If you notice a corn or callus on your foot, you might be tempted to use an over-the-counter medication to treat them. But you should not use these OTC products if you have diabetes. (Usually the product box will say "not for use by people with diabetes".)
Corn and callus removers, corn plasters and similar products are harsh chemicals, usually acids. They decrease the build-up of hard skin by softening and burning away the corn or callus.
If you have diabetic nerve damage, you might not be able to feel it if the chemicals burned too much or got on the surrounding normal skin. Breaks in the skin can cause infection and difficulty with healing for a person with diabetes. Therefore, you should avoid putting harsh chemicals on your feet.
You might try a green clay poultice to soften corns and calluses. Most important, try to determine what’s causing them.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that you see your regular provider or podiatrist if you have a corn or callus that needs to be treated.
Reprinted from 101 Foot-Care Tips for People with Diabetes, by Jessie H. Ahroni, PhD, ARNP, CDE. Copyright by the American Diabetes Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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