Skin Complications for Diabetics
1. Acanthosis Nigricans
- Tan or brown raised areas appear on the side of the neck, armpits, and groin. Sometimes found
on hands, elbows, and knees. Usually strikes people who are overweight. The best treatment is weight
loss, and cream can help make the spots look better.
4. Diabetic Dermopathy
- Light brown, scaly patches that may be oval or circular. Some are mistaken for age spots.
Mostly occurs on the front of both legs, but they may not be affected to the same degree. These patches
do not open up, hurt, or itch. Dermopathy is harmless, and doesn’t need to be treated.
5. Eruptive Xanthomatosis
- Firm, yellow, pea-like enlargements on the skin. Each has a red halo and may itch. Occurs most
on back of hands, feet, arms, legs, and butt. Usually occurs in young men with Type 1 diabetes. Usually
caused by diabetes that is out of control, and usually disappears when control of the diabetes is reobtained.
6. Digital Sclerosis
- Tight, thick, waxy skin on the backs of their hands, sometimes found on toes or foreheads.
Finger joints become stiff and no longer are able to move the way they should. Rarely, knees, elbows,
and ankles also get stiff. Only about 1/3 of people with Type 1 diabetes get this condition. The only
treatment is to bring blood sugar levels back under control.
7. Disseminated Granuloma Annulare
- Sharply defined ring- or arc-shaped raised areas on the skin. Rashes often occur most often on
parts of the body far from trunk (examples – fingers or ears), but they sometimes do occur on the trunk.
Can be red, red-brown, or skin-colored. A call to your doctor should be made if you get rashes like this.
Prescription drugs can help bring this under control.
8. Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum (NLD)
- NLD usually starts as a dull, red, raised area, and after a while looks like a shiny scar with a
purple border around it. The blood vessels under the skin usually become easier to see. Sometimes this
is itchy and painful, and sometimes the spots crack open. NLD is a rare condition, adult women are the
most likely to get it. As long as the sores don’t break open, you don’t need treatment. If they do, you
should talk to a doctor.
9. Diabetic Blisters (Bullosis Diabeticorum)
- People with diabetes rarely erupt in blisters. Diabetic blisters can occur on the backs of the
hands, fingers, toes, feet, and sometimes on legs or forearms. The sores look like burn blisters and often
occur in people who have diabetic neuropathy. They are sometimes large, but they are painless and
have no redness around them. They heal by themselves, usually within three weeks, with no scarring.
The only treatment is bringing blood sugar levels under control.
Allergic Reactions
- Allergic skin reactions can occur in response to medicine, such as insulin or pills. You should
look for rashes, depressions, or bumps at the sites where you inject insulin.
*Bacterial Infections*
* 2. Folliculitis
- Infections of the hair follicles
* 3. Carbuncles
- Deep infections of the skin and the tissues underneath
* Styes
-
Infections of the glands of the eyelids
* Boils
* Infections around the nails
* Inflamed tissues are usually hot, swollen, red, and painful. Several different organisms can cause
infections, the most common being Staphylococcus bacteria (called staph). Antibiotics and better ways
to control blood sugar levels help keep bacterial infections mild, or not severe enough for death. Even
today, people with diabetes have more issues with bacterial infections than non-diabetics, and doctors
believe that they can reduce their chances of these infections by practicing good skin care.
× Fungal Infections ×
× Jock itch
× Athlete’s foot
× Ringworm
× The culprit in most fungal infections of diabetics is known as Candida albicans, which is a yeast-like
fungus that can create itchy rashes of moist, red areas, surrounded by tiny blisters and scales. These
infections usually occur in warm, moist folds of the skin. Problem areas are under the breasts, around
the nails, between fingers and toes, in the corners of the mouth, and in the armpits and groin areas.
Itching
Itching caused by yeast infections, dry skin, or poor circulation is often found in diabetics. If the culprit is
poor circulation, the itchiest areas will probably be the lower legs.
Sometimes, itching is treatable by watching how often you bathe, particularly in low humidity. Mild soap
with moisturizers should be used, and skin cream should always be applied afterwards.