Diabetic Footcare: What You Should Know When Performing a Pedicure on a Diabetic Client

Do you have a client or a  potential client that is a diabetic and interested in getting pedicures? If so, remember that extra care and knowledge is required when working with diabetic clients. Diabetics heal more slowly than those without this affliction, especially on the extremities. The feet are an especially slow healing area and it is unwise to take a chance on causing damage or a wound of any sort. Water that is too hot  can be dangerous as it can easily lead to burns, since many diabetics have damaged nerve endings and are less likely t feel pain as a warning signal. It is quite possible for a diabetic to loose a toe or even an entire foot to amputation due to poor blood circulation and injuries. In fact, it is recommended by many that foot services not be performed on diabetics at all for their own safety. Refer the client to a physician or a podiatrist for their foot care needs and concentrate on their other aesthetic needs yourself. Developing a close working relationship with a podiatrist can be mutually beneficial. If you choose to provide foot services to diabetic clients, be sure that you have referred them to a podiatrist and consulted with him or her yourself.

Estimates are that one out of every 20 people in the United States is  diabetic. Type 2 diabetes is reaching epidemic proportion due to our sedentary lifestyles, lack of exercise and poor diet. The average American consumers way too much junk food and processed sugar products, and this can be a major contributing factor in Type 2 diabetes. Poor circulation is one of the major complications of this disease. The majority of the arteries are susceptible to  severe diabetes related problems. Improper nourishment to the nerves as the result of high blood sugar levels can and generally will cause injury to the nerve. The result will be a decreased sensation particularly in the client’s feet. Over forty-thousand lower extremity amputations occur each year that  are not a result of injury but instead are caused by diabetic complications. Half of all non-injury amputations of the leg in the US are caused by diabetes.

If your client is a diabetic gain knowledge of the disease, have names of podiatrists and physicians to refer them to, and encourage them, in a caring and professional manner, to take steps to take care of themselves. Most cases of Type 2 diabetes can be cured by proper diet and exercise. Also medications can control the condition. Be aware and don’t take chances with the health of your clients.