Skin Problems
High blood sugar levels can affect your skin in several ways:
- Your body
loses fluids by making you urinate more often. This loss of fluids
(dehydration) can make your skin dry.
- Diabetes
can damage nerves that make your body sweat less, particularly
in the legs and feet. Your skin relies on sweat to keep it moist
- the loss of sweat can make it dry. Dry skin cracks easily, letting
germs enter.
- Diabetes
can cause blood vessels to become damaged (narrowed), resulting
in poor blood flow. When blood flow is poor, an injured area cannot
get enough oxygen and food to heal.
- With diabetes,
your body's natural defenses are weakened. White blood cells that
fight germs are fewer in number and work more slowly. This makes
you more prone to infection. Breaks in the skin can become easily
infected, spread faster, be harder to treat, and take longer to
heal.
If you frequently
have high blood sugar levels, you may notice your skin is extra
dry, itchy, cracked or you may have rashes, boils, pimples or other
skin changes.
Skin
Problems
How
Can I Keep My Skin Healthy
Protecting
Skin From Sun And Wind
Protect
Your Skin From Injury
Caring
For Your Feet
Call
Your Doctor Immediately If You Notice Any Of The Following
People with diabetes are prone to getting many different skin conditions.
Here are a few of the most common.
Thick skin
People with diabetes commonly have thickening of the skin with a
yellow waxy appearance. This condition may decrease joint mobility.
Improving blood sugar control may help, but there is no known treatment
or cure.
Diabetic dermopathy
Diabetic dermopathy is the most common skin sign of diabetes. This condition results in small, round colored spots on the lower leg. These spots are more common in older men with diabetes. No treatment is necessary.
Yellow skin
Yellowish skin, fingernails and toenails are common among people
with diabetes. Yellow-tinted skin may be the result of eating a
lot of yellow or orange vegetables containing carotene. The cause
of yellowing fingernails and toenails isn't known. No specific treatment
is necessary for any of these situations.
Itchy skin. Itchy skin may have several causes. It can often be
treated by using moisturizing or steroid cream. Medication may sometimes
be needed.
Skin infections
The higher the level of glucose in the blood, the more likely a person is to have skin infections. Yeast infections may appear on moist areas of the body, such as the mouth, under the arms, under the breasts, or in the groin. Bacterial infections can cause skin changes and include impetigo, abscesses, cellulitis, and several others. Fungal infections may appear around the groin or between the toes, on the palms of hands or under fingernails. Fungal infections are not more common in people with diabetes. The two primary ways to stop skin infections are tight control and limiting moisture build-up in skin folds.
How Can I Keep My Skin Healthy
You can keep your skin healthy by following these tips:
Cleaning
- Use a mild soap that will not rob your skin of natural oils or cause irritation. Some deodorant soaps or those with heavy fragrances can be harsh to skin.
- Use warm (not hot) water and limit your use of soaps or cleansers to parts of your body that sweat. Always rinse off soaps or cleansers completely.
- Spend only 5-10 minutes in water. Soaking in a bath or shower can cause skin to dry out.
- Pat skin dry with a soft towel. Avoid rubbing. Dry between all skin folds such as armpits and under breasts. Moisture, warmth and darkness in these body areas, along with high blood sugars, can lead to yeast and bacterial infections. Pay special attention to drying the skin between your toes.
Moisturizing
- Drink at least eight glasses of water or sugar-free fluids a day to give your body necessary fluid.
- Apply moisturizing lotion to your skin after bathing, while skin is damp.
- Do not use cream in skin folds such as between toes and under breasts.
- Avoid lotions or creams that contain dyes, additives, fragrance, and perfume.
Protecting Skin From Sun And Wind
- Use a sunscreen lotion with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 before going outdoors.
- Avoid PABA as it may irritate your skin. Read labels for detail.
- Limit time in the sun to avoid sunburn and skin dryness. Remember, a sunburn can affect your blood sugars and disrupt your control!
- Wear layered clothing to protect you from the sun, cold weather, and wind.
- Wash minor breaks in the skin with antibacterial soap and water.
- Cover with a non-stick sterile pad.
- Hold in place with a gauze bandage and paper tape (e.g. Micropore).
- Do not use Betadine, iodine, or products containing alcohol or peroxide, as these can be too strong for skin.
- Do not use cloth or adhesive tape or Band-Aids directly on the skin. Skin can be damaged when these are removed.
- Do not disturb a blister; it is a natural sterile protective cover. When it breaks open, care for it as you would any other break in the skin.
- Check the injured area every day to be sure you are healing.
Caring for the skin on your feet is very important. Skin problems can appear in this area and be easily overlooked. Be sure your shoes cover your feet. Open toe or open heel shoes can cause skin to dry out and crack. Don't use commercial corn or callus products as these can cause a chemical burn. Avoid using a pumice stone on your feet. It can cause problems, especially if you have no feeling in your feet.
Call Your Doctor Immediately If You Notice Any Of The Following:
- very dry, itchy, cracked skin
- skin that is red, swollen, feels warm or hot, has pus or bad-smelling drainage
- a cut or scratch that does not heal