Important:This is general information based on the best data available at the time of writing. DO NOT rely on this information alone or consider it as a substitute for medical advice.
Diabetes is a serious and chronic disease that results from a persistent disruption of carbohydrate metabolism. Because diabetes is a complicated disease that affects many parts of the body, specialists from various medical fields should be involved in your ongoing treatment.
Regular visits to your family doctor, podiatrist or diabetologist are necessary for the professional treatment of all symptoms of the disease.
There is no cure for diabetes, but there are steps you can take to improve your quality of life as a diabetic patient. Diabetes causes a series of changes throughout the body - a result of the natural compensatory mechanisms for the underlying metabolic disorder.
- By better controlling your blood sugar levels, you can help mitigate the severity and consequences of these changes.
- Controlling blood sugar levels (glycemia) should always be the first priority.
- You should ask your healthcare providers for assistance in planning meals, exercise and/or diabetes medications.
- Foot care plays a much less important role than careful control of your blood sugar level (glycemia).
About diabetic foot syndrome and foot care:
Poorly controlled diabetes leads to changes in the blood vessels, blood circulation, nerves and the structure of the skin and connective tissue, resulting in:
- Limited mobility of the joints and/or
- Changes in posture and coordination ability and/or
- reduced or altered sensitivity of the nerves and/or
- altered (reduced/disturbed) blood circulation.
As a result, the peripheral parts of the body, especially the feet, are much more susceptible to a series of symptoms known as diabetic foot syndrome, which include:
- deformation
- Increased susceptibility to shear, friction and pressure points
- skin cracks and
- infections.
Calluses and other injuries may go unnoticed because the “protective sensation” (feeling) in the feet is reduced;
Deep infections can occur in part due to reduced blood flow. This is more common when a person has been living with diabetes for a long time.
If you have diabetes, you are at increased risk for foot ulcers, but careful and regular foot care can help prevent some of the most serious complications.
- You should have your feet examined by a doctor at least once a year (more often if you are at increased risk for foot complications).
- Early detection and treatment of independent risk factors for ulceration and amputation can prevent or delay the onset of adverse consequences.
- Thedaily self-examinationand careful foot care is one of the best ways to identify and manage risk factors before a foot ulcer develops or amputation becomes likely.
A primary care physician, podiatrist, or certified diabetes educator should examine your feet to determine if your feet are at low or high risk for developing more serious conditions.
The investigation should include:
- blood circulation in the feet (circulation)
- feeling and reflexes (nerves)
- Unusual foot shape such as bunions, claw toes and hammer toes
- Toenails and dryness, calluses, corns, cracks or infections.
Low-risk feethave normal sensation and good blood circulation. However, it must be noted that a low risk can develop into an increased risk without symptoms, so regular examinations remain important.
high-risk feet
- People with a history of foot ulcers or amputation are at high risk for complications.
- Feet with calluses or deformities such as claw toes are also at increased risk, especially if there is also poor sensation and/or reduced circulation.
- If your feet are at high risk, you should have them examined by your doctor or a podiatrist every 3 to 6 months.
Causes for complicating injuries include poorly fitting shoes, inadequate foot care or overlooked foreign bodies. Ulcers can be caused by friction, cuts and injuries, but also by too much pressure on certain areas of the foot. Corns and calluses can be caused by too much pressure on one area and can lead to injuries and additional strain on the surrounding skin.
Always see a doctor to have calluses or corns removed before they develop into ulcers, as they can become infected, which can have serious consequences.
Further information is available to patients and medical staff in the
in addition to other relevant professional resources.
Important application instructions:
What works well for one person may not have the same effect on another. This complex oil-in-water cream contains a number of naturally derived ingredients that are particularly suitable for topical use in diabetic patients; however, this does not exclude the possibility that some ingredients may cause hypersensitivity reactions in individuals.
- Check the list of ingredients before useand do not use the product (unless advised by a physician) if you suspect you have an allergy or sensitivity to any of the ingredients.
- Perform a patch testby applying a small amount to normal, healthy-looking skin. If no irritation or redness occurs after a few hours, you can apply the product to the intact affected skin.
- If at any time during the use of this productIf you notice unusual redness, tenderness or other adverse reactions, consult a doctor.
Some doctors advise against applying moisturizers between the toes as this increases the risk of wet friction and/or infection. Graham's Natural Diabetic Foot Cream is designed to be used on all skin and nails, including between the toes. It is non-medicated but is specifically designed to reduce friction, reduce wetness and ward off infectious agents.
Information about the composition of this medical device:
Graham's Natural Foot Cream for Diabetics was specially developed for the care and treatment of diabetic skin.
During development, special attention was paid to the requirements of diabetic skin:
- Exclusion of humectants, sugars and polyols, which are already present in excess
- Exclusion of lubricants and structural lipids, which are normally present in excess, and
- Inclusion of lipids, emollients and powerful antioxidants that are not sufficiently present
The cream is formulated to be easy to apply, non-greasy, penetrates the skin with moisture and leaves a very soft, gentle, powdery skin feel, helping to avoid friction and physical stressors on the skin's surface.
humectantsabsorb water from the aqueous base formulation to increase the skin's water content. The skin's own Natural Moisturising Factor (NMF) contains several humectants that help maintain water balance and minimise the transepidermal moisture loss that causes dryness. However, the stratum corneum of diabetic skin typically contains an excess of some NMF ingredients such as glycerin and polyols, humectants typically found in regular moisturiser, and appears to be deficient in aquaporins, the proteins thought to be responsible for transporting these special humectants across the stratum corneum. Graham's Natural Diabetic Foot Cream contains only NMF humectants that are typically deficient in diabetic skin, ie: urea, sodium PCA, betaine, hyaluronic acid and lactic acid.
Refatting and softening oils and waxeshelp protect and support the structure and function of the skin and stimulate the skin's normal metabolism. Unlike normal, healthy skin, which benefits from balanced amounts of cholesterol, ceramides, essential and non-essential free fatty acids, the altered metabolism of diabetics typically results in the skin having an excess of cholesterol and ceramides and a deficiency of essential and non-essential free fatty acids.
Graham's Natural Diabetic Foot Cream is formulated to contain a balance of essential and non-essential fatty acids from a variety of plant sources and to minimize cholesterol and ceramides.
Two types of moisturising and softening lipids are preferably used:
- those that are rapidly absorbed and whose role is to support the intercellular, lamellar barrier and the cushioning of skin cells, such as:
Castor oil, medium chain triglycerides, isopropyl myristate, linseed oil and - semi-occlusive lipids that remain on the skin surface, reduce transepidermal moisture loss and soften the skin surface, such as:
Carnauba wax, beeswax, hydrogenated castor oil and coconut oil.
Distearyldimonium chloride, isopropyl myristate and linseed oils contribute to rapid and deep hydration of the skin and create a very soft, dry powdery, waxy finish (without being greasy), so that the skin feels pleasantly protected against dryness and friction.
antioxidantsare an integral part of this formula. Oxidative stress and the increased formation of free radicals are associated with skin inflammation and are considered to be one of the most important factors in the development of skin dryness, dysfunction and stress in diabetic foot syndrome. Studies show that individuals with diabetes have high levels of lipid peroxidation and a reduced antioxidant status. Both simple (ie tocopherol) and complex polyphenols from pomegranate, nettle leaf, calendula and red clover are used as antioxidants in Graham's Natural Diabetic Foot Cream. This provides both a lipid- and water-soluble antioxidant effect. This enables the suppression of oxygen radicals, which are involved in the formation of advanced glycation end products and are associated with diabetic skin diseases and impaired skin barrier function.
Biostatic considerations were also taken into account. Substances were selected that are specifically tailored to diabetic skin conditions and are unlikely to serve as a food source for skin pathogens. These skin-care, biostatic ingredients include distearyldimonium chloride, medium-chain triglycerides, coconut oil, benzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid, lactic acid, nettle, chamomile and red clover extracts.
Appearance:The cream is a glossy neutral beige to yellow, although very slight traces of herbs may still be visible. It has a natural, mild waxy smell. It spreads quickly and easily on the skin at first, then absorbs quickly, leaving behind a noticeable, non-sticky, gently powdery, waxy protective layer.
This product has been manufactured in Australia using Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) from pharmaceutical and food grade ingredients (excipients, non-drug).
It is NOT indicated or suitable for use on open wounds.
Store below 30 °C in the closed original carton. Do not freeze.
If the cream develops an unusual odor or changes its consistency, DO NOT use. Discard and replace as needed.
Created in June 2019.
