In honor of National Diabetes Awareness month, it is well worth your time to understand how diabetes can affect your skin. Although diabetes is a disease that involves the level of glucose in your blood, it can also cause problems for the skin. Your skin’s health depends on proper blood sugar levels. If you have too much glucose in your blood, or high blood sugar, your body will try to remove the excess by excreting it in your urine. Since it takes water to make urine, your body suffers a moisture loss. Therefore, one of the primary skin problems that diabetics face is dry skin. It is essential that you properly moisturize from head to toe every day as you work to maintain your blood glucose levels.
Dry skin, unfortunately, is easily prone to cracking. Cracks in your skin invite infection because they make it easier for germs to get in. A diabetic’s skin can produce an environment for bacteria to multiply and cause infections. This is especially true for areas of your skin not exposed to dry air. Your dermatologist can treat fungal or bacteria infections caused by diabetes by prescribing topical cream.
A diabetic with high blood sugar may also have a reduced blood supply to the skin, which can result in a number of different disorders. Nerve damage is common for diabetics and it contributes to skin problems because it makes it difficult for patients to feel the painful sores or blisters from infections, especially on the feet.
Whether you suffer from dry skin, fungal infections or nerve damage, the best remedy for controlling your skin complications is to keep your blood sugar levels under control. However, you do not have to tackle your skin care regime alone. A board certified dermatologist can help you treat your skin problems caused by diabetes as well as offer successful ways to prevent unpleasant skin disorders.
