Hi! Did you know that a pre-diabetic or diabetic person may be more likely to have some skin lesions than the rest of the population? Well, diabetes, most of the time, is a silent disease.
A lot of people don't know they are diabetic. To give you an idea of the problem, in Brazil 4 out of 10 of Brazilians with diabetes are unaware that they have the disease. Imagine the pre-diabetics, which Today, there are more than 40 million in the country, and if they don't take care, they can become diabetics.
And skin problems are sometimes the first sign that a person has diabetes. In this video I will talk about the 10 most common skin problems in diabetics and pre-diabetics. And, if you see them in someone, you can alert them.
So stay until the end, because the last sign is the most frequent, and you won't miss it, right? But first, enjoy the video, subscribe to the channel so you don't miss out on our health tips - today we are the fastest growing health channel on YouTube. So turn on the bell so you don't miss notifications.
And spread this video in your WhatsApp groups, to your friends and family. Because this information about diabetes is important for people to take better care of their health, and it helps a lot, so please share. And tell me: do you have diabetes or pre-diabetes?
Do you have any skin injuries? What part of Brazil or the world are you from? Write down there.
Come on? What are the 10 most common skin problems in diabetics? Do you have any of them?
Remember the last 3 are the most frequent, so stick around. 1st sign- xanthelasma Have you ever looked into someone's eyes, and a yellow patch caught your eye on their eyelid? It usually happens more in the inner corner of the upper eyelid and can be bilateral.
So this is called xanthelasma. It doesn't hurt, it grows slowly, and it doesn't come off, even if you apply creams or rub. The problem is usually aesthetic.
And is it linked to diabetes? Yea! Because xanthelasma is a yellowish fatty plaque, which has to do with high triglycerides (and sometimes high cholesterol too).
And if the diabetic is decompensated he will have high triglycerides. So watch out for those yellowish eye patches… I just did a video about high triglycerides, and when I was editing, I saw that I forgot to talk about xanthelasmas. At least I'm redeeming myself here.
2nd sign- necrobiosis lipoidica What a weird name. What is necrobiosis lipoidica? It is nothing more than a few yellow, reddish or brown spots on the skin that normally appear on the leg, in the shin region.
It starts as small bumps that look like pimples, but over time they turn into hard, swollen patches over months to years. The spots are initially reddish-brown and progress to yellow, depressed, atrophic plaques. The skin around it has a shiny porcelain appearance and you can see blood vessels.
The person may not feel anything, but in some cases they may complain of itching and pain. And the main complication of the disease is the ulcer, usually due to trauma or itching. 3rd sign- Skin Blisters Are you having more skin blisters than usual?
People with diabetes can have blisters that appear suddenly on the skin and that usually look like those blisters on a person who gets burned, but when you ask them they say they didn't get burned. You may have a large blister, or a few small blisters, especially on your hands, feet, legs, or arms. Unlike blisters after a burn, these blisters are not painful.
But, I have to warn you, don't puncture the bubble. The skin protects against infection, and diabetics are more at risk of infection because they have a weaker immunity. 4th sign- as I just talked about weaker immunity Skin infections Both bacterial and fungal infections are more frequent in diabetics What are they Sty- infections of the eyelid glands) Boils Folliculitis Infections around the nails, paraonychial In this case the tissues inflamed are usually hot, red, swollen and painful.
But it could also be a fungal infection. Usually candidiasis. If you've had recurrent vaginal thrush, you may have diabetes.
Candida can create itchy, red rashes that are surrounded by small blisters and scales. In diabetics, they can occur in warm, moist skin folds, under the breasts, in the groin, in the armpit. And men can get this penis infection, balanitis.
And this infection is bothersome, the foreskin and glans are swollen, red and painful. 5th sign Eruptive xanthomas These are small yellowish or orange and sometimes reddish papules with a halo around them. And they appear quickly, mainly on the knees, elbows, buttocks and sometimes on the chest and abdomen.
Outbreak of small reddish-yellow bumps They look like pimples and can itch. And they happen especially in men with type 1 diabetes who have high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in their blood. And if you put your cholesterol, triglycerides, and diabetes in the normal range, those xanthomas can go away.
6th sign Diabetic dermopathy These are those dark spots on the shin and sometimes lines, which create an almost imperceptible depression in the skin. Very frequent. Research published in the British Journal of Diabetes and Vascular Disease found that nearly 55% of people with diabetes have these spots on their shin.
The spots are usually brown, on both shins, and do not cause symptoms. That's why many people think they are age spots. But, unlike age spots, they can disappear after a few months or years of correct treatment (of course, there are cases where diabetic dermopathy can remain on the skin for the rest of your life).
7th sign- Diabetic sclerodactyly: Sometimes, people with diabetes can develop hardened, thicker, waxy skin on the hands and the fingers look like sausage. Finger joints become stiff and can no longer move the way they should, so it affects finger mobility, but without causing pain. About a third of people who have type 1 diabetes can be affected.
The only treatment is to control blood glucose levels. And if your diabetes has been poorly controlled for years, you may feel like you have pebbles at your fingertips. The only treatment is to control blood glucose levels.
What are the main skin signs you may have in pre-diabetes or diabetes? Top 3 Number 3- Acrochordons What are acrochordons? These are skin lesions that look like a wart.
They are also called fibroepithelial polyps- because they are polyps, and they are benign and also do not cause symptoms. Where can they appear? In the neck, under the arm, in the armpits, in the groin.
. . If you have this it could be a sign of insulin resistance, signaling that you are pre-diabetic or diabetic.
So it has to do with obesity and some genetic factors. And how to treat it - in the dermatologist's office he can take it off, if it bothers you because you're having friction with clothes, or even, aesthetically displeases you. But this is a sign that you may have insulin resistance.
So if it 's been a while since you've been to the doctor or have your blood tests done, better make sure. In diabetics, keeping their glucose levels under control can help them not to break out again. Number 2- Acanthosis nigricans What is acanthosis nigricans?
They are those dark spots on the skin that form in the folds of the neck, armpits or groin that have that soft and velvety appearance. I'm sure you've already seen this in someone. The person sees that dark spot on the neck and thinks it's dirt, loofah, rubs, ointment, and it doesn't get better.
It's not dirt! It is acanthosis nigricans. As with acrochordons, it is due to the excess insulin your body is producing that causes normal skin cells to rapidly reproduce.
For those with dark skin, these new cells have more melanin. And it is this increase in melanin that produces the skin blemishes. So pay attention to your neck!
Acanthosis nigricans is a strong predictor of future diabetes. And number 1- what is the most common diabetic skin complaint? Extremely dry and very itchy skin If you have diabetes, you are more likely to have dry and more fragile skin than normal.
Diabetics have more fragile and dry skin, as a result of changes caused by excess glucose in the autonomic nervous system – responsible for the control and production of sweat and sebum. And this sebum is like an oil produced by the sebaceous glands that lubricates - leaves it more hydrated - and protects the skin against bacteria and external agents such as pollution. For all this, the diabetic feels the skin very dry, very itchy on the skin, and in extreme cases, it can even result in cracks.
And if it is in the foot, it increases the risk of a diabetic foot, which is a frequent and very serious complication in diabetics. So, be careful is little. Take care of your blood sugar, take care of your body, including your skin, be healthy and be happy!
Did you like the video? Remember to share so more people have this knowledge. And what's the next video you'll watch?
I'll leave 2 recommendations here on the side = My playlist about diabetes that has about early symptoms of diabetes, about diabetes complications, how to reverse diabetes, And my video about clogged vein, how does it feel My name is André Wambier, cardiologist and this is o Cardiodf. com. br Remember to sign up.
And until the next video. Thank you very much!
