How Do I Deal with My Ugly Feet in the Summer?

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I’ve had corns on my feet since I can remember, and I was teased as a kid. It’s hot now and I’m tired of wearing sweaty running shoes or boots year-round. Do you know of any solutions to cover up ugly toes? I’m extremely embarrassed by people staring at my feet. —Annette, Toronto

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I’ve just spent a long, blazingly hot afternoon watching one of my sons play in our local splash pad. Since I’m a practical person, I sat on the sidelines in the shade, while he—a joy-based person—stripped down to his underpants and screamed with delight as he fired through the icy water. Not all children have the luxury of enjoying simple pleasures without second thoughts—it doesn’t sound like you did—but watching his unselfconscious joy served as a reminder that we should just enjoy our bodies, even if we don’t get to choose exactly how they look.

So, before we get into the specifics of how to treat corns, I wanted to share a conversation I had with singer-songwriter Jully Black a few months ago. She’s a dynamic woman who seems like she could shoot fireworks from her fingertips, and it came as a shock that she spent the bulk of her life crippled by insecurity about her feet. She only started wearing open-toe shoes about 10 years ago. When I asked her what finally set her free, she explained that her stylist at the time caught her eyeing a pair of gold sandals, and when she turned down the chance to wear them, he set her straight. “He said, ‘You have beautiful feet, but more importantly, your feet carry you.’ I will never forget that. So, I wore those shoes, and I felt beautiful.”

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Black’s experience with racism is rooted in a different kind of evil than the teasing you endured, but her advice remains: Your body deserves respect. It’s not easy to set aside years of hurt feelings, but it’s worth trying on a supportive sandal, if you want to. Summer is too short to waste on shame.

That being said, corns on feet aren’t just an esthetic concern; they can also be quite painful, says Michelle Gill, who is a doctor of podiatric medicine in Windsor, Ont., and on the board of the Ontario Podiatric Medical Association. For the uninitiated, corns are merely spots of skin thickening that appear on tops, sides or tips of toes and are often an unwelcome gift for people who suffer from a hammertoe (itself caused by a muscle-tendon imbalance). Because of the abnormal positioning of your foot in a closed shoe, toes often rub, which is what ultimately forms a corn.

Of course, your first line of action should be prevention. So while you’re reaching for boots in the summer to cover up, that might actually be making your corns more acute if they don’t fit correctly. “Wearing a shoe with a wide and deep toe box can decrease pressure and reduce the incidence of corn formation,” explains Gill.

Knit sneakers, which are very stylish, are a great option for summer because they keep your feet cool—and the stretchy material is less likely to rub against your toes. Allbirds brand, for example, are made with a knit upper and lined with merino wool, so they wick moisture and keep your feet fresh if you don’t wear socks on a hot day.

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Alternatively, you can pick up padding devices to help shield your toes from any friction or pop by your local podiatrist’s office to have the corns periodically shaved with a scalpel, says Gill. And before you cringe at the notion, she urges you to take a breath. “Hammertoes are extremely common and nothing to feel shameful about,” she says. “One should never be embarrassed to visit a podiatrist office.” (While some hammertoes may be surgically treated using two procedures, that’s a conversation to have with your doctor while you’re chatting during your regular corn-shaving.)

If you’re too nervous to dip your toe into the idea of wearing open-toed shoes, there are a few seasonal standouts that might tempt you. You could also consider rocking the once-unthinkable, now very-popular trend of wearing socks with sandals. Kanye West wore the combo to celebrate a recent wedding and Louis Vuitton sent the look down the runway.

A word of warning though: If you’re going to attempt to pair embellished ankle socks with Tevas, as the street-style set is doing of late, the rest of your outfit better be on point, or you’ll risk looking like a weird dad or overgrown camp counsellor. Also, counsels Gill, “remember that although sandals are fashionable, they should only be worn for limited periods of time, as they often provide very little support for the foot.”

Breathable runners and leather flats with proper arch support are the way to go for day-to-day concerns, but you could also reach for a pair of cute pointed mules that are wildly on trend for an event. The style will feel breezy and show off your ankles, while camouflaging your toes. (Just remember that the toe box likely isn’t wide enough to make this a practical option for every day.)

Whatever you choose, remember that your feet are nothing to be ashamed of: They carry you. “Always be where your feet are,” says Black. “Be present. The only thing that’s real is right now.”