Type 2 Diabetes: Skin Complications

Nerve and blood vessel damage and dehydration from chronic high blood glucose can cause dry skin problems in people with diabetes. Dry, cracked skin is a potential breeding ground for infection. Staying well-moisturized (both inside and out) and using mild soaps and other gentle skin care products is your best bet for healthy skin. One caveat to moisturizing: make sure that areas such as underarms, groin, and between the toes stay dry to prevent fungal infections.

Other skin conditions associated with diabetes include:

• Acanthosis nigricans (A-kan-THO-sis NIH-grih-kans)
• Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum (NEK-roh-by-OH-sis lih-POY-dik-ah DY-uh-bet-ih-KOR-um)
• Diabetic dermopathy
• Bullosis diabeticorum, or blisters (BULL-OH-sis DY-uh-bet-ih-KOR-um)
• Eruptive xanthomatosis or small yellow bumps ringed with red (EE-rup-tive zan-thO-mat-Osis)