Do diabetics have to be more on the lookout for foot fungus problems such as athlete's foot?

In general, yes. Poor circulation and high blood sugars (both common in diabetics) can contribute to dry cracking skin, and an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Diabetes can also cause impaired immunity. How does this tie into Athlete's Foot you ask?

If the skin barrier is damaged by the fungus that causes Athlete's Foot, it increases the risk for bacterial infection. In diabetics, this risk is compounded (made worse) by the above factors. So diabetics in general have a very high risk of developing a bacterial infection.

Any kind of foot infection in a diabetic can lead to amputation if ignored, which means that *any* foot problems should be taken seriously early on, and regular foot checks must be done. Any irritation, redness, discoloration, sores, warm areas, etc. should be seen by a doctor right away.

My motto is "Keep your feet!". Many pharmacies offer foot care products that are made easpecially for people with diabetes.

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Pre-Med Student

I ignored my feet for a long time. I had all of a sudden gotten athletes foot so I got some medication to treat it. But I never went to the doctor and it never seem to get better for some reason. Come to find out, I was sick. So yes if you have problems with your feet please get checked out.