A pregnant woman with diabetes generally experiences a thickening of the skin on the soles of her feet. This is a common side effect of diabetes. Even if you are not pregnant it is important that you remember how crucial it is for you to take good care of your feet and take time out of your busy day to do that. Using diabetic socks can assist with the care of your feet during this period. If you are diabetic it is important that your feet do not become damaged due to the risk of diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy is when your feet become ulcerated which may lead to losing all sensation in your feet. There are over 18.2 million people in America that have diabetes and of those it is estimated that more than 60% have mild to severe nerve damage.This can occur before you have been diagnosed with diabetes. Often people are unaware that they are diabetic until they attend the doctor to treat a foot problem. Usually diabetic neuropathy is associated with type 1 or ii diabetes and not gestation diabetes. However, you still need to be careful as unfortunately, you may become diabetic at any time, not just before and during pregnancy. If you haven't done so for a while it is time to treat your feet to a regular routine of care. The first thing that will need addressing is the type of shoes and socks you wear. Wearing tight fitting or stilleto shoes is not good for your feet. Always make sure that your shoes fit you the way they are supposed to at all times and have maximum support. If necessary have your shoes properly fitted - most shoe stores have this facility for free. Try and wear diabetic socks at all times. Diabetic socks are especially made to provide comfort and support to your tender feet. If you fail to take good care of your feet you are increasing your risk of contracting diabetes neuropathy. After you shower ensure you dry in between your toes thoroughly and that your tootsies are kept dry and free of moisture. Dampness between your toes can increase your risk of infections which could result in neuropathy. Unfortunately, when there is some nerve damage to your feet you may not sense that your feet are injured, sore or the like which is why you need to make it a habit to pay particular care to your feet. You always need to bear in mind that when the nerve endings in your feet are damaged or gone your foot loses sensation. If you look at the activities that you enjoy you might have to modify them or just pay extra attention to your body. For example, if you enjoy a relaxing foot bath ensure that the water is not too hot. You can test the water more effectively with a thermometer rather than with your hand as it may also have nerve damage. If your nerve endings are damaged you run the risk of burning your skin as you will not be as aware of the heat. Always check your feet after bathing or soaking to ensure that you have not inadvertently scalded yourself. Burns can so easily become infected and you will need to keep an eye on your feet as you will not generally experience the pain that usually alerts us to infections. If you enjoy having a pedicure tell the therapist that you suffer from this disease. The therapist will then know that they need to take extra care to avoid nicking or burning your feet. Untreated infections may result in gangrene and consequently amputation. In order to protect your limbs it is imperative that you are alert to the dangers at all times. For professional care of your feet you could attend your local chiropodist or podiatrist. Although they are generally more expensive than a pedicure they offer a specialist service. They will be able to advise you on the appropriate treatment and care for your feet. Finally,you can easily take care of your feet each day by wrapping them in comfortable and supportive diabetic socks. If you normally sit around the house in bare feet protect your feet with diabetic socks. Socks are cheap and easy to obtain and your feet will benefit from the added protection.