Diabetes and Skin Rashes: Causes and Treatment

Skin infection and dryness of the skin are more common in diabetes. Yes, you read it right diabetes can impact any part of your body including skin. but if you have skin problems then it does not mean that you have diabetes, there could be many reasons for skin diseases. Let's learn what can happen to the skin if blood sugar is high. 

Causes of Skin Problems in diabetes:

Why do diabetics get skin rashes? What is the main cause of getting skin rashes in diabetes? The answer to this question is simple. The causes of diabetic skin rashes are unmanaged blood sugar levels, Hormonal imbalance, Poor blood circulation in the skin, and changes in blood vessels. You can't treat skin problems until you manage your blood sugar level.

Uncommon Diabetes Skin Problems:

Some of the uncommon skin problems that only affect Diabetic patients are Blisters (Bullosis Diabeticorum), Diabetic dermopathy, Digital sclerosis, and Necrobiosis lipoidica Diabeticorum (NLD).

• Blisters (Bullosis Diabeticorum): Blisters look like Burned skin in appearance, brownish and yellowish. The main cause of Blister is still unknown but usually, it is seen among Diabetic neuropathy patients. Blisters are painless, they most often occur on hands, feet, toes, and sometimes on forearms. 
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• Shin Spots: Shin-spots are also known as Diabetic dermopathy. It looks like small, round pink, reddish, or brown patches on your skin. Persistent high blood sugar in diabetes may choke tiny blood vessels, which might lead to diabetic dermopathy. These patches are painless that’s why people mistake them for age spots, and these often occur at the front of the legs.
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• Diabetic Stiff Hand Syndrome: The medical name for this syndrome is Digital sclerosis, Digits means fingers and sclerosis means stiffness hence Digital sclerosis means stiffness of fingers caused by diabetes. Fingers become tight, thick, and swollen. It can appear on both hands and legs but usually it appears on hands. 
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• Shin Rash: In medical terms, we give its name Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum (NLD). NLD is like reddish brown spots on the skin, commonly seen on the lower legs that’s why we call it skin rashes. The spots start as firm, smooth, red bumps on the shins. They are painless in the early stages but become painful later on. This type of rash is commonly seen among women.
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These are the most uncommon skin problems among diabetic patients. However, there are also skin problems that can be seen among diabetic patients and non-diabetic patients. But these might be an indicator of having diabetes in the future. 

Skin problems in Non-Diabetic and Diabetic Persons

Some of the skin problems that can be seen among non-diabetic and diabetic people are as follows:

• Skin Tags: These are small brownish bumps on your skin. Usually, it appears on the neck but can appear on other parts of the body like hands, legs, and eyes. The main cause of skin tag is the Imbalance of Insulin hormones. To treat skin tags, first, we need to reduce insulin resistance. After managing your insulin, you can use any skin cream or consult a doctor to remove it from the body. But your 1st priority should be managing your blood sugar level.
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• Dark Velvet Skin: In Scientific terms, it is known as Acanthosis nigricans. These are very common among diabetes patients. More than one crore Acanthosis nigricans cases occur per year in India. This disease is dark, velvety, and thick in appearance and appears on skin folds and creases. AN is more common in females than males.
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• Cluster of Small Bumps or a Raised Patch: The scientific name of this patch is Granuloma annulare. It mainly affects young adults. It appears like ring guard reddish bumps on the skin. Usually, it appears on the hands and fingers. It is painless but might itch.
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• Outbreak of Small Bumps: Generally, it is known as Eruptive xanthomatosis. It is a painless rash developed when your cholesterol level in the blood increases. It looks like pimple-type bumps. These are reddish and often appear on the neck, fingers, arms, and feet.
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• Vitiligo: You all may have seen this type of skin rashes; Vitiligo makes the skin lose its pigment and change the skin color to a white or light pink area on your body. It rarely itches or creates pain in that area of the skin.
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These are some of the skin problems that can appear to non-diabetic and diabetic people if they do not manage their blood sugar levels.

Diabetic Rash Treatment

Now we all know about Skin problems associated with diabetes mellitus, but the question arises How do you treat diabetic skin rash? What is the treatment for skin problems in diabetes? To treat diabetic skin rashes, you must manage your blood sugar level, reduce your insulin resistance, and properly care for your skin. You can follow these guidelines to care for diabetic skin problems:

• Follow a low glycemic load diet, if you are a non-diabetic person and have skin rashes then replace your regular atta with Nutroactive Brown X atta because skin rashes in a non-diabetic person are a sign that they might have diabetes in the future, and if you are a diabetic person, you can replace your atta with Diabexy sugar control atta. As it has low glycemic value and is rich in protein, fat, and other micronutrients.
• Wash the rash area with warm water and moisturized soap then clean it with a neat cotton cloth. Don’t rub the towel on the rash, clean it very sensitively and softly.
• You can use CeraVe Diabetics' Skin Relief Moisturizing Cream for diabetic skin rash. It contains all the ingredients to make skin soft and smooth, but always consult your doctor before using any cream.
• You can also do exercise; it increases cell sensitivity and helps to reduce insulin resistance.

Conclusion:

Always keep in mind before following any guidance, always consult your doctor first. These simple tips may not only help you in treating your skin problems but can also control your sugar level easily. To know more about diabetes and its solution you can checkout our youtube channel by name Diabexy.