Hygiene and beauty with diabetes

One aspect of diabetes management that often gets overlooked is personal hygiene, but I believe it is just as important as diet and exercise. When I am clean, smell good, and feel beautiful my self-esteem is high and I am naturally less stressed.

I enjoy the idea of taking long bubble baths, drying off slowly with plush towels, rubbing scented lotion on my entire body, and taking it slow in the mornings. Nevertheless, I am often rushing from one moment in my day to the next and time slips away from me. I’ve had my share of quick morning showers, rapid application of lotion, and fast body checks or skipping them altogether. However, after my type 2 diabetes diagnosis, I learned the importance of routine self-care checks and I’ve worked hard to create a few habits that can fit into my busiest day or week.

I am conscious of my water intake

Staying hydrated has helped reduce the chronic yeast infections I developed when I was newly diagnosed. Also, when I am well hydrated my appetite is more controlled and I am less ravenous at mealtimes. There are a number of free apps available to help log and track water intake.  Before using an app, I used the colour of my urine to gauge my level of hydration. My primary care physician told me, “The lighter the colour the better.”

I have my feet checked regularly

My endocrinologist gave me permission to continue getting pedicures.* While I enjoy getting my nails painted, I also use this time to evaluate the level of sensitivity in my feet. As the technician touches various parts of my feet that I might have missed or quickly grazed over during my daily/weekly checks, I monitor whether or not I can feel the sensation. Although I no longer get pedicures on a monthly basis, as often as I can I frequent one of the better salons in town because they are very hygienic, use new utensils every time, and the employees are trained to service people with diabetes. It’s very important to inform any pedicurist that you have diabetes before they begin so that they can tailor the pedicure to your needs.

I protect my feet at home

I always wear slippers in the house. I used to love walking around bare foot, but now I keep a pair of slippers around. This habit has become extremely valuable as the ageing process affects my ability to see tiny things like pieces of broken glass on the kitchen floor. A few years ago, a friend suggested that I wear white socks in the house so that I could see the stains if I stepped on something and didn’t feel it. I prefer slippers to socks for two reasons.

1. I won’t crawl into bed with slippers on like I might with socks
2. I could still miss an injury and socks won’t prevent glass entering the bottom of my foot like slippers will.

I suggest buying a pair of house slippers that are comfortable and in a colour or style that you like.

Lastly, dry skin has always been an issue for me, but with diabetes I find that my skin can get extremely dry and brittle. Because I have had a routine of applying lotion to my body in the mornings, evenings, and sometimes throughout the day for many years now that hasn’t changed. However, after developing diabetes I take time to observe my body when applying lotion paying special attention to my feet, in between my toes, and my injection sites. I have noticed that when I am dehydrated, my favorite lotions don’t last as long and I have to reapply lotion more often. When this happens, I add a small amount of coconut oil and apply it immediately after taking a shower when my skin is damp. I have also used lotion designed for people with diabetes. When applying lotion to my entire body twice a day, I make sure to do this in good lighting because I am also inspecting myself. I’ve often been surprised to find bruises from bumping into things throughout the day that I had forgotten about or discovering small cuts that I couldn’t remember the cause of.

Additionally, when I’m going to be exposed to the sun for long periods of time, I use sunscreen to avoid getting sunburned. My nose and forehead easily burn and peel in the summer months. At a recent family BBQ I got very close to the grill and when I felt the heat on my face, I moved back quickly. Two days later when I was applying sunscreen on my face, I noticed a burn mark on my right cheek from the grill. I had forgotten about the brief moment and certainly didn’t think I got close enough to get burned, but I had. I use these moments as reminders to check my entire body daily. 

By having daily, weekly, and monthly hygiene habits, like staying hydrated, monitoring the sensitivity in my feet, moisturising my skin, protecting my feet, and paying attention to any changes in my body, I am doing my best to manage my diabetes. Knowing that I am doing my best to stay healthy boosts my self-confidence and maintaining good hygiene habits makes me feel like a real diabetes beauty or “diabeauty”. 

*Your healthcare professional will be able to give you guidance on receiving foot treatments