Choosing Effective Foot Creams for Seniors and Diabetics: What Ingredients to Look For and Why They Matter

When selecting foot creams for older people, or those with medical conditions such as diabetes or poor circulation that can cause dry skin, it’s important to check the active ingredients. These determine how effective the cream is at re‑hydrating, repairing and protecting the skin.

What Active Ingredients Should we Look for and how can They Help?

Humectants – These include urea (5%-10%), glycerin and lactic acid/sodium lactate which help to draw water into the skin and keep it hydrated. Urea is particularly important for its hydrating and softening properties, whilst glycerin provides deep hydration.

Barrier Repair Ingredients – Ceramides, Panthenol (Vitamin B5) and Emollients such as lanolin, petrolatum and mineral oils can help to repair the skin’s natural barrier helping to prevent moisture loss.

Supportive Ingredients – Designed to make a cream more gentle and effective by softening and soothing, these ingredients include allantoin, antioxidants (examples include vitamin E, chamomile, aloe vera) and mild exfoliants (examples include glycolic or lactic acid).

Importance of the Cream Application Method

For the elderly and infirm, reaching the feet to apply cream can be a challenge. Many patients rely on medical professionals or family members to help them. Those who remain independent are often forced to use less than optimal methods that can be unhygienic or impractical. Typical examples include use of a wooden spoon or placing feet in a plastic bag lined with cream.

PediStick [https://www.pedistick.com/how-to-use] is a certified medical device made using high-quality plastic with a washable applicator that makes application of the cream much easier. When using a device to help apply cream to the foot, it’s vital to ensure the consistency of the cream is suitable for the chosen method – it should be easy to absorb, non-greasy and not too runny.

What to Look for When Shopping for a Foot Cream to Assist in the Management of dry Skin:

·         Check for clearly listed ingredients. Key ones to look out for are urea, glycerin, ceramides and panthenol

·         Seek out creams with ‘fragrance free’ or ‘suitable for diabetic skin’ on the label

·         Try to find a light cream with a non-greasy texture as these tend to be absorbed well

The PediStick web shop offers a suitable emollient for the feet which is not only effective in the management of dry skin, but also has a consistency which is easy to apply using PediStick itself. Check out our extra value PediStick and foot cream bundle in the web shop here [https://www.pedistick.com/category/all-products]