First year on pointe.
Six years on pointe.
Ten years on pointe:
My bunions have gotten so much worse (gasps in horror)! I wear my toe spacers every time I put a pair of pointe shoes on so unfortunately there are sacrifices we, as dancers, have to make and gross feet is one of them. Here are a few more tips on foot-care:- Cut your toenails short and straight across. A curved nail that is too long can lead to an ingrown toenail (and trust me, you want to avoid that kind of agony).
- Don't wear nail polish. I have heard some dancers say that wearing toenail polish can strengthen the nail and reduce problems such as cracking, but this also prevents you from seeing underneath the nail and knowing if you're developing a problem like a bruised or ingrown toenail. However, this doesn't mean you can never wear polish.
- Don't buff off your calluses. Calluses are just rough patches of skin that will prevent you from getting blisters. We dancers love our calluses! So the next time you get a pedicure, fight the urge to let your skin be filed away.
Lance your blisters. If it is a clear colored blister and the skin has not broken yet, sterilize a needle and gently poke the skin, allowing the liquid to drain out. This will prevent the skin from ripping off and becoming an even more painful open wound after the blister breaks. IF it is a red "blood blister," the general rule is not to pop it. The blood should be left to dry and the blister should heal on its own.
