One of the commonest problems that most diabetics face is chapped heels that may bleed or develop pus over time. The reason for this lies in two things. First is that diabetes results in extremely dry skin, and second, it reduces the overall healing ability of the skin. This results in neuropathy in many areas, primarily the heels. You can use a dedicated moisturizing heel cream for diabetics.
Our heels/feet are usually not taken care of anyway and hence suffer more wear and tear than the rest of the body. With the usual apathy, they are being targeted by diabetes, too, so one can only imagine the level of damage that can happen. This damage or heel fissures can even become infected, resulting in serious complications and amputation.
The catch you see is in the statement we just made. The heels aren’t taken care of adequately, which is why they get damaged so much. However, if they are cared for enough or, say, one uses a dedicated heel cream for diabetics, all these problems can be easily sorted. Therefore, this blog will discuss the seven ways to solve chronic heel crack.
So, here we go
7 Ways to solve the heel cracks for Diabetes
Moisturize the Affected Area
One of the major causes of most heel damage is dryness or lack of moisture. While constant hydration, i.e., drinking water, can keep the skin supple, the same cannot be said about the heels. The reason is that the heels suffer from a lot of friction resulting in constant wear and tear. You may not realize it, but a lot of heat gets generated in and around your heel which dries the skin out. While we cannot stop walking, we can heal the heel. You can use a dedicated moisturizing heel cream for diabetics. Make sure you apply it in copious amounts and at least daily (and regulalry).
Honey and Water Therapy
Both honey and water are known for their skin cleansing and softening properties. All you need to do is to soak your feet in warm water containing a bit of honey. You can then scrub off the dead skin. Follow it with the application of a dedicated heel cream for diabetics, and you will be good to go. Ensure you do not use a harsh scrub like that of apricot. Instead, you can go for homemade scrubs or a gentle orange peel scrub for better results.
Keep the area between your toes dry.
Diabetics are also susceptible to fungal infection more than the usual populace. For those of you who wear socks and work in a high-heat environment, moisture/sweat tends to collect in between the fingers of your feet. So you see, just like inadequacy of moisture, over moisturization is an issue too. However, you don’t have to worry! All you need to do is ensure that once you have taken off your socks, you put them into the washer! DO NOT repeat your socks. Then, wash your feet, dry them, and apply powder so that whatever moisture is soaked well.
Turmeric-Oil massage
To clarify, we aren’t talking about extracting and massaging turmeric oil. The thing is that turmeric is an anti-septic, but it dries out, and any oil contains a lot of unwanted stickiness. So the combo together rejuvenates the skin and keeps it smooth, thus relieving cracks and infection.
Wear Cotton Socks
Some of us love the comfort of the “towel socks” and feel they absorb the sweat. Well NO! That is a myth. No socks are better for feet other than cotton socks. The first reason is, of course, the purity of these socks and the resulting comfort. The second, however, is that they get visibly dirty after use, so you’ll have to wash them off before using them again. Please remember that a lot of your diabetic care is about maintaining hygiene. So let’s just stick to it, shall we?
Wear Comfortable Footwear
Leather or even faux leather are known to cause bites. Don’t wear them. Remember that diabetes results in the reduced healing power of the skin. You wouldn’t want to overburden it with another damage right? Also, tight footwear results in unnecessary sweating, resulting in fungal infections. Thus, ensure that the footwear you wear is comfortable and preferably breathable.
Apply a Good Heel Cream for Diabetics
We cannot emphasize it enough; hence, we thought this deserved its section. As a diabetic, you need extra care. Your parameters are stringent; therefore, any good heel cream for diabetics will be very different from the usual. For instance, Vedelan’s Foot heal cream contains Azadirachata indica, Albizzia lebbeck, Vitex nigundo, Caesalpinia bonducella, and Corcuma longa with a permissible cream base free from paraben and harmful chemicals. All of these ingredients have been formulated keeping in mind the requirement of people with diabetes. While the general populace can use it for its superior and ayurvedic ingredients, people with diabetes must use it.
So folks, hoping that this blog gave you some perspective on why your heels crack more often and how you can keep your heels healthy with or without using a dedicated heel cream for diabetics.
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