Diabetes-related skin problems
Diabetes-related skin problems are common because high blood sugar levels help bacteria and fungi to thrive. About 33% of diabetics suffer from one or another skin disorder at some point. If caught early, most can be treated fairly easily, but they can sometimes be difficult to diagnose and if one treatment doesn’t work, the diabetic must persevere until another does.
Dry skin is an indicator of high blood glucose and possible diabetic neuropathy. If the resulting itching causes you to scratch and break your skin, germs quickly take hold and thrive, making diabetics more prone to the same skin conditions as other people.
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation website provides a comprehensive overview of common skin conditions faced by diabetics and is worth perusing if you’re particularly frustrated.
Three of us who swim daily in the local public pool are diabetics and all three of us have had skin conditions that our different doctors diagnosed as psoriasis. However, none of them look the same. While I suspect all of our skins are reacting in some way to the chlorine in the pool, one man has forgone treatment, another has had several cyst-like lumps removed, and I am suffering, possibly misdiagnosed by about four GPs for as many years .
On three occasions when I was forced to go to the emergency room at my local hospital, strong antibiotics helped tremendously, although they did not kill what I now realize is possibly a bacterial infection.
My next step is to find another general practitioner; one that will hopefully take into account my recent medical history from those hospital visits.
However, medical professionals are becoming understandably wary of prescribing antibiotics on a whim.
Antibiotics are becoming less effective and superbugs are more common. This means they are easier to catch and antibiotic resistance is developing among the general population. As super drugs, antibiotics became the first line of defense against diseases that had often claimed lives before their discovery. They have promoted healing and helped doctors treat bacterial infections with great success.
No wonder the medical fraternity is getting nervous…
Of course, long-term control of blood sugar levels is essential. Using mild, antiseptic, fragrance-free soaps and lotions can help to significantly moisturize dry skin. All rashes and infections that do not go away or heal quickly should be taken to a healthcare professional without delay.
Remember that the same skin and tissue degeneration caused by diabetes can lead to related conditions such as diabetic neuropathy, atherosclerosis, and diabetic dermopathy. But aging also causes changes in the texture and “thickness” of the skin that we sometimes forget about.
Finding the cause and cure for diabetes-related skin problems can be a long and uncomfortable process. A minor skin ailment can have serious consequences if ignored, so sufferers should do their best to take care of their own skin.