Eucerin is what my doctor recommended.

Try Utterly Smooth cream, available everywhere. and be sure to apply any cream or lotion when you've just bathed. Remember that creams don't add moisture, but they help to keep it in.

https://www.udderlysmooth.com/

This is what I've been using for awhile now - I buy it at Target, and discount stores like TJ Maxx & Marshalls often have it for several dollars less as well. I put it on as soon as I get out of the shower and towel off. A little goes a long way.

You might consider what you're using to wash with too - some products are extremely drying. I like Trader Joe's Citrus Body Wash. It's very mild.

Also consider exfoliating. I use a pumice stone on my feet daily. It's the last thing I do when bathing.

I will look into some mild body washes, thank you. I am hesitant to use a pumice stone for fear of an unintentional abrasion.

Amlactin works like a charm. Imagine rough feet that had not had a pedicure or or seen a pumice stone for over a year, one week of Amlactin and they were smooth as could be.

My GF bought me Footnanny lavender cream and it really got rid of the cracks and dry skin without needing pumice or anything else. It's pricey but it lasts a long time.

And remember to hydrate from the inside out. Drink plenty of water.

Mother used Jergens back in the 40’s. While reading a Southern Living saw an ad for Jergens Smoothie Citrus. Added to my grocery order. Works perfect for my 82 year old skin. Keeps my skin very soft and love the smell. Been using for over a month ,it was a well spent 5.97 for me.

I'm finding the mega packaging Cerave from Costco works just fine for most moisturizing. I do have some Amlactin that I may or may not use part of the time.

For heels specifically, this last year I've been using O'Keeffe's Healthy Feet. A routine. I wear or at least begin the day after showering wearing socks most days. I sit down in my garden window in bedroom and put the Healthy Feet on heels. Then socks. Much less dry skin on heels, its greatly improved.

Many years ago, Estee had a body cream and separate hand cream called Maximum Care. It's the only expensive department store brand I've bought that really faithfully did what it said. Discontinued and I've never found another worth the price.

Assured Creamy Petroleum Jelly works as good or better than most things that I have tried. I buy it at Dollar Tree. Absorbs quickly, no greasy mess. Smells nice, too.

I like and use and like Cerave in the tub like Morz says above. I also like Cetaphil cream, also in a tub--not the lotion. This one I find works better for me. Very dry climate here and I have blood sugar issues which as we know messes with skin. If I stick with Cetaphil in the tub faithfully, I do well and skin is comfortable. But it's been so dang hot lately (no AC) that I've had to not use it lately as the occusive nature of it adds a little body heat. My skin is all dry and angry now. :(

O'Keeffe's Healthy Feet.

That is the cream I'm using now just for my feet. I'm wondering whether the problem is so bad that whatever I use is going to just take some time? My rough areas on my feet feel like sandpaper.

Lucille, it wasn't overnight success with the O'Keeffe's. I stayed with the product and after using it every morning for a while, I began to see improvement that has been lasting. I don't have diabetes so don't know if you can comfortably wait for the change to take place. (I had tried white petroleum jelly from the dermatologist earlier, they seem to swear by it for all kinds of dry or chapped, healing skin. It didn't work any better and I had oily socks ;0)

Something else I found by accident or coincidence....I'd had itching of feet off and on for a while and the PA at the dermatologists had suggested vinegar soaks. Following her tip, I would put about a cup of white 5% kitchen vinegar with a couple of cups of warm water in a 2 gal bucket and stand in it (carefully, don't tip over) while I did makeup and blew dry my hair in the morning. Maybe 10-15 minutes total. Not only did the itching stop and not return, I had the softest smoothest feet in town while doing that! Just not completely convenient but somehow changing skin ph with the vinegar water really did soften and heal skin.

"Working hands" is a great moisturizer for feet, elbows and hands.

I agree with above, you need to be diligent with applying it. Any good cream/ointment takes time.

First do talk to your doctor. Getting rid of that that flaky skin is important because it could be a site for infection or fungal issues. You might get some other advice there. Then you do the creams.

I think the creams come first, as they should solve the problem. I've really only recently turned my attention to my feet, I think Morz and Judy are right, diligence and time.

My husband and I had a really bad problem with dry skin from our hard water. His hands felt like sand paper. I needed some new lotion and gave Goldbond Renewal a try. It’s very thick, so I massage my hands in it, wipe off any extra and it lasts all day. I didn’t care for it at first because it is so thick, but I swear by it now. (My husband would use it daily after showering too)

I find wearing socks to bed after applying a thick gooey ointment helps a lot. It also,prevmts leaving oily footprints on the floor! Good luck with this, Lucille, and take good care of yourself.

I’ve used rx urea cream in the past Now i use the Eucerin in a tub for extra dry compromised skin I apply it at night and wear socks to bed

Have you tried coconut oil after a bath or shower.

Lucille, you are recently diagnosed. Diabetes can cause all sorts of side effects and you do not know at this time if your skin condition is the result of something like impaired circulation. It really is a good idea to simply get some input from your doctor.

there is an advantage of squeese bottles over tubs which is contamination if fungus or some such turns out to be a problem. People with Diabetes have to be so careful. Good luck with finding a cream that works for your.

Have you tried coconut oil after a bath or shower

I have ordered some various lotions, and shower gels, might try coconut oil if those don't work. I like the sock idea.

Ive recently started to use Cerave Renewing SA Foot Cream. it seems to be helping but I haven’t used it long enough to recommend it. it had good reviews.

- Exfoliate with washcloth while bathing.

- Cream (more potent than lotion) applied to dry areas after bathing, while skin is moist.

When hubby was getting his twice-weekly phosphate infusions at the cancer center, the nurse commented on his dry skin on his forearm and recommended Eucerin. The heavy cream in the jar, not the lotion. I buy it and use on my heels when needed as well.

Kerasal. It’s a foot ointment that works great. I put it on and then socks over it. Can find it at Walmart.

I'm another user of CeraVe cream (good price on a two-jar package at Costco). I put this all over my body after bathing. I use the higher water content CeraVe lotion on my face in the morning.

Be aware that Costco's 'bargain' two-jar package is not two BIG jars, but one large one and one smaller jar. (I find that an annoying little trick.) I've been unable to find another jar with a pump at retail stores. I'm refilling an old one from plain jars.

Another thing that might be more important for a diabetic: Mold forms in any liquid soap, shampoo, conditioner, etc. Manufacturers add stuff like parabens to retard mold, but preservatives eventually fail -- and they may even cause irritations. I just pitched out a bottle of conditioner that DH kept in the shower; I could see dark mold surrounding the cap.

Lucile -- Should you should be using a bristle brush? Too rough on skin? Brushes and mesh 'scrubbies' can host nasties.

Ci-lantro, that is great stuff. It's the only thing that helps the dry skin on my hands and feet.

Gold Bond diabetic foot cream.

kathyg_in_in - You beat me to it.

Woodrose, I'm so happy to find someone else who loves that stuff. I've tried Amlactin, O'keefe's and a ton of other stuff. That cheap Assured Creamy Petroleum Jelly works better.

The only thing that works even better for my hands when they are in really tough shape (been doing stupid stuff & not wearing gloves) is Vaseline (plain petroleum jelly) and even better than Vaseline is Mary Kay's "Extra Emollient Night Cream"...which seems like a mixture of petroleum jelly & beeswax.

You need to use gloves with Vaseline & the Mary Kay stuff. What helps a lot with any of the heavy creams is to use a bit of water when you apply the moisturizer.

The Mary Kay stuff is The Best thing for winter raw, chapped lips.

In the winter, I like to use Avon's perfumed Skin Softener for dry scaly legs. It works better than lotions. It comes in a ton of different scents (I like the Night Magic scent). I have a dozen or so jars of it bought from garage sales for 25-50 cents each. I don't use it except in winter because I live in mosquito country.

Have never used it for hand cream but need to try it. Will give it a go tonight if I remember.