Dry skin on feet?

[Cookie]

Can you settle something for me?

I'm a member of another (non-diabetic!) forum and someone's posted asking about how to get rid of the dry skin on their feet. Someone then replied to that post asking if the person could be diabetic...

Am I missing something? What on earth does having dry skin on your feet have to do with being diabetic or not?

(Obv, I know about diabetics needing to take extra care of their feet etc, but dry skin on feet isn't necessarily to do with being diabetic is it??)

Am I being thick? (Be kind, please!!)

[duck]

Can you settle something for me?

I'm a member of another (non-diabetic!) forum and someone's posted asking about how to get rid of the dry skin on their feet. Someone then replied to that post asking if the person could be diabetic...

Am I missing something? What on earth does having dry skin on your feet have to do with being diabetic or not?

(Obv, I know about diabetics needing to take extra care of their feet etc, but dry skin on feet isn't necessarily to do with being diabetic is it??)

Am I being thick? (Be kind, please!!)

No. It burns me when people tell me "it's because you're diabetic..." How in the **** does diabetes make me have headaches? EVERYONE I know gets headaches, yet not all of them are diabetics...You're not being thick. You're actually being polite by not being sarcastic with that poster--I would have been.

[Cinnabon]

I have been told by doctor's that insulin causes the dry skin, not the Diabetes itself.

[duck]

I have been told by doctor's that insulin causes the dry skin, not the Diabetes itself.

I no have dry skin on my feet...

[Middle Aged Man]

I'm wondering if they actually have dry feet or a foot fungus. I would suspect they would look similar on the bottom of the foot.

[mg_2204]

... Anyone can have dry skin, and also dry feet. It's summer and so many people wear sandals. Ever noticed people's feet, while you're in a bus, or waiting in line somewhere? I'm on training this week and I'm sitting behind this young girl who has very dry feet. She even has cracks and it looks painful. She is not diabetic. My husband gets very dry feet too, cracks, pain, infections, you name it. He is not diabetic. His feet get worse when he wears sandals.

But we people who have diabetes must take good care of our feet though. It has to do with neuropathy you see. You must check your feet, be careful with them, just in case you'd have a splinter in your foot and didn't notice it (because of loss of feeling). It could get infected. I don't think it's because we are diabetic that we suffer from dry skin. Perhaps the medication is at fault here. Or we just don't drink enough water.

The very best I came across for dry feet and especially dry heels is 'Gehwol Balsam', a German product we came across during a trip. Don't know if it's available elsewhere though. But it is mainly made out of plants.

[Batty]

it's because the world is full of ignorance f**ks. that's why. pay no attention to people who know only what they hear through "a friend of a friend of a friend who have diabetes" and what the media says, that they mis-understand.

[Cookie]

Thank you guys - I have 're-posted' on that original thread!!

:rock:

[Starlight]

Well before i was admitted to hospital with diabetes i had very dry skin on my feet, maybe thats what they were reffering to?

[duck]

Well before i was admitted to hospital with diabetes i had very dry skin on my feet, maybe thats what they were reffering to?

You were also probably tired and thirsty...I wonder if all people who ever get tired and thirsty are diabetic?

(sarcasm! I'm picking on those people who like to put us diabetics into a nice little box)

[archimeech]

Let's not forget one important thing, people....... Diabetes DOES contribute to dry skin. It's not the only cause, and not every diabetic has dry skin, but it is a simple and obvious answer that most doctors will just stop at instead of trying to look further.

I have dry skin on my hands. It's so bad at times that the sides or tips of my fingers will harden and crack open leaving me with wounds that look like horrible calluses with paper cuts going through them. The only thing that works to heal these is keeping them lubricated with Neosporin (triple antibiotic petroleum jelly) unitll they soften and heal over.

From what I've been able to find; not only are there skin afflictions that hit us due to our weak immune systems, but the same vascular degeneration that happens to our major blood vessels also happens to the tiny capillaries that feed our skin. As the smallest blood vessels get damaged our skin gets dry and loses it's suppleness because it's not being kept healthy and strong with nutrients and oxygen.

....so yeah, it's because you're diabetic, but

....it could be something else as well.

[duck]

Let's not forget one important thing, people....... Diabetes DOES contribute to dry skin. It's not the only cause, and not every diabetic has dry skin, but it is a simple and obvious answer that most doctors will just stop at instead of trying to look further.

I have dry skin on my hands. It's so bad at times that the sides or tips of my fingers will harden and crack open leaving me with wounds that look like horrible calluses with paper cuts going through them. The only thing that works to heal these is keeping them lubricated with Neosporin (triple antibiotic petroleum jelly) unitll they soften and heal over.

From what I've been able to find; not only are there skin afflictions that hit us due to our weak immune systems, but the same vascular degeneration that happens to our major blood vessels also happens to the tiny capillaries that feed our skin. As the smallest blood vessels get damaged our skin gets dry and loses it's suppleness because it's not being kept healthy and strong with nutrients and oxygen.

....so yeah, it's because you're diabetic, but

....it could be something else as well.


My MIL has the same issues with her hands cracking open, and she SWEARS by the newer Gold Bong lotion that comes in a white container with a gold top (I can't remember the name).

[JasonSmithMT]

I have been told by doctor's that insulin causes the dry skin, not the Diabetes itself.
If that is what the doctor told you then I would think about getting a new one. Everyone has insulin ... not everyone has dry skin.

Meech is correct (as usual) in that damage to small blood vessels and nerves makes diabetics more prone to skin problems, dry skin included. In addition, hyperglycemia can cause osmotic diuresis driving the body into dehydration (and the lovely polydipsia and polyuria that results) which exuberates the dry skin.

Jason

[archimeech]

My MIL has the same issues with her hands cracking open, and she SWEARS by the newer Gold Bong lotion that comes in a white container with a gold top (I can't remember the name).
LMAO!!!!!!
Duck!!!! now come on, you should be ashamed of yourself. Telling a Federal Employee to use Gold bong lotion! :-

[duck]

LMAO!!!!!!
Duck!!!! now come on, you should be ashamed of yourself. Telling a Federal Employee to use Gold bong lotion! :-

Bwuuuhaaaahaaaaahaaaaaa! :canabis: :bandit:

[webpundit]

So, for the diabetics among us, what do you do for your dry feet? And has anything worked long term, or are those just preventative measures? I've started applying that "Miracle Foot Lotion with Aloe Vera" stuff....it helps when its on but once I take a shower, it's back to square one. I'm tired of having ugly feet. I don't even get pedicures for fear of getting an infection.

[Mark C]

So, for the diabetics among us, what do you do for your dry feet? And has anything worked long term, or are those just preventative measures? I've started applying that "Miracle Foot Lotion with Aloe Vera" stuff....it helps when its on but once I take a shower, it's back to square one. I'm tired of having ugly feet. I don't even get pedicures for fear of getting an infection.

Lac Hydrin

[Middle Aged Man]

LMAO!!!!!!
Duck!!!! now come on, you should be ashamed of yourself. Telling a Federal Employee to use Gold bong lotion! :-


It's still safer than Bold Gong lotion!

[Middle Aged Man]

So, for the diabetics among us, what do you do for your dry feet? And has anything worked long term, or are those just preventative measures? I've started applying that "Miracle Foot Lotion with Aloe Vera" stuff....it helps when its on but once I take a shower, it's back to square one. I'm tired of having ugly feet. I don't even get pedicures for fear of getting an infection.

Pundit - My wife is a nurse, and we had the great pleasure of attending one of those dinners at a place we couldn't afford provided free of charge by a drug company. Yes, I got to sit at an expensive steak house and see photos just before dinner of fungal infestations of the body. Quite an interesting set of imagery that has stayed with me to this day.

Anyway, I learned a few things. The feet are vulnerable to fungal infestation. Sometimes what is seen as dry, flaky, or chapped skin is actually the work of a fungus. Adding moisture can make the environment even more ripe for the fungus.

So what would I do for dry feet?

Step 1: I would apply Vaseline Expensive Care. (Oooops . . . I meant Intensive :hmmmm2: )

Step 2: I'd watch closely to see if the dryness reduced or increased.

Step 3: If it reduced, then I'd use more VEC/VIC. If it increased, then I'd switch to Lotrimin AF (it's actually a wide ranging antifungal that works on athlete's foot, but it is not specific to athlete's foot in its actions)

Step 4: I'd also keep my feet clean and dry as best I could.


Any chance you can post a picture of what your feet are looking like? It might help us visualize. (I just hope I don't have to eat a steak dinner again right afterwards!)