If you're an adult with diabetes, it's important to eat right and exercise regularly to manage your blood sugar. But it's also equally important that you keep your skin as healthy as you can. High blood sugar can potentially cause issues with the fragile skin on your feet, ankles, and toes. These areas of the body can develop open sores, or wounds. Here are ways to keep your foot and ankle skin healthy:
Seek Professional Foot Care
Although it might be cheaper to perform your own foot care, it may not be the safest way to keep your skin healthy. If you clip your toenails in the wrong way, you can accidentally nick the skin on your toes. Removing the calluses from the bottoms of your feet can also be dangerous. The tools used to remove callus can scrape, cut, or tear the delicate skin from your soles and heels. If bacteria enter the wounds on your feet, you can develop an infection.
It's safer to seek professional foot care from a podiatrist. A podiatrist not only clips your toenails and removes calluses, but they can also check your feet for wounds and other serious conditions during your visit. If something does show up on your feet, a podiatrist can treat it appropriately.
After you have your feet professionally checked and maintained by a foot doctor, keep the skin on your feet and ankles properly hydrated.
Keep Your Skin Hydrated and Supple
Diabetic individuals must remember to keep their feet clean and dry during the day. However, your skin still requires good hydration to stay free of wounds and other problems. One of the most effective ways to do so is to drink plenty of water and other clear, unsweetened liquids during the day.
Glucose, or blood sugar, can potentially build up inside your kidneys. If you don't consume enough water, the sugar can overwhelm your kidneys and other organs. Glucose can also thicken your blood, which makes it difficult to flow through your veins and body.
Men and women should consume 10-15 glasses of liquids a day. If your urine looks dark or gives off a strong odor, you may need to drink even more water. But if you have concerns about how much water and other clear liquids to drink each day, consult directly with a podiatrist.
Keeping your foot and ankle skin healthy isn't easy. But with a podiatrist's help, you can. If you need diabetic foot or wound care, consult with a podiatry office like Collier Podiatry PA immediately.
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