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01.
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Inspect your feet daily. Look for redness, swelling,
open sores or drainage. Use a mirror to look at
the sole (underside) of your foot.
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02.
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Prevent dry brittle skin. Avoid soaking your
feet. Wash your feet with warm soapy water. Be
sure to dry well between your toes. If the skin
is dry, rub on a small amount of low-fragrance
skin lotion.
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03.
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Don't "self-treat" sore feet with heat
unsupervised, especially if you have nerve damage
(neuropathy). The heat can burn your sensitive
skin.
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04.
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Get help trimming your toenails to avoid ingrown
toenails or injury. Your diabetes may have affected
your vision or you may not be as limber as necessary
to do a safe job trimming your nails.
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05.
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Poorly fitting shoes can cause sensitive pressure
areas and impair circulation, which can lead to
infection of the skin, muscle, and bone.
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06.
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Remember to check your shoes periodically for
signs of wear, foreign objects or insects. Be
aware that your diabetes may cause a loss of feeling
or poorer circulation. Shoes that rub can cause
foot or skin pain.
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07.
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Don't use caustic medicines to treat your own
corns or calluses. The chemicals can burn your
sensitive skin and lead to serious infection.
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08.
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Going barefoot is strongly discouraged. Walking
barefoot increases the risk of injury or infection
to your toes and feet. The only place to go barefoot
is in the shower
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09.
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Sandals with thongs can cause friction between
your toes. Friction can lead to redness in the
skin and in turn, can cause a break in the skin
and the beginning of an infection.
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10.
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The single most important thing you can do to
protect your feet is to control your sugar through
diet and exercise.
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