Nail infections: A fungal infection in the toenails, such as onychomycosis, may cause your toenails to be discolored, thickened, or cracked. In rare cases, the skin over the knees, ankles, or elbows also thickens, making it difficult to straighten your leg, point your foot, or bend your arm. NLD occurs due to collagen degeneration and inflammation associated with the thickening of blood vessel walls and fat disposition. The outlook will depend on the skin condition. Your health care provider may choose to prescribe antibiotics, prescription antifungals, or other medication to treat your specific skin condition. Get immediate treatment for the infection. Diabetes-Related Skin Conditions | Baptist Health Shin spots have been linked to leg injuries, leaving some doctors to conclude that the lesions might be an exaggerated response to trauma in people who have diabetes thats not well-managed. Diabetes is a condition wherein blood sugar levels become too high. Even though diabetes-related dermatology may have an unpleasant appearance, the condition itself doesnt harm your health. These are usually the neck, armpits, groin and joints such as of the fingers and toes. If you notice any of the following warning signs on your skin, its time to talk with your doctor. The spots can itch and also produce an odor too. Diabetes happens when your body either doesnt respond effectively to insulin or doesnt produce enough insulin to manage your blood sugar levels. Compression therapy may help in some cases. Metformin, a widely used antidiabetic and antiobesity drug, exerts multiple effects on the skin, and could potentially induce a variety of dermatoses. Diabetic dermopathy is a common condition in people living with diabetes. A DDM solution. Lotion can help to keep your skin soft and moist, and prevent itching due to dry skin. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. When diabetes affects the skin, it's often a sign that your blood sugar (glucose) levels are too high. Proven in 7 studies. How Are Your Body Organs Affected by Diabetes? Bacterial infections: Staphylococcus skin infections are more common and more serious in people with poorly controlled diabetes. Also called shin spots, the lesions are not accompanied by other symptoms and do not cause pain. Theres no available research to confirm this information. This condition is fairly common and is basically a darkening of the skin at particular points on the body, where the skin folds. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You may have developed these if youve had uncontrolled (or poorly controlled) diabetes for a long time. It causes darkened and thickened skin, especially in skin folds. These dermatologists' tips tell you how to protect your skin. Lotions and moisturizers might help soften your skin. To make sure you are eating in a way that helps manage your diabetes, try meal planning and learning to read food labels. Diabetic dermopathy occurs in up to 55% of patients . Darkened skin on the affected area. In people with darker skin, the skin lesions of diabetic dermopathy can appear as very dark-colored, slightly elevated lesions, as displayed in this image. Diabetic dermopathy appears as pink to red or tan to dark brown patches, and it is most frequently found on the lower legs. Some skin conditions that diabetes can cause stem from bacterial or fungal infections. While there is no specific treatment for diabetic dermopathy, it is still important to remember that controlling your diabetes is important to prevent other complications of diabetes. 3 /15. Like DD, necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum (NLD) affects the skin on the legs. Browse 5,100+ diabetic skin stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. The type of skin condition you have will determine the treatment. If you have what feels like razor bumps or acne on the back of your neck or scalp, you may have acne keloidalis nuchae. Uncontrolled diabetes often leads to poor circulation, or inadequate blood flow, to different parts of the body. Cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus from A to Z. Focus session presented at: 74th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology; March 4-8, 2016; Washington D.C. Duff M, Demidova O, et al. Locations of diabetic dermopathy: Shins (the pretibial area) Thighs. They can look like scars and be indented. Learn how to prevent skin infections if you have diabetes. Diabetes can affect many parts of your body, including your skin. It's not contagious and usually not painful, but it can make you feel self-conscious. These include the folds of the skin around the neck, groin, and armpits. ", American Family Physician: "Onychomycosis: Current Trends in Diagnosis and Treatment.". Treatments may include: Over-the-counter treatments (OTC): There are multiple OTC options available to treat diabetic skin rashes. Long-standing patches may become faintly indented (atrophic). What could be a simple folliculitis inflammation of the skin could then turn into more of a bacterial abscess, or a swollen lump of pus, says Dr. Siegel. We know that most people who have granuloma annulare do not have diabetes. For NLD, a doctor may recommend light therapy, corticosteroids, or other drugs. The patches can be yellow, reddish, or brown. While there is no way to cure diabetic dermopathy, having good control over blood sugar levels can prevent the lesions of diabetic dermopathy from occurring and decrease the likelihood of other diabetes-related complications. The spots are often brown and cause no symptoms. For example, if you take your medication as prescribed, but your blood sugar remains high, talk to your doctor. Lowering stress can help improve your diabetes. Symptom checkers like Aysa can help narrow down possible skin conditions by analyzing a skin photo. The Hypo Program is the world's first and only structured education program. These spots may develop into open sores which can be slow to heal. 2012 Jan;57(1):20-5. doi:10.4103/0019-5154.92671. The affected areas of your skin may also. Also called shin spots, the lesions are not accompanied by other symptoms and do not cause pain. What to Know About the Dexcom Glucose Monitor from Nick Jonas Super Bowl Ad. Necrobiosis lipoidica: If youve had diabetes for a long time without good control of your blood sugar, you could develop this condition. Bullosis diabeticorum, or diabetic blisters, may make it look like youve been burned, but theyre typically painless. Here, find out what skin changes may occur, how to recognize them, and what to do if you. Moisturizing may also help improve the appearance of spots. Diabetes Brown Spots on Feet and Other Skin Conditions It may show up on the ears, hands, and torso. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. Though lesions primarily form on the shins, they can be found on other parts of the body, too. Dermatologists care for people of all ages. Long, rough toenails can irritate your skin. Surgical and laser therapy may be recommended if lesions reoccur alongside underlying vascular damage. In time, ulcers can form for example, if the skin breaks. With diabetes, wounds tend to heal more slowly and progress more quickly. They can be reddish or brownish in color and are usually round or oval in shape. Some symptoms of diabetes may cause discoloration or changes to the legs, such as: 10 Diabetic Skin Conditions And Their Symptom That You Need To Know Problem solving: Managing your diabetes may require adjustments to your treatment over time. Hot, swollen skin that is painful Is there a link, and what can you do to get rid of them? Infection with the bacteria Staphylococcus, commonly known as staph infection, causes styes, boils, folliculitis, and even deep infection (cellulitis), and this type of infection is even more serious in those with poor control of their diabetes (such as in . However, theres a theory about the underlying mechanism behind these spots. Kristen Gasnick, PT, DPT, is a medical writer and a physical therapist at Holy Name Medical Center in New Jersey. Diabetic dermopathy is often associated with nerve and blood vessel damage that can cause more serious problems, such as peripheral neuropathy, diabetic ketoacidosis, frequent infections, kidney disease, eye problems, and arthropathies (joint diseases). Treatment of NLD is challenging, as certain techniques can diminish the lesions, but they do not heal completely and have been known to spontaneously reoccur. This image displays areas of deep darkening of the skin, scars, and scaliness typical of diabetic dermopathy. Sometimes, the thickening skin spreads to the face, shoulders, and chest. In this article, we will discuss diabetes and skin conditions, including what you need to know about diabetes and red spots . However, if you have diabetes-related dermopathy, its important to continue to treat your diabetes and manage it well in order to stay healthy and prevent complications. Get tested for diabetes, if you have not been diagnosed. They're usually painless and they heal on their own. Image 1: Image Courtesy of Clark C. Otley, MD. A dermatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating the skin, hair, and nails. Fungal infections result from the growth and spread of fungus or yeast. Diabetes-related neuropathy (damage to your nerves). Small, raised bumps, on brown or Black skin. If necessary, a physician will likely stress the importance of controlling blood sugar and reiterate that appropriate diabetes management will help improve lesions as quickly as possible. Most lesions are found on the lower parts of the legs and can turn into an ulcer if theres trauma. These rashes most often happen on the fingers and ears, but they can appear on the chest and abdomen, too. Yellow, reddish, or brown patches on your skin. Together, microvascular and macrovascular changes may be linked to nerve tissue damage because they can stiffen and narrow the arteries. The medical name is diabetic dermopathy. Causes of skin itching with diabetes include infections, dry skin, and reduced circulation. Want another reason to get your blood sugar levels under control and keep them that way? What Are the Symptoms of Uncontrolled Diabetes? A dark patch (or band) of velvety skin on the back of your neck, armpit, groin, or elsewhere could mean that you have too much insulin in your blood. Diabetes: 12 warning signs that appear on your skin You can search by location, condition, and procedure to find the dermatologist thats right for you. It can also be a sign that your diabetes is poorly controlled. Those with diabetes are at an increased risk for bacterial or fungal skin infection. It happens as a result of damage to the small blood vessels that supply nutrition and oxygen to the tissues. If you have a minor wound, treat it. As the largest organ in the body, your skin has many functions, like protecting you from infection, UV rays, and injury. If your diabetic dermopathy produces dry, scaly patches, applying moisturizer may help. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Some skin conditions require medical attention for example, infections and ulcers require treatment to prevent them from becoming worse. Over time, high blood sugar can cause damage throughout your body. The . Diabetic Skin Conditions - Forefront Dermatology See additional information. Last medically reviewed on September 27, 2022. . 2022 Jan 1;45(Suppl 1):S97-S112. The exact cause of diabetic dermopathy is unknown. The changes in the blood vessels cause brown scaly patches to appear on the shins, or front part of the legs. It causes discoloration, thickening, and separation from the nail bed. Diabetes-Related dermopathy is a skin condition that affects the small blood vessels in the legs. However, as lesions clear up, new ones may form. Be mindful that diabetes management doesnt only involve maintaining a healthy blood sugar. People who have diabetes tend to get skin infections. Get immediate medical care for an open sore or wound. A skin biopsy is used to diagnose NLD, which can also be the first sign of diabetes in some patients. They are most common in people older than 50 with a long history of diabetes. 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