#13 10 Must Know Skin Diseases In A Diabetic person! | Dr. Shabari Arumugam
Do you have any Diabetic patient in your family?
Do you know that some skin conditions predict your future Diabetic Status?
Do you know the skin diseases that are common in diabetic patients?
Do you know that some skin conditions predict your future Diabetic Status?
Do you know the skin diseases that are common in diabetic patients?
Hey! Welcome back! Here is a brand new topic “10 MUST KNOW SKIN DISEASES IN A DIABETIC PERSON!”
Note: To Read, Manually Translated Complete TAMIL VERSION of this post, CLICK HERE
DIABETES, a fancy disease, sometimes being Diabetic has become a state of proud nowadays. It’s hard to find people without Diabetes in the neighbourhood. Diabetes affects almost every organ in the body- eyes, kidney, nerves, heart, brain, blood vessels, etc.
Does Diabetes Affect The Skin?YES!
Then, how is the Skin related to Diabetes?
- If you are an UNDIAGNOSED DIABETIC patient, then a SKIN DISEASE will be the FIRST INDICATOR in most of the cases pointing out that you are Diabetic. However, Most won’t seek a Dermatologist’s advice since these skin diseases are asymptomatic!
- If you are a DIABETIC patient, then SKIN DISEASES indicate that your Blood sugar level is ABNORMAL, requiring adequate sugar control
Read further to know HOW SKIN PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN DIABETIC PATIENTS!
There are more than 30 Skin Diseases which can occur more common / exclusively in Diabetic patients (The words within the image below are all skin diseases in diabetic patient except for my Name🤣)
These Skin Diseases may be broadly classified as:- Infections
- Vascular damage related
- Neurological damage related
- Obesity and Hyperlipidaemia related Skin Disease
- Treatment-related Skin Manifestation
- Disease Association
- Miscellaneous
- As a Diabetic patient, what are the important skin diseases which you must know so as to prevent Diabetic complications?
- Diabetic Ulcer
- Acanthosis Nigricans
- Skin Tag (Acrochordon)
- Candidal Balanoposthitis
- Insulin Lipohypertrophy
- Diabetic Dermopathy
- Eruption Xanthoma
- Stiff skin and joints
- Pruritus
- Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum
NOTE: Each Disease deserves a separate post on its own. In order to keep it simple, THE COMMON DOUBTS about these Skin Disease will be covered in this post.
Let’s BEGIN!
1. DIABETIC ULCER:
Q: How does the Diabetic ulcer present?
A: A Painless ulcer and increasing in size
A: A Painless ulcer and increasing in size
Q: Where does the ulcer occur?
A: Sole (mostly near the great toe) & other pressure areas
Q: What does it indicate?
A: Diabetic neuropathy - Nerves have been damaged due to diabetes
A: Diabetic neuropathy - Nerves have been damaged due to diabetes
Q: What are the reasons for diabetic ulcer?
A: Long duration of diabetes, poor diabetic control, peripheral neuropathy(nerve damage)
Q: How to prevent Diabetic Ulcer?
A: Appropriate Footwear, Regular foot examination for ulcers, Early treatment, Strict Diabetic Control
A: Appropriate Footwear, Regular foot examination for ulcers, Early treatment, Strict Diabetic Control
2. ACANTHOSIS NIGRICANS:
Q: What is this and how does it look like?
A: It is soft. Feels like velvet on touch. It looks darker when compared with nearby skin
Q: If I have this (Acanthosis Nigricans) what does it mean?
A: This (Acanthosis Nigricans) by itself is just a Cosmetic problem and has no effect on health. However, it is a RED SIGNAL that you might be suffering one of many dangerous diseases. These diseases range from Diabetes to Gastric carcinoma (Cancer)
Q: Who gets this?
A: Obese Diabetic patients
Q: Where should I look for this skin lesion?
A: Back of your neck, Armpit, Groin
Q: What to do if I have this?
A: Check your Blood sugar and lipid profile (cholesterol level). If Abnormal consult your Physician. If you are cosmetically concerned, seek Dermatologist’s advice.
Q: Do I need to worry if I have this?
A: Yes. Until all the diseases associated with it are ruled out.
3. SKIN TAG (ACROCHORDON)
Q: What is this?
A: These are skin growths with stalk. There won’t be any symptoms like pain. Sometimes it occurs over Acanthosis Nigricans (previous condition).
Q: Where does it occur?
A: Neck, eyelids, armpit, groin
Q: Will I get Diabetes if I have Skin Tag?
A: 1 in 4 patients with Skin Tag will be Diabetic. Having more skin tags favours Diabetes.
Q: Doc I checked my sugar levels. It’s normal. What to do?
A: Skin tags, by itself, is just a COSMETIC problem. If you are concerned, consult a Dermatologist. It will be removed in one or two sittings by RADIOFREQUENCY depending on the number of skin tags.
Chill. It’s just an office procedure. Hardly the procedure lasts more than 10 mins!
4.CANDIDAL BALANOPOSTHITIS:
Q: What is this?
A: This is a fungal infection of the glans and prepuce(FORESKIN) of the penis (PARTS OF MALE GENITAL ORGAN)
Q: How does it look like?
A: White thread/curd-like structures over the foreskin of penis along with FISSURES over the foreskin
Q: If I get this what does it indicate?
A: Your blood sugar level is too high and blood sugar monitoring is required ASAP.
Q: Whom should I consult?
A: Venereologist (MD Venereology / DV Dip in Venereology) Dermatologist (MD DVL / DDVL) for controlling the fungal infection and a Physician (MD General Medicine / Dip in Diabetology ) for controlling the blood sugar level.
Q: Will it come again?
A: Definitely, if your sugar levels are NOT within the limits
5: INSULIN LIPOHYPERTROPHY:
Q: What is this?
A: This occurs in Diabetic patients on Insulin injection for a long duration when THEY DON’T ROTATE THE INJECTION SITE
Q: How it feels like? Will there be any symptoms?
A: Lipohypertrophy is a LUMP under the skin caused by the accumulation of extra fat at the site of insulin injection. It may be painful and cosmetically looks bad.
Q: How to AVOID this?
A: Simple! Keep changing the sites of insulin injection.
Q: What will happen if I don’t change/rotate the injection site?
A: Insulin Lipohypertrophy occurs at that site. As a result, there will be poor absorption of insulin from that site. So your blood sugar levels will always be HIGH!
6. DIABETIC DERMOPATHY:
Q: What is this?
A: This is a skin condition which occurs exclusively in diabetic patients. ONE in EIGHT DIABETIC patients will develop this.
Q: How does it look like?
A: Initially, a small (less than 1 cm) red coloured pimple like lesion occurs over shin (leg). There won’t be any pain (i.e, asymptomatic)
Later, it becomes brown depressed area.
Q: Where does it occur?
A: Mostly over shin, forearm thighs and over a bony prominence
Q: What does it indicate?
A: Diabetes has started to damage your eyes/ kidney/nerves.
Q: What to do if I get this?
A: Consult your Diabetologist and monitor your sugar levels.
Kindly have your eyes/kidney/nerves checked at respective Specialists.
7. ERUPTIVE XANTHOMAS:
Q: How does it look like?
A: The sudden eruption on the skin of crops of pink papules (firm pea-sized bumps) with a creamy centre. They may appear on the hands, feet, arms, legs and buttocks.
Q: What does it indicate?
A: Your blood cholesterol/lipid levels are HIGH
Q: What to do if I have this?
A: Check your Blood Sugar level and Cholesterol/ Lipid level. If they are raised then consult your Physician.
Q: Should I get this skin lesion treated?
A: Usually NO! Since it will resolve on its own when the blood sugar and cholesterol/lipid levels are controlled
8: STIFF SKIN AND JOINTS: (Cheiroarthropathy)
Q: What is this?
A: Presence of tight skin on the back of hands and limited joint mobility.
Q: What does it indicate?
A: It indicates that diabetes might have affected eyes and nerves also. Monitor your sugar /HbA1c levels and consult respective specialists.
Q: How to self check?
A: Place your hands apposed like PRAYING to GOD. If the fingers don't touch completely, then you might be having stiff skin.
Q: Is there any treatment for this?
A: No
9. PRURITUS / ITCHING:
Q: What is the site of itching?
A: Usually Trunk.
Q: What does it indicate?
A: Your NERVES are being damaged by diabetes
Q: Doctor, I’m a Diabetic patient. I have Itching and under regular diabetic check up. Should I Consult a Dermatologist?
A: If the Itching affects your day-to-day activities, then you SHOULD definitiely consult a Dermatologist. Since itching may be due to other skin diseases also which has to be ruled out before concluding that itching is due to diabetes.
10. NECROBIOSIS LIPOIDICA DIABETICORUM (NLD):
Q: What is this?
A: This is a brown to orange large patch like skin lesion usually over the leg.
Q: What does it indicate?
A: Either you are suffering from Diabetes OR you may get Diabetes in the FUTURE (even after 15 years). NLD is a DIABETES PREDICTOR.
Q: I'm a Diabetic patient. Will I get this?
A: Don't worry. It's very rare among diabetic patients.
That's the end of the MUST KNOW 10 SKIN DISEASES IN DIABETIC PATIENTS!
SOURCES:
Standard Dermatology Book (Rook’s)
American Diabetology Association
American Academy of Dermatology.
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