According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), skin problems can be one of the first signs of diabetes. Add that to the fact that up to one-third of diabetics will have a skin disorder related to the disease at some point during their lifetime.
That said, most of these conditions are preventable and treatable if diagnosed promptly. Knowing the risks and how to take the best care of skin will provide the best care for skin.
So why does skin change with diabetes?
“When you have excess sugar in the blood, it causes glycation. Everything becomes ‘sugarified,’” says Kristin Lund, a certified health coach specializing in diabetic nutrition. “So imagine rock candy. If you dipped an orange in sugar water, you’d get a ‘sugarified’ orange that’s hard and crunchy.”
This changes the arteries. As a result, they harden.
“They’re no longer live and supple. They’re sticky and hard. So the blood doesn’t go through as easily,” says Lund. “The blood itself is also sticky. This is why diabetics get high blood pressure.”
One of the greatest areas affected are the feet. Though it can be uncomfortable to talk about those southern digits, understanding common diabetic skin conditions associated with the feet is essential to health.