Why do Diabetics have Dry Skin?

By  ,  Onlymyhealth editorial team
Nov 16, 2011
4.8 / 5(4 Ratings)

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Why do diabetics have dry skin

Most often, the associated repercussions of diabetes are feared more than the disease itself. Primarily there are two types of diabetes. Type 1 is characterised by the inability of the body to produce insulin and Type 2 is known to occur in patients whose body mechanisms are not well equipped to use the insulin produced suitably.


Diabetics would often suffer from certain serious health conditions which are known to be side effects of this killer disease. Some of the most common ones include sexual dysfunction, cardiac arrests, stroke, digestive problems, irritability, and increased fatigue. However, the most visibly obvious side effects are skin rashes, white patches and itchy skin. Primarily, diabetes is known to be responsible for dry skin.

Without suitable and timely treatment, dryness of skin can often lead to complications akin to ulcerations, specifically on diabetic foot. This can also lead to complete loss of sensation in the feet of the patient.


Dry Skin in Diabetes Patients—Causes and Treatments

The reasons responsible for the occurrence of dryness of skin in diabetics are as follows:

  • High blood sugar level is common in diabetic patients. When the blood sugar level rises, the body tends to lose fluids excessively. Naturally, some it is also lost from the surface of the skin as the moisture evaporates. This leads to excessive dryness and resulting itchiness.
  • Dryness and itchy rashes may often be the aftermath of skin infections. Often, high blood sugar will make the body less resistant to infections. Therefore, the chances of infections are higher than those healthy people.


How to treat dry skin in diabetics

  • Dryness of skin in diabetics can be treated primarily by attempting to regulate the blood sugar level in patients.
  • There are prescribed drugs which need to be consumed as per the doctor’s advice.
  • Patients suffering from severe diabetes are advised to resort to insulin injections in controlled dosages. Injecting insulin is known to be a better way of treating diabetes than resorting to oral medications, which are known to possess harmful side effects in certain cases.

There are suitable treatment options available for treating the specific skin conditions as well. Some of them might include simple measures such as regulating the moisture in the air and reducing bathing to a minimum. However, doctors also prescribe specific medications for external applications and oral administration. The dryness of skin can often lead to serious conditions such as eczema. Therefore, proactive treatment is mandatory. In addition, the doctor will also advise a healthy diet and might also suggest complete abstinence from certain food items.

Diabetes is a relatively complex health condition and needs to be adequately monitored with utmost vigil. Neglecting the apparent symptoms might sometimes lead to life threatening complications. Therefore, if you happen to suffer from dry skin which has stemmed from diabetes mellitus or diabetes incipetus, seek medical care at the earliest. 


Read more articles on Understand Diabetes

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  • Sandhya 11 Jun 2012
    Am tested positive for diabetes,doc says am a pre-diabetic,what diet should i follow?