Diabetic Foot Care for Keeping Feet Well and Pampered

Anyone with diabetes or circulation problems needs to rethink how they treat their feet if they intend to keep them healthy. Otherwise, your feet can be in for a world of trouble that could lead to serious problems that could complicate your life such as ulcers, infections or even amputation. Though I don’t want to scare you, I do want you to be extra careful to keep your feet as healthy as possible. Therefore, these diabetic foot care tips are worth noting.

Diabetic Foot Care Means Adapting New Skin Care Measures 

One of the most important things that you can do is remembering to check your feet for any changes in the skin. By examining the foot for any cuts, redness, developing sores or swelling is the right preventive step that you want to take. For instance, the redness, any hot feel to the foot area, or swelling could mean your diabetic foot could have an infection or possibility that a prescription medication like a blood pressure pill needs changing from extra water accumulating in the foot. Catching any issues early can be addressed sooner to avoid more significant concerns later.

During your daily foot inspection, you might be tempted to solve rough heels, a callus, a corn using a foot tool, a pumice stone or file to pare it down. Avoid that urge to remedy this issue on your own because you could cause damage by cutting the skin. The same story goes for trying to cut overly thick toenails because those nail clippers or nail scissors could always slip and injure your skin, which is harder to heal thanks to diabetes or other circulatory related condition that you’re suffering from. Noticing a wart shouldn’t be self-treated at home as well with any wart remover or medicated pads because you risk developing a sore as it burns through the skin. Do yourself a favor and make an appointment with a podiatrist instead.

You might never have bothered with body lotions in the past, but diabetes and circulatory problems make dry skin matter more. Daily moisturizing is essential for proper foot care to keep that skin supple enough to avoid cracking. To stay safe, look for unscented lotions and creams over the scented variety and keep lubrication limited to the tops and bottoms of your freshly washed feet while avoiding moisturizing between your toes. The reason greasing inside toes is a bad move is because you could be inviting a fungal infection.

Water and feet have always felt so soothing together. However, anyone with diabetes or circulation problems should skip that soaking ritual for the best foot care. The challenge is what a comforting soak can do to overly dry the skin enough to risk cracks that could lead to bacteria and fungus entering the skin. One of the worst offenders for diabetic foot care is turning to Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate), which may have been so therapeutic for sore feet in the past prior to developing diabetes, but is now extra drying on the skin.

Diabetic foot care doesn’t mean that you have to deny yourself a pampering pedicure to keep feet going beautiful. Nonetheless, you need to be extremely careful before allowing someone to work on your feet. Before scheduling your appointment, visit the salon and inspect for licenses and how those salon pedicures are done to safeguard from possible dangers. You also should cancel any appointment if you discover a new cut or scrape on your feet that could risk an infection.

Diabetes and circulation problems do complicate how to care for feet, but altering your former foot care routine can help save future health related problems to keep them beautiful and well.