Skin treatments containing retinoic acid could help prevent skin ulcers in people with diabetes, research shows. Ulcers are far more than a cosmetic problem. They signal diabetes-related problems with wound healing. Complications from diabetes, like nerve and blood vessel damage, increase the risk of ulcers. And if the nerves that signal pain have been damaged, the patient may not know he or she has an ulcer. That can turn minor wounds into big problems. “Diabetic ulcers of the lower limbs and feet, in particular, are associated with high morbidity and often lead to amputation,” says a new study from the University of Michigan. Retinoic acid might help avoid the problem, say the researchers. In lab tests, retinoic acid helped the skin wounds of diabetic rats heal faster. That could cut down on chronic ulcers, say James Varani, PhD, and colleagues.
