Nerve damage causes a loss of normal skin moisture. Dry skin is likely to crack, allowing bacteria to get in and cause infection. Abnormal shape Nerve damage due to high blood sugar may cause a breakdown of the bones and joints of the foot. This results in deformity and loss of the normal shape of the foot. Ulcers Ulcers are basically just severe sores.
Diabetics are more prone to developing ulcers, or common sores, than non-diabetics.
And diabetics that have had an ulcer before are at high risk for developing another ulcer. Because of the loss of sensation in the feet described above, a diabetic does not feel pain when a shoe is rubbing or a pebble in a shoe is irritating the foot and therefore does not solve the problem. A person with normal sensation would immediately remove the shoe or stop walking to prevent a serious sore from forming. In addition, because diabetics lose the ability to regulate moisture in their skin, the skin more readily develops cracks, leading to ulcers. Diabetics are also at higher risk for infection of ulcers.