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old shoehorn #2 image by Richard J Thompson from Fotolia.com

Always try on both shoes before purchasing to avoid buying shoes that don't fit. Too snug shoes can lead to health problems like corns and calluses. If you can't avoid getting stuck with shoes that fit a little tight, you still have options. Learn how to stretch and expand the material of most shoes so they fit better on your foot.

Wear the shoes around your home for an hour each day. Sometimes wearing the shoes can help them conform to your foot. Try throwing on a pair of thicker socks to stretch the shoes a bit beyond the exact confines of your foot.

Invest in a wooden shoe stretcher. You may purchase a stretcher, also known as a shoehorn, at a shoe-repair shop or department store. Simply insert the device into a shoe so it can work its magic. Typically, you will need to repeat the process over the span of a few days for the material to expand successfully.

Douse the shoes with a shoe-stretch spray. Available at most hardware stores, apply shoe stretch play directly to the material. The active ingredients allow the material to become more supple, making it easier to stretch and fit your foot.

Insert a plastic baggie full of frozen water into the shoe. The frozen chunk will stretch out the material. As the water melts, it will form to fit the inside of the shoe. The baggie functions as a homemade placeholder to stretch out the shoe.

Blast the shoes with heat from a hair dryer to stretch the material to conform to your foot. Try wearing multiple pairs of socks for added comfort and stretch. You must wear the shoes as you apply the heat.

Visit a professional shoe-repair shop. Most shops have an industrial stretching machine that can help expand your shoes. The machine performs best on leather materials.