Diabetic Living Australia - July-August 2018

OUR

TOP PICKS

Find these diabetes-

friendly lotions at your

local pharmacy or

chemist.

Morning

• Keep it cool. Skip scalding
  showers or baths for warm or
  tepid temps. Hot water can really
  dry and irritate your skin.


• Use simple ingredients.
  That means a fragrance-free
  moisturising soap for sensitive
  skin (fragrances are bad news for
  skin). Also, you don’t need to
  soap everywhere every day, just
  stinky areas such as underarms.


• Towel off. Leave your body
  a little damp – leftover water
  locks in moisture. Then apply a
  cream or lotion everywhere but
  between your toes, which is
  prone to fungal infections.

SMART STEP:

Lower legs dry and scaly?

Grab moisturiser that contains

lactic acid, which pulls more

moisture into the skin and

sloughs away dryness.

Mirror check

• Cover your face with SPF
  30 or higher to protect against
  sunburn. Reapply as needed.


• Pucker up. Protect your
  kisser, too. Use a petroleum jelly
  or shea butter-base lip balm
  with SPF 15 or higher.


• Give hands extra love. Use
  moisturising cream and gloves
  to protect those overexposed
  hands from wind and weather.

DAILY

Daytime

• Apply again. And again.
  Frequent hand washing is so
  drying. Stash lotion or hand
  cream in your desk, purse or
  car and use it all day.


• Stay hydrated. Just like the
  rest of your organs, your skin
  needs water to function well. So
  make sure you carry a reusable
  water bottle and remember to
  fill it up frequently.


• Resist the itch. Scratching
  dry skin encourages infection.
  Instead, apply lotion made with
  aloe vera or shea butter.


• Manage your blood glucose.
  High glucose levels make you
  lose fluids faster, which leads to
  dry skin and other issues such
  as blisters and rashes.

Evening

• Crank up a humidifier to add
  moisture to the air at home.

Before bed

• Moisturise feet. Dry,
  cracked heels are prone to
  infection – slather on cream.


• Check your entire body
  for cuts, sores and dry spots.
  Treat minor scrapes at home,
  but show deeper wounds to a
  health care provider. If dry skin
  persists beyond two weeks, call
  a dermatologist to make an
  appointment. ■

SKINCARE

ROUTINE

1

ALLDAY AHHH

Nourish and condition

dry chapped skin while

increasing moisture levels.

Plunkett’s NS Extra Dry

Skin Moisturiser, $17.50

2

RESTORATIVE

Repair, moisturise and

protect your skin, with this

powerful cream suitable

for dry skin. Nature’s Gold

Therapeutic Skin Cream

with Medicinal Manuka

Honey, from $12.95

3

FOOT CARE

Clinically tested to

hydrate dry and cracked

heels and feet. Dermal

Therapy Heel Balm

Platinum, $13.95

WORDS

KAILI MEYER, ELLIE GRIFFITHS

PHOTOGRAPHY

GETTY IMAGES

winter care

3

2

1

diabetic living JULY/AUGUST 2018 99