High blood sugar levels make it hard to fight infection. If your ulcer is not healing and your circulation is poor, your health care provider may need to refer you to a vascular surgeon. After the foot ulcer heals, you should still treat your foot carefully. Scar tissue under the healed wound will break down easily. You may need to wear special shoes after the ulcer is healed to protect this area and to prevent the ulcer from coming back.
Several things make some people more likely to get foot ulcers.
You are more prone to foot ulcers if you are more than 40 years old, have had a foot ulcer before, have had diabetes-related changes in your eyes, or have kidney disease, nerve damage, or poor blood flow, especially to your feet. Loss of feeling often means you may not feel a foot injury. You could have a tack or stone in your shoe and walk on it all day without knowing. You might not notice a foot injury until the skin breaks down and becomes infected. Nerve damage can also lead to deformities of the feet and toes.