Do shoe-bites rob you of the joy of wearing new shoes? All of us have experienced a shoe-bite sometime or the other. It's worse if you're on your feet all day. Here are a few tips to prevent shoe-bites and how to treat them: 

Buy shoes that are neither too tight nor loose on your feet. Look out for an optimum fit. 

Apply coconut or castor oil inside your shoes for three consecutive nights to soften them before wearing. 

The night before you don your new shoes, apply a bit of petroleum jelly on the inside of the shoe. Next morning, wipe it with a cloth and wear your shoes.  

An alternative to oil is raw potato slices. Slide them inside the shoe and close to the heel area. Repeat for two nights before wearing the new pair. 

Inspite of all this, if you do get a shoe-bite, take half cup of powdered rice and add enough water to make a thick paste. Apply this on the affected area. Leave it on till it dries. Rinse off the portion with lukewarm water and dry your feet thoroughly. 

Put some neem leaves in the mixer with a tablespoon of turmeric powder and add a bit of water to it. Now, apply this paste on the affected area to dry up the bite. 

A simple remedy is to put a mix of a teaspoon of honey and sesame oil on the affected area. It will give you some relief.

urmimala.banerjee@mid-day.com