe. Well-fitting shoes, plenty of moisturising and regular buffing with a good foot file should keep calluses in check, while seeing a podiatrist for regular buffing is also a boon. For corns, professional attention is vital - ideally, as soon as you get one. A corn is a tiny, cone-shaped mass of hard skin with a visible centre; it can be excruciatingly painful. The key is to consult a podiatrist who's experienced in biomechanics (the actual action of how you walk) to find the cause - which could be tight shoes, toe deformities, sticking-out bony bits or an unbalanced gait. As well as treating the actual corn, you should get advice in order to prevent a reoccurrence; they may suggest supportive inserts called orthotics, which can be individually made (expensive) or, increasingly, off-the-shelf (much cheaper).

Verrucas. These small rough warty lumps on the skin are contagious and unsightly, and need treatment as they won't clear up on their own. Margaret Dabbs suggests a 'holistic' combination of cryosurgery (freezing) and acupuncture: 'It's really successful over about three sessions,' she reports. Pharmacist Shabir Daya from Victoria Health, which specialises in natural remedies, recommends this regime: twice daily, apply Manuka Paint, £8.99 (www.victoriahealth.com) which contains a powerful antifungal and antiviral herb called horopito plus antibacterial manuka (tea tree). Cover with a plaster. Also take Lysine 1000 mg, one tablet twice daily on an empty stomach, to help prevent the virus multiplying, plus the herb astragalus (an effective immune enhancer).

Plantar fasciitis (PF). This is inflammation of the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that stretches from your heel to your middle foot bones, causing intense pain. FitFlop sandals can help this foot condition (and many others). Among fans is Olympic long jumper Jade Johnson who had PF; she was given foot exercises to do in sand by her physiotherapist but found she got 'the same effect from wearing FitFlops for 20 minutes daily. They were really helpful in getting my feet working and pain-free quickly'. Visit www.fitflop.com for more info, stockists etc. (I do recommend visiting a store and trying them on, if possible.

Bunions. These inflamed and painful bumps on the side of your big toe joint afflict about one in three women in the west. The moment you notice a problem, consult a qualified podiatrist specialising in biomechanics and human movement. The underlying cause is usually the foot shape you inherit, but looking after your feet - and in particular wearing roomy, softer, foot-shaped shoes (e.g. trainers) - may help. Wearing toe separators round the house may also be helpful (check out Beech Sandals, which are a specific type of footwear that separates the toes). Avoid high heels and pointed toes except briefly for glam occasions, and don't wear ordinary flip-flops continuously. If you need surgery, make sure the surgeon is really experienced and specialised: there are horror stories of general orthopaedic surgeons (who do just a few bunions a year at most) taking out too much bone.

Fungal problems. Terribly common, actually. Wearing nail polish often conceals when we have a nail fungus, which leads to a paler discolouration of an area of nail. It's best to consult a podiatrist or chiropodist for treatment. Drying thoroughly between toes and letting feet 'breathe' (in open shoes in summer) should also guard against athlete's foot, another pesky fungal problem which leads to cracking and infernal itching - but again, if this is stubborn, a chiropodist can help. Now, with all the TLC I lavish on my feet they're usually happy as Larry. But I have heard fantastic anecdotal reports from friends with structural foot problems who've been helped hugely by wearing FitFlops (see above), these are now available as sneakers and summer sandals for anyone (like me) who can't be doing with a strap between their toes, which was the original flip-flop-inspired design. Plus - it's probably a 'baby boomer' thing - there are now plenty of ranges of stylish shoe collections which look as good on the foot as they feel: check out Taryn Rose, Ecco (don't write them off as 'old lady' shoes because they've been seriously jazzed up), Clarks (ditto), Terra Plana, Shoetherapy pumps (with posture-correcting soles), and Chie Mihara, a fantastically funky but wearable Spanish brand which is my new shoe addiction. (You can keep your Jimmy Choos!) All are designed to cushion our feet, which is crucial because the collagen in the sole of the foot dwindles, along with the collagen in our faces. I honestly believe that happy feet make a happy woman. And when you're smiling - not looking pinched, with pain - there's no faster way to take off 10 years..

Jo Fairley and Sarah Stacey's The Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible features over 45 categories of anti-ageing products, and is published by Kyle Cathie at £19.99. Do also visit www.beautybible.com.