CORPUS CHRISTI — There are several skin problems diabetics may suffer from that are not found in non-diabetics. Many of the skin problems in diabetics relate to damage inside small blood vessels and how that process affects the skin supplied by those vessels. Diabetic dermopathy is a result of this process. In this condition, the skin typically has round or oval, light brown, scaly patches found most often on the front of the legs. These may be mislabeled as age spots. These patches don't hurt, erupt or even itch. Diabetic dermopathy is harmless and requires no treatment. Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum also is similar to diabetic dermopathy. There are fewer spots, but they appear larger and deeper. At first, the skin will have a dull raised appearance. Later on, it will look like a scar with a purplish border. It may be itchy, painful and the spots may crack. The underlying blood vessels may be easier to see through the thin skin. Fortunately, it is rare. Adult women are more prone, but I've seen it in teenagers. As long as the skin doesn't open up, there is no need for treatment. But an open sore requires a prompt visit to the doctor for an evaluation.
Many people with long-standing diabetes also have thickening of the arteries, better known as atherosclerosis, which causes gradual changes in the overlying skin. Typical signs and symptoms include skin that is lacking in hair, thin, cool to touch and shiny. The nails may appear thickened and discolored and the toes get cold because of the lack of good blood flow. Even a short walk may cause leg pain. Poor circulation means slower healing and even minor breaks in the skin can become life threatening infections if not treated early. Diabetic blisters, also known as bullosis diabeticorum, look a lot like burn blisters. They often are large, painless and show no signs of inflammation. They typically occur on the backs of the fingers, hands, toes and feet. Occasionally they occur on the forearm or legs. They usually heal without scarring in about three weeks. Those with diabetic neuropathy are more likely to get this problem.
If you have yellowish, firm and pea-sized bumps in the skin, you might have eruptive xanthomatosis. These bumps may have a red halo and cause minor itching. They usually occur on the back of the hands, feet arms, legs and hips. Younger men with Type 1 diabetes get this most often. A blood test for fat and cholesterol often shows high levels because of poor diabetes control. If control is improved, these bumps go away.
If you've shaken hands with a Type 1 diabetic and noticed a difference in their hand texture, you've come into direct contact with digital sclerosis. This condition happens to about one in three with Type 1 diabetes. The skins feels thick and tight. The back of the hands gets waxy and the skin of the toes and forehead may thicken. The fingers get stiff and lose some of their mobility. In rare cases, the ankles, knees and elbows also can stiffen up. Maintaining the best blood sugar control possible is the best preventive strategy for skin problems. It also the best treatment strategy...read more
Saturday, 25 July 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment