It Pays to Listen: Day 872: 5 Minute Freewrite: Tuesday - Prompt: nail polish

Even the hair dryer couldn't block out the chatter in the salon. Try as I might to keep the ear plugs in place, they were determined to land in my lap. This, of course, caused me to lift the dryer upright so that I wouldn't dislodge some of the magnetic rollers from the pins that were holding my hair in place.

With all this going on in my immediate area of the salon, it was no wonder I missed the announcement that the sales representative for the local beauty supply distribution chain had arrived. Excitement cut through the smell of nail polish at the opposite end of the shop.

I asked another salon customer what all the flurry was about. She stated that a distributor brought new nail polish colors and designs for all the customers in addition to important information about manicures and pedicures.

^{Image by tookapic from Pixabay}

After I finished my salon appointment, I asked the beautician about the information. She gave me the flyer that addressed the care of your feet in connection with manicures and the proper use of nail polish.

Reading the pamphlet, I learned that many believe a pedicure should last for more than one or two weeks. But it's advisable to give your toenails a break or "breathing period" in between manicures. That way, you're not allowing the polish to remain on your toenails for an extended amount of time.

This information was useful, but it really didn't resonate with me until I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes last year. During my research of the causes and effects of Diabetes, I now understand the importance of taking care of my feet. I incorrectly believed my toenails were hard just because they felt that way. I learned that my toenails soak up much more substances than my skin. Also, the nail polish remover with acetone can dry out my nails and cause discoloration and cracking.

When that happens, then yeast and bacteria can grow underneath¹. Now, when I get a manicure, I leave the polish on for about a week, then give my toenails a break for an additional two weeks. I must maintain healthy feet in dealing with my Diabetes. I will explain more about maintaining your feet in my Monthly Diabetes Maintenance blog.