Anybody else have ugly heels?

[Lil Dutch Girl]

vasoline' date=' wrap with plastic wrap and put white socks to sleep in.

this will soften up the skin and then buff with heel file.

Another suggestion, get a professional pedicure.:)[/quote']

 

I agree. First, I use a cream designed specifically for the feet that's loaded with emollients (I use Dr. Scholl's Pedicure Essentials Ultra Overnight Foot Cream). Then I slather on a glop of petroleum jelly (big jar for a buck at Dollar Tree) followed by a pair of cotton socks. I've done this almost every night for two years and I'm no longer ashamed to be seen in my cha-cha heels out on the dance floor every night on a cruise!

 

PS The socks can get pretty sweaty during the summer months, so I usually use just the foot cream from June to Sept. No need for the P.J. when the temperature gets above 60. Good luck!

[Hoyaheel]

WOW' date=' I'm so glad I read this thread today.:eek:

 

I just found out last week that I have type 2 diabetes and am still in the learning stage.

 

Why do I have to let my pedi/mani person know I have it and what things should I make sure they don't do? I have an appt next thursday and don't want any mistakes.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!! :D

[/font']

 

 

Many diabetics have problems with feet & don't notice sores that could fester & lead to infections (most clinics--I work in a couple--that have a high population of diabetic patients do special "foot check" appointments for the diabetic patients) Basically, you want to make sure that whomever is giving you a pedicure doesn't nick or cut you because you might not heal (sorry, no pun intended!) the same way that someone without diabetes would. Since you just got your diagnosis, does your doctor's office offer education/training for newly diagnosed diabetics? That's another thing the clinics I work in offer (one is the Veterans hospital, the other is a university hospital clinic) If so, you should REALLY go to that/those classes and get as much information as possible--I'm sure they'd address and/or could answer any questions you have about spa services like a pedicure:D Good luck!

[gjules]

WOW' date=' I'm so glad I read this thread today.:eek:

 

I just found out last week that I have type 2 diabetes and am still in the learning stage.

 

Why do I have to let my pedi/mani person know I have it and what things should I make sure they don't do? I have an appt next thursday and don't want any mistakes.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!! :D

[/font']

 

 

 

Janice, welcome to the Diabetes 'club'! I was diagnosed with Type 2 this past summer. It's not so bad, but there sure is a LOT to learn! I had an advantage, because there are numerous diabetics in my family (my mom being one of them!) so I had a basic knowledge of what I would be going through. As Hoyaheel said, as a diabetic, you MUST be VERY careful with your feet. Check them every day and make sure you don't have cuts, scrapes, cracked skin...anything that infection could get into. You should have your doctor make you an appointment with a foot doctor so he can check your feet and do a special test to check the nerves. My doctor set me up in a diabetes education class, where I met with a nutritionist and a nurse. That was very helpful. If you have any questions, or just want to vent, let me know...I'm a good listener! Good luck!

 

Jules

[stanford's girl]

Thank you Hoyaheel and Jules for the info. :D

 

My doctor doesn't offer education for the newly diagnosed but I am going to ask why not.:mad: All she said was, "eat small amounts 6 times a day and get some exercise. Avoid sugar, sweets, starches, and alcohol".

 

I've gone to the library and gotten BIG books on the subject and am reading like crazy.

 

Here in Portland we have OHSU (Oregon Health Science University), which I'm sure has classes and I will be checking out that.

 

I am the first on either side of my family (went back 3 generations) to be the lucky one to get this.

 

Since I am a waitress, my feet are very important to me and I will be keeping a close eye on them from now on.

 

It looks like I have a lot to learn on this subject and I thank you both for your helpful insight.:D

[gjules]

Janice, the web is a great source of education also. The American Diabetes Association has a good website and I just found another site yesterday. Check out onetouchgold.com. There is lots of good information on there, including recipes. Also look on diabetes.com. OHSU should have education classes, I would think. I took mine at one of the local hospitals and they also gave me a free glucose meter.

 

There is so much more to diabetes than just cutting out alcohol, sweets and starches! You should make an appointment with a good foot dr who is familiar with diabetes and also have regular eye appointments, too. If you don't mind me asking, did your dr put you on medication, or are you trying the diet/exercise route? I take an oral medication, but also closely watch my diet and work out 3-4 times/week. From what I see as I check it, I think my blood sugar has stabilized and I have lost 18 pounds!!!:o

 

I have LOTS of diabetes in my family...my mom and 5 of her 8 siblings, plus lots of cousins! My dr and I knew it was just a matter of time!:(

[happyroo]

I love pedicures - I go to the spa every 3 monhs they give me a cup of tea...I put on a bathrobe a sit and a massaging chair - then I plop me feet into bubbling water and they are pampered and massaged and sanded and treated and painted pretty....never have my feet been happier!

[stanford's girl]

Janice, the web is a great source of education also. The American Diabetes Association has a good website and I just found another site yesterday. Check out onetouchgold.com. There is lots of good information on there, including recipes. Also look on diabetes.com. OHSU should have education classes, I would think. I took mine at one of the local hospitals and they also gave me a free glucose meter.

 

There is so much more to diabetes than just cutting out alcohol, sweets and starches! You should make an appointment with a good foot dr who is familiar with diabetes and also have regular eye appointments, too. If you don't mind me asking, did your dr put you on medication, or are you trying the diet/exercise route? I take an oral medication, but also closely watch my diet and work out 3-4 times/week. From what I see as I check it, I think my blood sugar has stabilized and I have lost 18 pounds!!!:o

 

I have LOTS of diabetes in my family...my mom and 5 of her 8 siblings, plus lots of cousins! My dr and I knew it was just a matter of time!:(

Thanks for the websites Jules!! I have bookmarked them all.:)

 

She is starting me out on just diet/exercise alone. She said if that doesn't help, then I will go on meds.

 

I'm going to tell my doctor that she was a lot too vague about diabetes and she needs to give out better information!!:mad:

 

Sounds like you're doing great job controlling your diabetes Jules and congrats on the weight loss too!! :D

[chris2597]

I use Crack Cream....I found it at Walmart and it works wonders. It is a bit oily and I wear flip flops after using it to protect the carpet. I have used it for yrs....I dont even remember where I heard about this wonder lotion. The cost is 5.00.

[10splyr]

Someone may have said this before on this thread since you posted you have type 2 diabetes, but I didn't read all of the posts. But . . .

 

you are in a large city (yes, I know it's not Los Angeles or New York), and your hospital must have educational classes, and the very best advice I can give you is sign up for, and attend, every class they offer. My DH, when first diagnosed, decided phooey on that stuff, and now we are paying the price dearly (25 years later). Diet and exercise are the keys to controlling diabetes, and if you start early, you will win. But you have to learn what constitutes a proper diet. Cutting out cookies and ice cream is not the answer. That diet has gone by the wayside and it's total carb, fat, etc. count that now matter.

Diabetes is a very insidious disease, but it can be controlled if you pay attention EARLY ON. And if I have scared you, then I achieved my point:)

[stanford's girl]

Someone may have said this before on this thread since you posted you have type 2 diabetes, but I didn't read all of the posts. But . . .

 

you are in a large city (yes, I know it's not Los Angeles or New York), and your hospital must have educational classes, and the very best advice I can give you is sign up for, and attend, every class they offer. My DH, when first diagnosed, decided phooey on that stuff, and now we are paying the price dearly (25 years later). Diet and exercise are the keys to controlling diabetes, and if you start early, you will win. But you have to learn what constitutes a proper diet. Cutting out cookies and ice cream is not the answer. That diet has gone by the wayside and it's total carb, fat, etc. count that now matter.

Diabetes is a very insidious disease, but it can be controlled if you pay attention EARLY ON. And if I have scared you, then I achieved my point:)

Thanks for the advice 10splyr. My father-in-law had diabetes and was one of those phooey guys also. The doctor's didn't know anything and he knew everything. Needless to say the last 10 years of his life, he was in and out of hospitals. The active life that he loved so much was taken from him because of his own stubborness and being foolish.:(

I don't plan on being that way. I am one of those people who wants to know what I'm dealing with, finding the right info, and then following through.

I will be looking into classes as there is so much I need to learn to live a happy, healthy and long life.

There are still too many cruises I want to take and I plan on being around to take each and every one of them.:D

[gjules]

Janice, GOOD for you! I had an uncle with diabetes and had very severe complications resulting from his neglect of the disease. When I was diagnosed, I decided I was not going to let this beat me! I don't want to end up the way he did and I think I'm doing a pretty good job taking care of myself. BUT I do still have a lot to learn!

[willysammy]

Kathy--what word is getting blipped out above?? I've wracked my brain trying to figure out what word the CC software could be striking out...help?? I don't know what to look out for at the salons without that word!

 

my guess is that it's r a z o r

[Pednurse]

Here is a recipe a friend gave me for a lotion that is great for feet. I get all the stuff at Dollar General for $1 each.

1 jar vaseline

1 bottle pink baby lotion

1 jar vitamin E cream

I put all of this in a large plastic bowl and mix with a mixer. Store in containers with tops.

This stuff is great!

[Hoyaheel]

my guess is that it's r a z o r

It has already been reported what the word was, and it wasn't r a z o r.....It was c r e d o and it looks something like this:

 

[winewanderer]

Recently I bought a body butter. Use it on my hands at night and thought it would be good on my feet too.

 

Since I've been using it my heels are 100% better.

 

The crack cream at Wal-Mart for $5.00 sounds like a great deal. Think I'll buy that next time I'm there. Doesn't hurt to try new things.

[bldsld]

I use a product called Flexitol (made in AU), which I bought at drugstore.com. I have the same problem with cracked heels, right worse than left. I prefer it to Bag Balm, because it doesn't have that horrible smell!!!

 

http://www.flexitol.com/products-usa1.htm

 

Denyse

[FinelyRetired]

lovebug33:

 

Thanks for starting this thread 2 weeks ago. I just recently ran into this problem.

 

I immediately used Blue Herons suggestion re: cream/warmth (It only took a couple of tries to arrive at proper time/temp as I haven't ever thought of using the microwave as a clothes dryer :)!) Thanks, Blue Herons.

 

I'm reporting back excellent results!!

[michellewrex]

For the diabetics: PLEASE go to a reputable place for your pedicures. And don't let them use a razor on your skin. The only thing they should cut are your toenails.

 

Although I am not diabetic, my dad is, so I know a little about the disease. Also, I am not a nail tech, but I am an esthetician, so I have some experience with spas/salons.

 

Actually, I think buffing/filing/sanding or scrubbing with a foot scrub product is a better option for everyone, rather than a razor. Some nail techs use the razor cause it's alot quicker than using a foot file or scrub. Also, the razor is illegal for the nail tech to use, in some states.

 

Re: cracked heels. My feet are horrible, cause I am doing alot of exercise lately. Getting ready for Hawaii in Dec! :) Anyway, they are cracked across the ball of the foot, too. So, on the recommendation of the woman who does my pedicures: I bought Miracle Foot Repair at Wal-Mart. It's about 10 bucks for a big tube. I really like it. I put it on with socks at night. So far, there is a big improvement. Also, I use a Diamancel foot file. This thing looks like something you would find in a woodworking shop, but it works great.

 

A parafin foot treatment is very nice, too. as an additional treatment during a pedicure. Just don't do it: IF they just have big pot of wax that everyone dips their feet into. That is NOT sanitary.

[LittleBit]

I started doing the pedi thing a while ago because my arthritis makes it hard to bend my feet into a position to trim my nails well. My Dad (who is diabetic) has his doctor (ok, the PA) trim his toenails when he goes in for a foot check - it's part of the exam - no pretty nail polish, but I don't think he cares much!

 

My problem is that a teach a class twice a week where I am barefoot and banging my feet alot (karate) so I don't want them to get too soft and squishy. Tough walking the line between being a lady and a high ranking belt who breaks 4 -5 inches of wood in one shot!