The Case for Mandals – Reconsidering the Men’s Sandal
When your feet are healthy and the weather is scorching there is little doubt that supportive, therapeutic sandals are one of the most convenient, breathable, comfortable footwear there is. Yet, many men refuse to even consider wearing sandals. Many men are ashamed of their feet, in particular their toes, believing that they are ugly and unfit to be displayed in public. Within this larger category of men suffering from foot embarrassment is a vocal minority of staunch believers in the theory that all men’s feet are ugly. Other men scoff at the notion that their feet are an eyesore, but worry that wearing sandals will threaten their masculinity. HealthyFeetStore.com Blog would like to answer each of these arguments in turn.
Read on as we reconsider the case for mandals!
Men’s Feet Aren’t Ugly
The truth of the matter is that healthy feet (i.e. feet that are not deformed and have no open wounds) are never ugly when properly cared for. If your feet are ugly then there is always a reason, a reason that any doctor will tell you should be taken care of independent of whether or not you choose to wear sandals. If your toenails are ghastly it usually means one of three things: they are too long, ingrown, or infected with toenail fungus. Even when these foot conditions are hidden beneath closed toe shoes, they can still cause discomfort and health complications. Particularly if you lead an active lifestyle, toenails that are overly long can become damaged, turn black, and fall off due to repetitive stress to the nails caused by the extended nail tip repeatedly banging against the shoe’s toe box. Both ingrown toenails and toe nail fungus can become painful and inflamed if not treated properly.
Cracked heels, severe calluses, and corns are other foot problems that a man may wish to conceal inside his sneakers or loafers. These conditions can also lead to pain and inflammation when left untreated. Many a man has benefited from wearing sandals simply because it forced him to admit that he had been neglecting his foot health and, in turn, risking his future comfort and mobility. If you are afraid to wear sandals because you feel your feet look ugly, you should consider seeing a podiatrist. Make sure your feet are healthy before you jealously hide them from prying eyes.
Sandals Are Not Unmanly – Unless Beating the Heat is Girly
As the temperature climbs during the hot summer months your feet sweat. This isn’t a health issue; it’s just the way your feet are designed. There are approximately 2.6 million sweat glands located throughout the body and each foot contains about 250,000 of these sweat glands. Sweat evaporating off your feet is a highly efficient way for the body to shed excess heat. As long as you help your body out by drinking plenty of fluids to replace the liquid it loses during the perspiration process and slather sunscreen over any exposed skin, your sweating feet might just decrease your likelihood of suffering heat exhaustion.
There is; however, a potential flaw in your body’s heat-beating strategy that it hasn’t been smart enough to think of yet. That flaw is your shoes. Wearing shoes doesn’t stop your feet from sweating; quite the opposite in fact. Shoes function as a form of insulation for feet – trapping heat and trapping moisture. Warm, moist environments create a breeding ground for odor producing bacteria and provide a lush habitat for the cultivation of foot fungus. There are multiple ways to combat this problem. One is to use antibacterial foot powder and to wear moisture wicking socks to keep your feet drier. These measures may allow you to avoid infection, but you’ll still retard your body’s ability to cool itself.
Wouldn’t it be simpler and more comfortable to just to slip into a pair of healthy flip flops for relaxing on the weekends? Or, even to keep a pair of cool, refreshing sandals in your car to give your feet a well-deserved rest after a day at the office in stifling oxfords?
While sandals may not be appropriate for a work environment, neither are sneakers or athletic shoes, and you don’t see men disparaging those as being unmanly or impractical, do you?
Why leave all the comfort to the ladies? Reconsider the men’s sandal. Your toes will be glad you thought outside the toe box.
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