“The Soaking Myth/ Urban Legend “ No Soaking: Why Warm Water Can Ruin Diabetic & Ischemic Foot Wounds

In this episode Dr. G, a podiatrist and limb-salvage advocate, debunks the common practice of soaking diabetic and ischemic foot wounds. She explains how warm water and salts cause maceration, strip the skin barrier, increase edema and bacterial growth, worsen tissue hypoxia, promote biofilms, and accelerate necrosis—especially dangerous in critical limb ischemia and neuropathic feet.

Dr. G outlines safer care: gentle cleansing with saline or wound cleanser, pat dry with sterile gauze, protect the peri-wound skin, and seek vascular and wound-care assessment rather than soaking.