Pedicures have, for a great many years, been a “meat and potatoes” offering of most spas. They are a luxurious treat, both cosmetic and relaxing at the same time. It is a luxury, though, not casually considered by diabetic spa clients.
The combination of neuropathy (the deadening of nerves) and poor circulation means that diabetics must take extra caution when it comes to the care of their feet. Even a small nick can quickly become infected and turn ulcerous; diabetes is, in fact, the number one cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputation. For this reason many diabetics are cautioned not to seek pedicures at all, and urged instead to visit a podiatrist on a regular basis to have their nails trimmed and nothing more.
What should be true for all your pedicure clients must be double true for diabetic spa clients. Baths and tools must be stringently and rigorously disinfected without lapse or exception – some spas even go so far as to insist that diabetic clients bring their own tools.
It is estimated that somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 million women over the age of 20 in the US suffer from diabetes; the introduction of podiatry within the context of a medical spa setting can be a good way to attract and care for this sensitive demographic.
