Why can't diabetics put lotion between toes after showering?

Hi Brenda, this is an excellent question! When you have chronically dry, cracked skin, it feels completely counterintuitive to skip a spot while moisturizing, but this is a golden rule in diabetic foot care for a very practical reason.

The space between your toes is naturally a tight, dark, and warm area that gets extremely little airflow. Even without adding anything to it, it’s highly prone to trapping moisture from daily sweat or leftover water after a shower. If you rub thick lotion into those crevices, it creates a persistently damp environment that acts as an absolute paradise for fungus and bacteria to multiply.

For someone without diabetes, a minor fungal issue like athlete's foot is just an itchy annoyance. But for a diabetic, it is a major preventative care risk. The trapped moisture causes the delicate skin between the toes to become "macerated"—meaning it gets overly soft, turns white, and breaks down easily. Because diabetes can reduce blood flow to the feet and cause neuropathy (a gradual loss of sensation), you might not even feel a blister, skin tear, or infection developing in that area. A tiny crack from soggy skin can quickly turn into a severe, hard-to-heal ulcer.

To prevent complications, you absolutely should keep using a heavy moisturizer to prevent deep cracks on your heels, the soles, and the tops of your feet. Just stop before you reach the toe webbing! After washing, take a clean towel and carefully pat the spaces between each toe completely dry, leaving them totally lotion-free.