Diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to use food properly, which results in more sugar or glucose freely circulating in the blood. It’s possible to live a healthy life with diabetes. To do so, it’s important to learn and follow proper diabetes management, which takes awareness, discipline, and commitment.
How Does Diabetes Affect the Feet?
If blood glucose is not well controlled, a person with diabetes will be more at risk for developing complications. Complications commonly occur in the feet because the small blood vessels and nerves are more susceptible to damage from high sugar levels circulating in the blood. Less than optimal circulation can affect a person’s ability to heal from even minor cuts and scrapes. Additionally, the feet may not be able to sense injury when nerve sensation is affected. This results in altered protective sensation, which manifests as pins and needles, numbness and even hypersensitivity and pain. If skin breakdown occurs due to injury, such as friction and pressure, or from neglect of the nails and skin, infection and more serious complications may result.
Tips for Keeping Feet Healthy with Diabetes
Your nails and skin are often a reflection of your overall health. There are key things you can do at home to keep your nails and skin on your feet healthy during the winter and all year long!
Treatment of Toenails at Home
- Wash your feet and scrub your toenails gently before cutting.
- Avoid cutting your toenails too short; leave about 1-2mm at the end of the nail.
- Prior to cutting nails, swab the nails and surrounding skin with rubbing alcohol to cleanse.
- In a well-lit room, cut toenails straight across using a proper nail cutter, and round off the edges with a file.
- If your nails are thick, file across the surface of the nail plate using an emery board.
- Do not cut or push back your cuticles because they act as a seal at the base of your nails to prevent infection.
- When finished trimming nails, inspect for nicks in the skin; if you find one, use an antiseptic or antibiotic cream to prevent infection and cover with a bandage as an added precaution.
- If your nails are brittle, discoloured or cracking, try Formula 3® or Footlogix Nail Tincture encourage healthy nail growth and keep fungus at bay.
- If you experience numbness or pins and needles, have trouble seeing or reaching your feet, ask someone to help you cut your nails.
Treatment of Skin at Home
- Wash feet daily using a mild soak and lukewarm water; this will keep the surface of the skin clean and ready for moisturising.
- Dry skin well after washing and focus on in between and underneath the toes.
- If the skin in between your toes is too moist, an astringent, such as rubbing alcohol can be applied to balance moisture level.
- If feet are dry, apply a moisturiser after washing and while skin is still a bit moist (avoid in between the toes); Footlogix Very Dry Skin formula is excellent and quick absorbing.
- Callus or hard skin can be softened with a foot file while skin is wet or dry. The Footlogix Foot File resists rusting and doesn’t have sharp edges, making it safe to use.
- A moisturiser containing the active ingredient urea works well to soften callus or hard skin.
- Avoid using any sharp tools to cut corns or callus, and medicated pads containing salicylic acid are not recommended as they can damage healthy skin as well.
- Silicone toe sleeves, non-medicated corn pads and foam toe wedges can protect and offload high pressure or friction areas in between, on the top or tips of toes, or on the bottom of feet.
- Inspect feet twice daily, in the morning before putting your socks on and at night when you take them off; look for breaks in the skin, redness, fluid or blisters.
- Avoid wearing socks that are too tight; fibres with breathability and socks with extra protection are best; Simcan socks are made for people with diabetes.
Book An Appointment
If you have diabetes, BioPed Footcare is here to help! Select BioPed locations have Advanced Footcare Nurses and/or Registered Chiropodists who are trained to assess and treat your nails and skin and treat and monitor your foot health on a regular basis. Give us a call today to book an appointment!
