Diabetic Foot Cream: What Moisturiser Can and Cannot Do

Dry skin and cracked heels are common in people with diabetes, but foot care requires more than applying a cream. International guidelines on preventing diabetic foot ulcers recommend regular screening, suitable footwear, patient education and prompt treatment of early foot problems. Moisturiser may support healthy skin, but it cannot treat poor circulation, nerve damage, infection or an established ulcer.

Diabetes can damage nerves in the feet. This may reduce the ability to feel pain, heat, pressure or a small injury.

A person may continue walking on a blister or cut because it does not hurt. The wound may then become larger or infected.

Diabetes can also affect circulation. Reduced blood flow can slow healing and make an infection more difficult to control.

A plain moisturiser may help prevent very dry skin from cracking. Apply it to clean, dry skin on the tops, soles and heels when advised.

Avoid placing heavy cream between the toes unless a clinician has specifically recommended it. Moisture trapped between the toes may encourage fungal growth and skin breakdown.

Do not apply an ordinary cosmetic cream to an open wound. A diabetic foot ulcer needs professional assessment, cleaning, pressure relief and other treatment based on its severity.

Products containing strong acids, corn removers or harsh peeling ingredients can damage the skin. Corns and calluses should not be cut at home.

Check the feet every day. Look at the tops, soles, heels and spaces between the toes. Use a mirror or ask another person for help when necessary.

Warning signs include redness, warmth, swelling, discharge, a bad smell, a deep crack, a blister, colour change or a wound that is not healing.

Shoes should fit well and should not rub. Check inside the shoe for stones, rough seams or other objects before wearing it.

Avoid walking barefoot, even inside the home. A small sharp object or hot floor can cause an injury that may not be felt immediately.

People with reduced sensation or previous ulcers may need regular podiatry or specialist foot assessments. The frequency depends on the person’s risk.

Madhavbaug provides information about its supervised diabetes-care programme. General information about the organisation and its clinics can be found on the Madhavbaug homepage.

Seek urgent medical attention for an open wound, spreading redness, pus, fever, black or blue skin, a cold foot, rapidly increasing swelling or severe new pain.

A moisturiser can support skin care. It is not a treatment for diabetic foot infection, ulceration or poor circulation.