One of the biggest issues for many diabetics is maintaining healthy skin due to the amount of glucose in their blood. Like any chronic disease, if you take your medicine, keep your blood sugar down, eat well, and exercise, you can live a normal life just like anyone else. It’s when you forget about these things, that you begin having complications.
Diabetic Neuropathy
One of the things your doctor will ask during your routine visits is to see your feet. He will ask if you feel pain, tingling, or numbness. When you have diabetes, especially those that have had it for over 20 years, it’s common to develop diabetic neuropathy. This is why your doctor checks your feet for cuts or sores in the areas that you have trouble feeling. The best way to avoid this from happening is to maintain good glucose control.
There are several skin complications that you can develop from diabetes, such as:
- Scleroderma diabeticorum: This causes the skin on the back of your neck and upper back to thicken and look rough.
- Digital sclerosis: The skin on your toes, fingers, and hands become thick and tight.
- Diabetic blisters: These blisters develop when people have diabetic neuropathy and self-heal when your glucose is regulated.
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Most of these conditions develop when people do not control their blood glucose level. There are several things you could do to prevent these and other complications from occurring, such as inspecting your feet daily, keeping your feet clean, and refrain from picking at calluses or anything else. Inform your doctor ASAP if you notice anything odd and take foot injuries seriously. Something small can develop into a more serious condition if you don’t seek medical attention fast.
Eliminate Dry Skin By Moisturizing
Moisturizing the skin with lotion helps soften the skin and is often recommended that you keep your skin well hydrated and moisturized to minimize the effects of these conditions. There are many lotions and moisturizers specifically created for people with diabetes.
It’s important to incorporate a daily skincare regimen, especially if you have diabetes. If you feel that your skin is hard or chapped, moisturize immediately. Letting your skin dry out leaves you at a higher risk to develop more serious conditions. There are many companies like Eucerin that have developed diabetic dry skin relief foot creams and moisturizers that help keep your skin looking healthy and well hydrated.