How to Make a Foot Bath to Help Treat Swollen Ankles

Treat yourself to an aromatic foot bath before your pedicure.

This gentle foot bath helps to reduce swelling in the ankles, and can also be used on swollen feet. It's gentle enough for any skin type, and is also safe for women that are pregnant. It can be used once a day to help prevent swelling, or used throughout the day as needed to help control swollen ankles.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 cup of Celtic sea salt
• 3 drops of lemon oil
• 3 drops of cypress oil
• 1 drop of lemongrass oil
• 1 drop of juniper oil

Instructions

1. Fill a foot bath until the water reaches about a half inch above the top of the ankles.

2. Pour in the Celtic sea salt, and stir gently until the salt has fully dissolved.

3. Drop in the lemon oil, cypress oil, lemongrass oil and juniper oil, then use your foot to gently stir the mixture together.

4. Soak your feet in the mixture about 15 to 20 minutes, then gently dry the feet thoroughly. There is no need to rinse the mixture off the feet, since the oils are absorbed through the skin.

Tips & Warnings

• Swollen ankles or feet, while common, can sometimes be a symptom of more serious conditions. If you are concerned, check with your doctor.

References

• The Peninsula New York: Spa Treatments
• The Matrix Nail Lab and Spa: Custom Foot Rituals
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Foot, Leg, and Ankle Swelling

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish