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How to treat a wound in someone with diabetes No matter how small or superficial a wound is, if you have diabetes you shouldn’t ignore it as it can cause a number of complications, including some that make it harder for wounds to heal.

Take the following steps to avoid any infection:

Take care of the wound straight away. Even a minor wound can become infected if bacteria is allowed to build up after injury.

Rinse the wound under running water to remove dirt. Don’t use soap, hydrogen peroxide or iodine, which can irritate the injury. Apply antibiotic ointment to prevent infection and cover the wound with a sterile bandage. Change the bandage daily and use soap to clean the skin around the wound. See your doctor to check minor skin problems or areas of redness before they turn into larger problems. Keep pressure off the wound as it heals. For example, if your wound is on the bottom of the foot – a common place for people with diabetes to develop calluses and blisters – stay off it as much as possible so it will have a better chance to heal.