Foot Care | dna-biopharm

Hi, I'm your foot. I am most probably one of the most important parts of your body yet I am so often neglected. You spend so much time and money on special hair treatments, face creams, body lotions and a wide range of beauty treatments but you only take notice of me when I get injured or am hurting. I am not complaining, I just need a little more care, especially since you are now a diabetic.

As you have diabetes, I am prone to problems for two reasons.

Diabetes affects your blood circulation which is known as Ischaemia. Whenever I am injured, I need a greater amount of blood to heal these injuries. If the circulation in your legs and to myself is poor, these injuries take much longer to heal.

Diabetes can also cause nerve damage, called neuropathy, to your legs and to myself which leaves me with a feeling of numbness and tingling. When you have neuropathy, you may not feel pain when you hurt me and thus will continue walking. Infection can then spread very quickly through me without your noticing it.

Any infection, ingrown toenail, an infected callus or corn, untreated athlete's foot or tight or poorly fitting shoes, can damage me and lead to infection. As the infection spreads, I get inflamed and swell and I have a greater need of blood which is not available. A chain of events then takes place in me. The infection spreads and is aided by inadequate circulation. Because I have diminished pain sensation, you continue to walk on me and so my crisis worsens.

Ingrown toenails can lead to serious problems

Throughout all this pain and discomfort I suffer, I still carry you wherever you want to go. All I ask from you is to give me good preventative care, examine me regularly or have someone else do it for you, avoid injuring me and put me into well-fitting shoes.

Regular checkups by a podiatrist are necessary.

There are many things that can injure me. Some of these are:

- Heat (this includes sunburn, electric blankets, hot water bottles, walking barefoot on a hot pavement, or bath water that is too hot).

- Cold and frostbite.

- Pressure from shoes, wrinkled socks, sandal straps, or nails in your shoes.

- Chemical and strong patent medicines (alcohol and iodine).

- Adhesive tape.

When I have become injured you can follow the following first aid advice. Treat any minor scratches and grazes that I have with a diluted antiseptic, apply DERMA KURE CREAM to the area and cover with a sterile dressing.

Please don't prick any blisters. If I have a large blister consult a podiatrist or your doctor. If it is small protect it with a dressing. If I have a sore place that doesn't heal or starts to get bigger, oozes or reddens, please take me to your doctor immediately. Let the experts treat problems such as athlete's foot, calluses and nail problems. Never treat corns or cut hard skin yourself.

HOME CARE TO KEEP ME HEALTHY

-Inspect me daily especially between my toes, for blisters, cuts or scratches.

-If you have difficulty doing this, ask someone to help you.

-Wash me daily with warm, not hot, water. Use a mild, non-medicated soap. Dry me carefully, especially between my toes. After drying me, massage Derma Kure Cream all over me.

-Avoid extreme temperatures at all times.

-Avoid wet feet, shoes or socks, especially during winter.

-Wear cotton socks at night if I am cold. Please do not

use hot water bottles or heating pads to warm me.

-Do not use chemical agents to remove corns or calluses. Take me to a podiatrist.

-Inspect the insides of the shoes I wear daily for any sharp objects.

-Let me wear properly fitting socks that are not mended.

Do not wear garters or any other support garment that causes constriction.

Please let me wear properly fitting shoes, preferably with round toes, which allows me free toe motion. Do not wear open toe or open heel shoes.

Never let me walk barefoot - indoors or outdoors.

Never let me walk barefoot on hot surfaces such as sandy beaches or around swimming pools.

Never cut my toenails yourself. Take me to your