The link between diabetes and skin disease

Diabetic skin disease is a fairly common skin problem for people with diabetes. This condition does not occur in all people with diabetes. However, it is estimated that up to 50% of people living with diabetes will develop some form of dermatological disease.

Diabetes mellitus or diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by a relative or complete deficiency of insulin. In type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin dependent diabetes, insulin depletion occurs in the gradual destruction of islet beta cells by immune mediated autoantibodies. Type 2 diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes, is a chronic metabolic condition that affects the way your body uses glucose (sugar). This occurs when the body does not respond normally to insulin or does not produce enough insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Type 1 diabetes is common in children, while type 2 diabetes is most common in older adults, however some children and adolescents can develop type 2 diabetes.
Factors Risk factors for this condition include being overweight, having a family history of diabetes, having a history of gestational diabetes, and being inactive. In both types of diabetes, insulin abnormalities and elevated blood glucose levels lead to metabolic, vascular, neurological, and immune disorders, and damage to organs such as the heart and kidneys. , eyes, skin.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), skin problems are often the first sign of diabetes. Diabetes can make existing skin problems worse, and also cause new ones.

Although diabetic skin disease is quite common when you live with diabetes, the exact cause of the condition is unknown. However, there are several explanations for this condition:
Uncontrolled diabetes often leads to poor blood circulation, or insufficient blood flow to different parts of the body. Over time, poor circulation can impair the body's ability to heal wounds. Reduced blood flow to the area around the wound prevents the wound from healing properly, leading to the development of bruise-like lesions or spots. Nerve and blood vessel damage that can be caused by diabetes can also predispose you to diabetic skin diseases. This condition is associated with diabetic retinopathy (eye damage), diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage), and diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage). It also seems to be more common in men, older adults, and people who have been living with diabetes for a longer time. The ability of white blood cells to fight infection is also reduced in the face of high blood sugar

According to a recent study, between 51.1% and 97% of people with diabetes will experience a related skin condition. Therefore, people with diabetes should watch out for these conditions:
Changes in their skin Damage or irritation to the skin around insulin injection sites Cuts or wounds to the skin that heal slowly, because the wound is slow healing is often the “entryway” to secondary infection Infected cuts or wounds Common diabetes-related skin conditions include:
3.1 Infections, fungal infections Skin conditions caused by diabetes Usually associated with a bacterial or fungal infection.
Bacterial infections are common in everyone. However, these types of infections are especially problematic for people with type 2 diabetes. These skin conditions often include: pain and warmth to the touch, swelling, and redness. They can increase in size, number, and frequency if your blood glucose levels are elevated. The most common bacteria that cause skin infections are Staphylococcus, or staph, and Streptococcus.
Fungal infections, caused by the spread of fungus or yeast, are also common in people with diabetes, especially in patients with poorly controlled blood sugar. Red, itchy, swollen skin with a yeast infection is surrounded by blistered or dry scabs. The scales are also sometimes covered with a cheese-like white coating. Yeast thrives in these areas: in the folds of the skin, under the breasts, groin, armpits, in the corners of the mouth, under the foreskin of the penis. Other fungal infections of the skin of diabetes include: interstitial fungus, erysipelas, cellulitis, and more seriously, fungal sepsis. Diabetic patients with ketoacidosis are very susceptible to infection with the fungus Phycomycetes (mucormycosis) causing central vascular necrotic lesions, especially in the oropharynx, which can cause encephalitis, and most patients die. death.
3.2 Acanthosis nigricans This is a common skin condition in type 2 diabetics. It is manifested by darkening of the skin and thickening of the skin, especially in the folds (neck, armpits, groin, navel, etc.) , areola, under the breast, elbow), look like small rice grains.
The skin is brown or tan. Occasionally visible as velvet fabric. This condition usually affects people who are obese and is a sign of insulin resistance. It sometimes goes away as the patient loses weight.

3.3 Diabetic dermopathy Also known as tibial spotting, a prominent feature of diabetic dermatopathy is the scar-like, pale brown, scaly patches of skin, often appear on the tibia. These spots can be oval or round in shape.
They are created by damage to the small blood vessels that supply nutrients and oxygen to tissues. This skin problem is harmless and does not require treatment. This damage usually does not go away completely even when blood sugar is controlled. The incidence is higher in people with retinopathy, neurological disease, or kidney disease.
3.4 Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum Light brown, oval, and circular patches are also a characteristic sign of diabetic fat necrosis. This condition is rarer than diabetic dermis. However, in the case of fat necrosis, the skin lesions are usually larger in size and less numerous.
Over time, fatty necrotic patches may appear shiny with a red or purple border, often itchy and painful. This condition affects adult women more often than men and also tends to occur on the legs.
3.5 Scleroderma-like syndrome Scleroderma-like skin changes are thickened and hard skin on the dorsal surfaces of the fingers and the proximal or intervertebral joints. Symptoms may radiate to the forearm, arm, and back, are bilaterally symmetrical, and are painless. The skin is waxy, with changes similar to scleroderma but without pain, without skin atrophy, vasodilation, swelling, or Raynaud's phenomenon.
3.6 Jaundice Rash Insulin resistance makes it impossible for the body to remove fat from the blood. When blood fat is very high, this skin disease can appear. Firm yellow nodules surrounded by red and itchy halos. They usually appear on the eyes, elbows, face, buttocks, and on the backs of the arms and legs. Treatment requires good control of blood lipids and these spots usually disappear after a few weeks.
3.7 Diabetic blisters Although rare, people with type 2 diabetes and nerve damage can also experience blisters that look like they've been burned. This lesion usually heals within a few weeks and is painless. This type of blister usually occurs only when blood sugar is not controlled.

There is currently no specific treatment for diabetic skin disease. Some lesions may go away after several months, while others may take more than a year. There are other cases where the damage can be permanent. You cannot control the rate at which your skin fades, but there are steps you can take to manage it:
If your diabetic skin disease produces dry, scaly patches, apply a moisturizer that can be effective. Moisturizing can also help improve the appearance of diabetic skin disease If your diabetic skin disease is the result of an injury, you can take preventive steps like wearing protective clothing and equipment. in physical activities. You need to take care to protect your shins and legs because diabetic dermatosis tends to mainly affect those areas. Although there is no specific treatment for diabetic dermatosis, good blood sugar control is still important to prevent diabetes complications. You should see your doctor regularly to discuss your diabetes treatment plan and make any necessary adjustments to maintain good blood sugar management. For example, if you take prescription medication, but your blood sugar remains high, talk to your doctor about adjusting your current therapy.
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Articles refer to the source: healthline.com

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