Non-Steroidal Body Creams Do Not Treat Diabetes or Improve Blood Glucose Control
No topical non-steroidal body cream can treat diabetes mellitus or improve glycemic control in adults. Diabetes management requires systemic pharmacologic interventions—primarily metformin for type 2 diabetes and insulin for type 1 diabetes—along with lifestyle modifications 1.
Why Topical Creams Cannot Treat Diabetes
Diabetes is a systemic metabolic disorder requiring medications that reach the bloodstream to affect glucose metabolism, insulin secretion, or insulin sensitivity 1.
Topical creams are designed for local skin effects only and do not achieve the systemic drug concentrations necessary to influence blood glucose levels 1.
The only role for topical products in diabetes care is skin maintenance, not glucose control—specifically, moisturizing creams are recommended to prevent skin dryness, fissuring, and ulceration in diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease 1.
Evidence-Based Diabetes Treatment
For Type 2 Diabetes:
Metformin is the first-line pharmacologic agent and should be initiated when lifestyle modifications are insufficient 1.
Sulfonylureas are recommended as second-line therapy when metformin alone fails to achieve glycemic targets 1.
Human insulin should be introduced as third-line treatment when oral agents are inadequate 1.
Newer agents (DPP-4 inhibitors, SGLT-2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists) may be considered in specific clinical contexts, particularly for patients with cardiovascular or renal comorbidities 1.
For Type 1 Diabetes:
Insulin is the only effective treatment for type 1 diabetes, delivered via multiple daily injections or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion 1.
Adjunctive agents like pramlintide may provide modest additional benefit but cannot replace insulin 1.
The Only Legitimate Use of Topical Products in Diabetes
Moisturizing creams are recommended for diabetic foot care to prevent complications, not to treat diabetes itself 1:
Daily application of topical moisturizing creams prevents skin dryness and fissuring in diabetic patients with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease 1.
This is part of comprehensive foot care that includes appropriate footwear, daily inspection, and prompt treatment of lesions 1.
This recommendation addresses complication prevention, not glucose control 1.
Critical Warning About Topical Steroids
While the question asks about non-steroidal creams, it's important to note that topical corticosteroids can actually worsen glucose control 2, 3, 4:
Prolonged or high-potency topical steroid use is associated with increased risk of developing diabetes (OR 1.24-1.44) 3, 4.
Switching from oral to topical steroids in diabetic patients can paradoxically worsen glycemic control due to systemic absorption 2.
Non-steroidal topical products do not carry this risk but also provide no glucose-lowering benefit 5, 6.
Bottom Line for Clinical Practice
If a patient inquires about using topical creams to manage their diabetes, redirect them to evidence-based systemic therapies 1. The only appropriate topical products are moisturizers for skin protection as part of comprehensive diabetic foot care, which prevents ulceration but does not affect blood glucose 1.