First Visible Warning Signs of Diabetes? Skin Issues

Diabetes is one of the most common noncommunicable diseases in the world and also one of the most prevalent causes of disabilities across the globe. The number of diabetic patients keeps rising yearly, with India counting over 77 million diabetic patients alone. It is estimated that the number of diabetic individuals will increase to 134 million by 2045.

With people of any age at risk of contracting Type 2 diabetes, it’s advised to be extra careful. Early prevention can be the difference between more chronic issues and a small period of suffering from the disease. With numerous symptoms, it can be hard to catch diabetes, especially if you don’t know what to look for. The first visible signs of diabetes are skin problems, according to the American Diabetes Association.

When your body either doesn’t respond to insulin or doesn’t produce enough, it can’t manage blood sugar levels. As a result, glucose level in the blood becomes persistently high, which is called hyperglycemia. Being hyperglycemic can gradually damage your body. These factors lead to various skin conditions, which are also warning signs of diabetes. If you have any, you must visit a doctor or dermatologist for an immediate checkup.

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Yellow, reddish or brown patches on the skin

This skin condition is known as Necrobiosis Lipoidica, which causes solid bumps similar to pimples on your skin. As it progresses, it turns into patches of swollen and hard skin. These patches turn yellow, reddish and brown. The patches are itchy and painful. You can see your blood vessels through them as well.

Darker skin areas that feel like velvet

Also known as Acanthosis Nigricans, this skin condition creates dark patches of velvety skin on your neck, back, armpit, groin, or any other place where there is too much insulin in your blood. It’s a common sign of pre-diabetes.

Hard and thickening skin

Also known as digital sclerosis, it creates thick and hard skin on your fingers, toes or both. They first appear on the back of your hand and gradually spread to the forearms and upper arms, when diabetes is not controlled.

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Skin tags

People with high levels of blood sugar tend to have skin tags. It is a cluster of small skin tissue hanging from a stalk. They are non-cancerous and medically called acrochordons.

Dull and red raised area

Medically known as Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum. It creates dull and red raised areas similar to dermopathy but in more extensive and deeper spaces. The areas are super itchy and painful. With time, they start looking like a shiny scar with visible blood vessels.

Psoriasis

This skin condition is quite common, but people with type 2 diabetes are at high risk of having this skin condition. They appear as discoloured patches on the skin which are scaly and itchy.

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