Foot Care When Taking Blood Thinners: Practical Checklist

Foot Care When Taking Blood Thinners: Practical Checklist

Do you take blood thinners? Then good foot care is especially important. A small cut, a wound caused by trimming your toenails, or damage from removing hard skin may bleed for longer than usual.

This does not mean that you cannot care for your feet yourself. However, it is important to work carefully, prevent injuries, and know when to seek professional help.

This checklist will help you care for your feet safely while taking blood thinners.

Important: There are different types of blood thinners. Always follow the advice given by your doctor or pharmacist. Never stop taking your blood thinner yourself because of a foot treatment or a minor wound.

Daily checklist

☐ 1. Check your feet regularly

Take a moment to look at your feet regularly.

Look for:

• cuts or wounds;

• cracks in the skin;

• blisters;

• bruising;

• redness;

• swelling;

• irritated areas;

• changes to your toenails.

Also check between your toes and around the edges of your nails.

A mirror can help you see the soles of your feet properly.

☐ 2. Wash your feet gently

Wash your feet with lukewarm water and mild soap.

Avoid very hot water. Excessive heat can damage the skin without you immediately noticing it.

Dry your feet thoroughly afterwards, especially between your toes.

Do not rub the skin vigorously. Gently pat your feet dry instead.

☐ 3. Keep your skin moisturised

Dry skin can crack more easily and develop fissures.

If your skin is dry, you can use a moisturising cream. Avoid applying cream between the toes, as moisture can easily become trapped there.

If you already have cracks, a wound or an irritated area, do not try to treat it aggressively yourself. Ask a healthcare professional for advice instead.

Trimming your toenails while taking blood thinners

Trimming your toenails may seem simple, but it is easy to accidentally cause a small cut.

☐ 4. Trim carefully

Trim your nails slowly and take your time.

• Do not cut your nails extremely short.

• Ideally, trim them straight across.

• Do not cut deeply into the corners.

• Try not to damage the skin around the nail.

• Use clean and suitable nail-care tools.

A small cut may bleed for longer when you are taking blood thinners.

If you are unsure about trimming your toenails, have poor eyesight, have difficulty reaching your feet, or have very thick or abnormal nails, ask a professional to help you.

Hard skin and corns: do not cut them yourself

☐ 5. Do not use a blade

Removing hard skin may seem harmless, but using a blade or another sharp instrument can easily result in cutting too deeply.

When you are taking blood thinners, such an injury may then bleed for longer.

Avoid using:

• blades;

• sharp callus files;

• scissors to cut away hard skin;

• other sharp instruments.

Strong products for treating corns or warts can also damage the skin.

Have persistent hard skin, corns or a painful pressure area assessed by a qualified professional.

Visiting a foot-care professional

A professional foot-care provider can help with nail and hard-skin care.

☐ 6. Always tell them that you take blood thinners

Before treatment, tell the professional that you are taking blood thinners.

This is important if, for example:

• your toenails are being trimmed;

• hard skin is being removed;

• a corn is being treated;

• an ingrown toenail is being treated.

This allows the treatment to be carried out as safely as possible.

If you have a medical problem affecting your feet, a podiatrist, doctor or other specialised healthcare professional may be more appropriate than a standard cosmetic foot-care treatment.

Shoes and socks

Foot care is not only about washing your feet and trimming your nails. Preventing damage to your feet is just as important.

☐ 7. Wear well-fitting shoes

Your shoes should not pinch or rub your feet.

Check regularly for areas where pressure or friction may occur.

Before putting your shoes on, check for:

• seams;

• hard edges;

• small stones or other objects;

• damage inside the shoe;

• folds in the insole.

A small object inside a shoe can cause a blister or wound.

☐ 8. Choose comfortable socks

Wear clean socks that are not too tight.

Avoid socks with hard seams or tight edges that put constant pressure on the same area.

What should you do if you have a small wound?

A wound does not automatically mean there is a serious problem, but when taking blood thinners you should pay extra attention to any bleeding.

☐ 9. Apply pressure to stop minor bleeding

If you cut yourself while caring for your feet:

• Stop the treatment.

• Take a clean gauze pad or clean cloth.

• Apply firm, continuous pressure to the wound.

• Keep applying pressure for long enough.

• Check whether the bleeding has stopped.

• Cover the wound with a clean dressing if necessary.

Do not repeatedly lift the dressing to check whether the bleeding has stopped, as this may cause the wound to start bleeding again.

If the wound continues to bleed despite firm, continuous pressure, contact a doctor or medical service.

When should you have a wound checked?

☐ 10. Do not wait too long if there is a problem

Contact your doctor or another healthcare professional if:

• a wound is not healing properly;

• the wound repeatedly starts bleeding;

• the wound becomes larger;

• there is pus or other discharge;

• the skin around the wound becomes increasingly red or warm;

• your foot becomes noticeably swollen;

• you develop increasing pain;

• you develop large bruises without an obvious cause.

Medical assessment is important in cases of severe or persistent bleeding.

Things you should not do yourself

When taking blood thinners, it is sensible to be particularly cautious with treatments that can damage the skin.

Avoid:

☐ Cutting away hard skin yourself☐ Cutting out corns yourself☐ Cutting into an ingrown toenail yourself☐ Popping blisters without good reason☐ Burning or cutting away warts or other skin abnormalities yourself☐ Cutting your toenails extremely short☐ Using aggressive products on damaged skin☐ Ignoring bleeding because the wound appears small

Extra important: blood thinners combined with other risk factors

Do you take blood thinners and, for example, also have diabetes or reduced sensation in your feet? In that case, extra caution may be needed.

With reduced sensation, you may not notice a wound or pressure area properly. In people with diabetes, foot wounds can also become more serious. Daily foot checks and properly fitting footwear are particularly important. (Thuisarts.nl)

If you already have a foot wound or an increased risk of foot problems, discuss with your doctor or a specialised foot-care professional how best to care for your feet.

When should you seek urgent medical help?

Seek medical attention quickly if bleeding does not stop despite firm, continuous pressure.

Medical assessment is also important after a serious injury, with a large wound, or if swelling increases rapidly.

If you take blood thinners and need a treatment that may cause bleeding, never stop your medication yourself. Beforehand, discuss with your doctor, pharmacist or healthcare professional whether any special precautions are necessary. (Gezondheid.be)

A safe foot-care routine

A simple routine could look like this:

Daily

☐ Check your feet☐ Check between your toes☐ Check for wounds, cracks and bruising☐ Wash your feet gently☐ Dry them thoroughly☐ Moisturise dry skin☐ Check that your shoes fit properly

When trimming your toenails

☐ Work slowly☐ Use clean nail-care tools☐ Do not cut the nails too short☐ Do not cut deeply into the corners☐ Do not cut the surrounding skin☐ Ask for help if you are unsure

For hard skin or corns

☐ Do not cut them yourself☐ Do not use sharp instruments☐ Do not use aggressive products without professional advice☐ Seek professional help for persistent hard skin

If you have a wound

☐ Stop the treatment☐ Use a clean cloth or gauze☐ Apply firm pressure☐ Check the bleeding☐ Keep the wound clean and protected☐ Seek medical help if the bleeding does not stop

The most important rule

Taking blood thinners does not mean that you cannot care for your feet. It does mean that you need to take extra care to avoid damaging the skin.

Good foot care is therefore mainly about prevention, checking your feet regularly and treating them gently.

Trim your toenails carefully, do not cut hard skin or corns yourself, and have foot problems assessed in good time. Always tell your foot-care professional that you take blood thinners.

And perhaps most importantly: never stop taking your blood thinner yourself to make a foot treatment possible. Always discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist.

Quick checklist to keep

I TAKE BLOOD THINNERS AND CARE FOR MY FEET

☐ I check my feet regularly☐ I look for wounds, cracks, blisters and bruising☐ I wash and dry my feet gently☐ I keep my skin moisturised☐ I do not cut my toenails too short☐ I do not cut deeply into the corners of my toenails☐ I do not cut away hard skin or corns myself☐ I wear well-fitting shoes☐ I tell my foot-care professional that I take blood thinners☐ If I have a wound, I apply firm pressure if it is bleeding☐ If bleeding does not stop, I seek medical help☐ I never stop taking my blood thinner without medical advice