Pedicure for Diabetics

I have a friend who does diabetic foot care. She and I were visiting and I learned a few things. 
Did you know that if you are getting manicures and pedicures that you should let the person doing the service for you know that you have diabetes. 
When I asked her why, she said that a good licensed professional will give extra attention to your hands and feet. They will check for skin condition, nail condition, cuticle condition. They will take extra care when they are cutting nails and cuticles. They will look for damaged skin before they file dead skin off, and they may do it in a different way. 
Finally, the thing that I found the most interesting is that a person with diabetes may not be offered certain manicure and pedicure services because of diabetic health reasons. 
I asked if there were any tips that she could offer for my readers. Here they are: 

1. Wash your feet with soap and a washcloth. Make sure that you get in between each toe, and wash each toenail as well as under the toes. 
2. Get into a routine of how you wash your feet so that you know the entire foot has been cleaned and gently exfoliated with the washcloth. By doing this, you ensure that you are looking at your foot for any issues. 
3. When you are washing the heel of your foot, look at it for cracks in the skin as well as bruising or discolorations. 
4. Don't dry your feet roughly with a towel. Pat them dry, and go in between each toe as well. I asked why, and I was told that you can damage a toenail with rough drying, especially if you have neuropathy. 
5. Treat your feet to a cornstarch based powder, especially if you are going to be in heavy boots. Absorb sweat, and keep your feet cooler. 
6. If socks are leaving deep red indentations on your skin, they are either too small, too narrow, or both. Switch to a larger sock, and preferably a diabetic sock. You can even get them at Dollar Tree now. They feature a looser weave on the part that goes up your leg as well as a lighter elastic so that you don't create issues. 
7. If you are going to wear compression socks, ask your health care provider first. They are not an ideal solution for everyone. 
8. If you notice any skin conditions, loose or damaged nails, or other foot health issues, make an appointment with your doctor. You may have neuropathy, or your foot health may have changed. 
9. If you ever have deep bruising that looks like pooling blood, call your doctor immediately. She said that this could be something major, especially if you don't recall injuring yourself where the bruise is. 
10. Don't go barefoot in the house, especially if you have neuropathy. You may not feel an injury.