How Does Diabetes Affect Wound Care?

Diabetic foot ulcers are a serious problem related to diabetes. Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are known to affect 15 percent of patients with diabetes. They are also known to be complex and challenging. This is due to chronic inflammation, biofilm, and extracellular matrix degradation. For those that develop a DFU, approximately 6% will be hospitalized due to infection or other related infections.



These types of ulcers occur mostly on the feet. Diabetes, a chronic disease in which the body is unable to use glucose properly, can cause circulation and nerve damage and can cause wounds to heal slowly. This leads to serious complications. Nerve damage or neuropathy will cause diabetics to have trouble feeling the pain of a blister or cut until the condition has significantly worsened or become infected. Diabetes can weaken an individual’s immune system, develop narrow and clogged arteries, causing wound development, making wounds prone to infection.



Wound care is the practice of taking proper care of a wound. This can range from minor and major wounds. While everyone can benefit from proper wound care, it is much more important for diabetics. Diabetics often suffer from poor blood circulation which causes wounds to heal much slower than they would in a non-diabetic.

Helpful Tips in Prevention

Monitor and record your blood sugar daily
Take your medication prescribed for your diabetes
Be active 30 minutes a day
Eat a healthy diabetic diet
Drink plenty of water
Wear seamless socks
Do not go barefoot
Check your feet daily
Moisturize feet after bathing, but do not put in between toes. This is a place that can harbor bacteria.
See a podiatrist on a regular basis
Call your doctor if you currently have a wound with increased pain, swelling, redness, increased drainage, or smelly drainage after cleansing the wound
Collagen Dressings Used in Diabetic Foot Ulcers

It is important to properly care for diabetic wounds. Diabetics can experience dryness, itchiness, cuts, and sores on their feet. Minor issues like these can pose a serious threat to diabetic feet. Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are the result of wounds healing slowly or poorly, becoming infected, or forming while healing. Podiatrists can provide the correct treatment for you if you have a wound on your feet or other skin problems. The best way to care for foot wounds is to prevent them.

Collagen advanced wound care dressings can be an effective tool of healing in diabetic foot wounds. Clinical data show an increase in faster healing rates in this population. With diabetic foot ulcers being a major contributor to recurring infections, amputation, and death, it is most important to utilize advanced wound care dressings such as collagen to optimize healing.

Diabetic wounds stall in healing due to a prolonged inflammatory response. Components of collagen such as fibroblasts and keratinocytes are all fundamentals in tissue regeneration. Collagen wound dressings such as Medifil® II Collagen Particles, Skin Temp® II Collagen Sheets, and Collatek® Collagen Gel, all contain a higher nativity that supports regulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) that supports and promotes healing.

Human BioSciences products contain a higher nativity, thereby allowing for better stability of the triple helix collagen molecule and scaffolding moving wounds towards a healing trajectory. The biotechnology collagen format is designed to provide tissue scaffolds for the cells to inhabit where the collagen matrix is ultimately reorganized to mimic the body’s own collagen that contains the major building block of connective tissues.
Benefits and Features of Kollagen Technology Products

Concentrated native collagen
Stimulates healing
Easy application
Absorbent
Versatile
Moisture balance
Balances the wound microenvironment
Contains no additives
Supports autolytic debridement
Donates moisture
Works in all phases of healing
Compatible with other dressings and topical agents
Ideal for hard to reach areas like undermining and tunneling
Non-toxic, latex-free
Human BioSciences, Inc. USA takes pride in being a 32-year trusted USA manufacturer (private label and brand name), leading distributor, and multinational biotechnology company in the collagen advanced wound care industry.