Diabetes and Pedicures: Do They Go Together?

Diabetes and pedicures, what's wrong with this combo? Ladies, be careful with pedicures if you have diabetes, in fact you have to be careful even if you do not have diabetes for I have heard some horror stories about it. If you must have a pedicure, make sure you choose the establishment wisely.

I know of a lady who decided to have a pedicure because she felt she needed one. She had calloused feet and so wanted to have better looking feet. The manicurist cut the skin on the side of her big toe and to her horror even drew blood. And you know what happened? It became infected.

She knew she was being vain for wanting nicely red painted toenails. She wanted her feet to look nice when she wears her sandals. She looked at the other women with pretty toenails parading down the street in their sandals and she so wanted them for herself.

The trouble is she has diabetes. She remembers clearly what her diabetes educator said in one of the classes she attended. She advised the class never to have pedicure. And she now thinks she was foolish not to follow that advice because it took a long time for the infection to heal.

You see diabetes and pedicure do not go together because the injury to the feet can become such a big problem. While getting a pedicure, you run the risk of getting injured. This is like inviting infection to the feet which could cause high blood glucose.

You know what happens when the blood glucose is high. The healing process does not come easily and worse, you may not feel the damage which will exacerbate the injury. This can become an ulcer and then when it becomes worse, amputation could become a reality.

That is why we have to take good care of the feet and avoid all kinds of injury. But if you still insist on getting a pedicure, there are certain recommendations you must keep in mind and act on. This way, you have less chance of getting your feet injured. Here are the recommendations:

• Pick the right salon. Check out some for cleanliness and tools. See if they sanitize the tools before using them. Better still bring your own tools to use.
  
• Have the pedicure two days after shaving the legs so there is less chance for the bacteria to get in through the cuts and nicks.
  
• Tell the pedicurist some instruction and inform her that you have diabetes.
  
• Is the foot tub clean? Do they get this cleaned before every client?
  
• If you must use their tools, insist on stainless ones as they are more sanitary than the wooden ones.
  

There you have the recommendations you need to do before getting a pedicure. Your feet are a very important part of your body. They take you places for a lifetime and so we have to take good care of them. This advise takes on a more important precaution especially when you are thinking of both diabetes and pedicure.