Best Diabetic Foot Creams (Pain Relief, Dry Skin, Cracked Heals)

Diabetic foot is one of the collateral effects that can appear in the long run in diabetic patients. When a person has diabetes, glucose levels get out of control because the hormone that regulates it, insulin, malfunctions or stops working. Hydration and foot care for diabetics is critical and requires special treatment. Due to diabetes and its vascular repercussions, diabetics can develop various skin problems, especially in the foot.

Some of the best options available to people with diabetes to use on their feet are:

• Gold Bond Ultimate 
• Diabetic Skin Relief Foot Cream
• SelfCare+ Diabetics’ Foot Cream 
• Flexitol Diabetic Foot Balm
• Eucerin Diabetics’ Dry Skin Relief Foot Cream

Hydration is vital for diabetic feet, which is why diabetic foot creams are so important. Aside from knowing the options available, it is important to see which one fits your needs. 

Consultation with the physician or your diabetes wound care nurse is an indispensable part of the treatment for the diabetic foot. High glucose levels in the blood can be detrimental to our health. This condition will affect the nerves, blood vessels, and immune system.

I will discuss everything related to diabetic foot care and the best creams that you can use to achieve the expected effectiveness in the treatment. Follow along to learn more about this disease and how diabetic foot creams can improve patients’ health.

There are many options for diabetic foot creams on the market. I have provided a review of the creams that experts recommend, including myself, and that have excellent patient reviews.

1. Gold Bond Ultimate Diabetic Skin Relief Foot Cream

This cream is an excellent option for dry skin. Additionally, it is endorsed by many dermatologists. It helps treat dry, cracked skin and relieves discomfort.

It has seven intensive moisturizers that soothe cracked feet while adding a protective layer of moisture. This cream also contains dimethicone and petroleum jelly to protect the skin. 

2. Miracle Of Aloe’s Miracle Foot Repair Cream

This cream is one of the best options for cracked heels. It contains 60% organic aloe vera leaf gel to improve dry, cracked, and itchy feet. This formula penetrates deep into the skin, offering quick relief to the feet. This soothing foot cream has a blend of skin-restoring moisturizing components. It is a beneficial cream for the treatment of athlete’s foot.

3. Type You Diabetic Care Foot Cream 

This foot cream is one of the best options to treat so-called dry and cracked feet. This nighttime restorative cream is specialized for people with diabetes. It has unique amino acids that soften calluses. Its formula is non-greasy and helps soften and soothe dehydrated skin. Among some of its ingredients are dimethicone, menthol, camphor, glycerin, and lactic acid.

4 Cerave Diabetics’ Dry Skin Relief Hand & Foot Cream 

This cream offers fast absorption that is clinically proven. It is a dermatologist-recommended cream. It provides 48 hours of hydration and also helps to restore the skin’s protective barrier.

It is a non-greasy cream that greatly relieves dry skin caused by diabetes. It includes a mixture of blueberries for the antioxidant benefits it provides. It also has urea which is an element that helps retain moisture. 

5. SelfCare+

This cream is a great option to provide fast relief to the feet. It is a non-greasy cream that the skin absorbs quickly, so the relief is almost immediate. Some of its ingredients are lanolin and mineral oil that contribute to the softness of the feet.

SelfCare+ has tea tree oil, aloe vera, and vitamins E, A, and D. These vitamins help reduce itching, burning, and fungal infections in its formula. This cream also helps to improve blood circulation and thus rejuvenate dry, cracked feet.

6. Diabetics’ Foot Cream (Cracked Feet)

This cream is an excellent choice for dry and cracked feet. Its main feature is that it helps soothe and moisturize the diabetic foot. This cream contains several ingredients, such as dimethicone and petrolatum, that act as skin protectants.

7. Flexitol Diabetic Foot Balm

A moisturizing cream infused with vitamin E, Urea, and Shea butter. These elements add incredible hydration to our feet. This cream helps tremendously with irritated and cracked feet and heels. Additionally, it is approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association. 

8. Eucerin Diabetics’ Dry Skin Relief Foot Cream

Infused with Alpha Hydroxy, this amino acid-enriched formula exfoliates and repairs dry and cracked skin. It is considered lightweight and fast-absorbing by most. Additionally, it restores the skin’s natural barrier, providing long-lasting hydration. 

Why Does The Diabetic Foot Appear?

One of the main effects that diabetes produces in the body is the appearance of arteriosclerosis. Arteriosclerosis is nothing more than the hardening of the arteries. The arteries that suffer the most from this hardening are smaller, namely, those that are located further away from the heart. These are the arteries in the feet. 

The hardening of an artery causes the blood to not circulate within it properly. This condition means that the blood takes longer to reach its destination and in smaller quantities. There are also fewer nutrients, water, and oxygen for our tissues when there is less blood supply. This situation is what happens in the diabetic foot. Because there is a lack of nutrients, the skin on the feet becomes excessively dry, and xerosis occurs.

Dry skin has a high probability of breaking down, causing the appearance of wounds, lesions of all kinds, and infections. When this occurs in people with diabetes, it is hazardous. The lack of blood supply means that injuries on the feet do not heal well, and infections heal very slowly. The worst scenario happens when the wounds, instead of healing, continue to worsen, reaching a point where the foot has to be amputated. See my article, “Diabetes Foot Care Health Education” by my guest blogger, Dr. Mark Hinkes, DPM.

What Are The Measures We Should Take To Care For Diabetic Foot?

The diabetic foot requires special treatment and care that will help prevent this condition from progressing and soon becoming a more severe problem. The following are the basic actions that patients should implement for the care of their feet.

1. Wash and dry the feet very well daily.
2. Avoid walking barefoot
3. Protect feet from extreme cold and heat.
4. Always wear comfortable shoes, and frequently check that they do not cause chafing or wounds.
5. Moisturize your feet daily with specialized creams and in the correct way.
6. If any problems occur, you should not manipulate your feet yourself. You should see your doctor immediately.

Why Are Diabetic Foot Creams Good, And How Should We Use Them?

Hygiene and hydration of the diabetic foot are an essential part of prevention and treatment. One way to prevent the appearance of ulcers or wounds is to check the feet daily. 

Remember that depending on the stage of the diabetic foot, the patient may not be sensitive enough to notice the presence of a wound. This explains why continuous visual foot checks are so necessary.

One of the keys to keeping feet free of wounds is hydration. The most recommended way to hydrate feet is with the use of diabetic foot creams. These creams help us to avoid dryness and calluses. Diabetic foot creams with a high percentage of urea are an excellent alternative. Another way to eliminate calluses is to use exfoliating creams. 

Correct Use Of Diabetic Foot Creams

• Apply the cream on the top and soles of the feet.
• Do not apply cream between the toes, as the accumulation of cream in these spaces can cause an infection.
• Apply this treatment with discipline at least twice a day.

A Final Thought On Diabetic Foot Creams

The diabetic patient needs to keep a strict check on his or her feet. Taking care of the diabetic foot requires a series of actions that you cannot neglect because it will directly affect health. 

One of these actions of great importance is the hydration of the diabetic foot with specialized creams for this pathology. We must never forget that hygiene and hydration are two aspects that the patient must consistently reinforce to preserve their foot health.

Sources

https://www.sweettrip.org/diabetic-footwear/diabetic-foot-creams

https://www.healthline.com/diabetesmine/we-tried-it-diabetic-foot-creams

https://www.prevention.com/beauty/skin-care/g29523806/best-foot-creams

LeeAnna Stock-Luoma RD, LD, CD, CDCES

Thanks for stopping by my Dealing With Diabetes blog! My name is LeeAnna.