Want to know another good reason to keep your blood sugar levels in check? By doing so, you can protect yourself from a number of skin conditions that can be caused by diabetes. However, skin problems are very common among people with diabetes. About one in three people with diabetes are at risk of developing this skin condition. But the best part is that most of these skin conditions can be successfully treated if they are detected before they become serious. The most important thing is to detect them early .
Skin diseases that are common with diabetes
People with diabetes can experience a variety of skin problems. Let's take a look at some of the most common conditions.
Itching (Pruritus)
There are many reasons why your skin itches. It can be caused by things like dry skin, poor circulation, or a yeast infection. If your itching is caused by poor circulation, you'll notice it more on your lower legs and feet . To prevent itching caused by dry skin, it's important to keep your skin moisturized by using a good moisturizer or lotion.
Bacterial and fungal infections
People with poorly controlled diabetes are more likely to develop bacterial and fungal infections. Let's look at these separately.
| Type of infection | Description and common locations |
|---|---|
| Bacterial Infections | In Sri Lanka, boils or boils can occur. This is especially caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus . Styes, which are infections of the glands in the eyelids, and nail infections are also common. These require antibiotics, so be sure to see your doctor. |
| Fungal Infections | Fungal infections are common in warm, moist, and folded areas of the body (e.g., groin, armpits, under the breasts). The fungus Candida albicans is the main cause of this. Women can develop this condition in the vagina (Vaginal yeast infection). Examples of this include angular cheilitis, athlete's foot, and jock itch, which are red, itchy spots that appear in the corners of the mouth. Onychomycosis, which causes the nails to become discolored, thickened, and separate from the nail bed, is also common among diabetics. For this, antifungal medications should be taken on the advice of a doctor. |
Acanthosis Nigricans
This condition is common among people with Type 2 Diabetes, especially those who are overweight. In this condition, the skin in the folds of the skin, for example, on the sides and back of the neck, armpits, under the breasts, and groin, thickens and turns brown or black . It can look like a lump and have a velvety texture. This is actually a sign of insulin resistance, which can occur even before diabetes develops. Although there is no specific cure for this, losing weight can help control this condition to a large extent.
Vitiligo
In this condition, the cells that produce melanin, which gives skin color, are destroyed. This causes white patches to appear on the skin. This is more common in people with Type 1 Diabetes. These patches usually appear on the chest and abdomen, but can also appear on the face, around the mouth, nose, and eyes. There are steroid creams and ultraviolet light treatments for this. The most important thing is to use a good sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to prevent the discolored skin from burning in the sun .
Diabetic Dermopathy
This condition is caused by changes in the blood vessels that supply blood to the skin. These can appear as shiny, round or oval spots on the skin in the kenda area. These spots usually do not cause pain, itching or inflammation. Therefore, no special treatment is required for this.
Less common situations
Although some skin diseases do not affect everyone, it is good for people with diabetes to be aware of this.
Necrobiosis Lipoidica: This condition can occur in people who have not controlled their blood sugar for a long time. The skin becomes thin and red due to a decrease in blood supply to the collagen and fat layers under the skin. It is most common on the lower legs. These spots take a long time to heal if they are injured, so see your doctor immediately if you break open any of these spots.
Digital Sclerosis: Poor blood circulation causes the skin on the fingers and toes to thicken and become waxy. This can make it difficult to bend the fingers. The best way to treat this is to control your blood sugar levels. You can also use moisturizers to soften the skin.
Heart and blood vessel problems
- Atherosclerosis: This is when fat deposits build up in the walls of blood vessels, narrowing the lumen. This reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the skin. As a result, hair loss on the legs, thinning and shiny skin in the groin area, thickening and discoloring of the toenails, and cold skin can occur. Most importantly, since the blood also carries white blood cells that fight infection, wounds on the legs take longer to heal when this condition is present.
- Eruptive Xanthomatosis: Severe insulin resistance prevents the body from removing excess fat from the blood. This condition occurs when cholesterol levels in the blood are too high. Yellow, waxy, and bone-like bumps appear on the skin, with a red ring around them. These are very itchy. Your doctor can treat this by controlling your blood fat levels.
Very rare skin diseases
Although these are not often seen, it is important to be aware of them.
- Diabetic blisters (Bullous Diabeticorum): Very rarely, people with diabetes can develop blisters that look like burns. They appear on the hands, feet, and fingers. They are usually painless and heal on their own . However, they occur in people with severe diabetes and diabetic neuropathy. So this is a good sign that you need to control your sugar levels.
- Disseminated Granuloma Annulare: Although there is some controversy about whether this condition is related to diabetes, it is characterized by the appearance of rings or arc-shaped red, brownish-red, or skin-colored spots on the skin. These can be seen on the fingers, earlobes, and chest. Although treatment is usually not necessary, your doctor may recommend a steroid cream.
- Scleredema Diabeticorum: A rare condition that occurs in people with type 2 diabetes. This causes the skin to thicken on the back of the neck and shoulders. The best solution for this is to control your blood sugar levels.
Take-Home Message
- The best thing you can do for your skin health is to keep your blood sugar levels within the appropriate range.
- Check your skin carefully every day, especially your feet. Check for cuts, scrapes, blisters, and redness.
- Keep your skin clean and dry, especially in areas like your armpits, groin, and between your toes.
- Use a moisturizer or lotion for dry skin. But don't apply moisturizer between your toes. It can cause fungal infections.
- Even if it's a small cut or scrape, clean it immediately and apply medicine.
- If you notice any new changes, spots, rashes, or infections on your skin, talk to your doctor about it without delay.
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