A SPECIAL healing sock could save thousands of diabetes patients from the trauma of amputation. Just by wearing the garment, sufferers speed up the repair of damaged skin and prevent ulcers, a major cause of foot loss. New to the UK, Difoprev uses a special ingredient - a moisture-boosting protein extracted from bacteria discovered only in Antarctic mud. Known for its hydrating properties, this protein is impregnated into the fabric of the sock, then slowly released directly into the tissue of the feet. It is predicted that Difoprev could cut the risk of foot amputation by as much as 60 per cent. At least 5,000 people with diabetes in this country undergo such drastic and debilitating surgery every year, according to Diabetes UK, and chronic ulcers are largely to blame. These are triggered by high blood sugar levels which damage nerve endings over time, reducing the sensation in limbs. Long-term diabetes sufferers dont notice when they cut their feet or develop a blister so they dont get treated and this leads to ulcers. Another symptom of diabetes is poor circulation, triggered by a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries. Skin with a reduced blood supply does not heal well, again leading to ulcers which are prone to infection because bacteria feed on the abundance of glucose in the body. DM