Diabetes and skin – How does diabetes affect your skin?

Diabetes affects our skin just as it does most of our other organs due mainly to the long term exposure to high blood glucose levels, According to the ADA, As many as 33 percent of people with diabetes will have a skin disorder caused or affected by diabetes at some time in their lives. It is time to stop ignoring this problem and start doing something about it immediately.

Some of the most common diabetes and skin disorders that affect diabetics are as follows.

Acanthosis nigricans: In this diabetes skin condition, the skin becomes tan or brown in color, and may develop a velvety texture. This appears on the back of the neck, under the arms, under the breasts, or in the groin region. It’s common in people who are overweight, and may actually appear before Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed..
Treatment: Imroving BG levels. Some drugs will  lighten the affected skin, dermabrasion and laser therapy will reduce thickened areas

Scleroderma diabeticorum: A rare diabetes and skin condition seen in people with Type 2 diabetes and involves a thickening of the skin on the neck and back.

Treatment: includes moisturizing and improved BG Levels.

Diabetic dermopathy: The diabetes skin characteristically develops  brownish, circular patches with a scaly appearance, Commonly appears on the fronts of both legs.

Treatment: Improved BG Levels.

Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum (NLD): Similar to diabetic dermopathy in that it’s caused by blood vessel damage but  with NLD, the patches are fewer in number, but larger and reddish in color.  NLD will  appear on the lower parts of the legs, and will ulcerate, or burst open. It can cause itchiness and pain.

Treatment: Cortisone creams, injections, blood thinners and more potent steroids.

Eruptive xanthomatosis: Commonly seen in younger men with Type 1 diabetes in particular with uncontrolled diabetes and high triglyceride levels.  Characterized by  round, yellow, pea-sized bumps that appear on the face, arms, legs, and buttocks, often encircled by a red halo and mostly confused with normal Acne.

Treatment: Improved BG and lipid-lowering medication.

Cellulitis: This is a spreading of bacterial infection of the diabetes and skin tissue. “An inflammation of connective tissue with severe inflammation of dermal and subcutaneous layers of the skin. Cellulitis can be caused by normal skin flora or by exogenous bacteria, and often occurs where the skin has previously been broken: cracks in the skin, cuts, blisters, burns, insect bites, surgical wounds, or sites of intravenous catheter insertion. Skin on the face or lower legs is most commonly affected by this infection, though cellulitis can occur on any part of the body.

Treatment : Treat with appropriate antibiotics” (thanks Wikipedia)

Diabetes and skin -  Preventive Measures.

A few tips to preventing skin infections

1. Bathe shower everyday
2. Check your skin for any cuts/welts or scratches
3. Dry well after every bath/shower especially between toes
4. Wash any cuts with warm soapy water and cover with a sterile bandage
5. Call your doctor if there is a resurgence of sores after a few days, feels warm, itchy or has a bad odor
6. Always moisturize your skin.

Diabetes and skin – Products to use

While their is no specific recommended products to use on your skin that will alleviate both diabetes and skin infections an addition of moisturizing products to your daily diabetes self management   routine is recommended.

a few products to use are

1. Moisturizers
2. Cleansers
3. Some scrubs but be careful with those because they may break the skin.
4. masks
5. Sunscreen
6. treatment

Diabetes and the skin – Overall Skin Health

Diabetes and Skin complications are as rampart for diabetics as any other complications but we tend to forget the importance of skin management in the daily diabetes management routine. It is crucial that we take care of the skin, it is after all the largest organ in our bodies and its upkeep may not be as complicated as the rest of the body.

Rule of thumb is to Improve blood glucose levels and the health of your skin will follow.