Effective Diabetes Management
Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is crucial for managing diabetes and preventing skin complications. This includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, and close monitoring of glucose levels.

Staying hydrated and using moisturizers can also help maintain healthy skin.

For people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, following your doctor’s recommendations regarding insulin therapy or other medications is crucial.

Keeping high blood pressure under control and lowering high cholesterol through lifestyle changes supports overall health, including skin health. Working closely with your doctor can help you develop a personalized plan that addresses both diabetes management and the prevention of related skin problems.

Daily Foot Self-Examination
Effective diabetes management involves more than just controlling your blood sugar; it also includes daily foot care. Regular foot checks can help detect problems early, preventing future complications. Here’s what to look for and how to perform a thorough inspection:

– Start with clean, dry feet. Wash them daily and make sure they are completely dry, especially between the toes.
– Check for cuts, sores, red spots, swelling, or infected toenails. These can be entry points for infection if left untreated.
– Look for blisters or areas of chafed skin, which may indicate shoes don’t fit properly.
– Feel your feet with your hands to look for lumps or bumps under the skin, which may not be visible.
– Monitor changes in skin color. Darker skin can indicate poor circulation, often associated with diabetes.
– Check your feet for signs of peeling or cracking on the soles or between the toes, which could indicate athlete’s foot.
– Use a mirror to check the soles of your feet, or ask someone else to check them if bending over is difficult. – Observe for hardened areas (corns) or calluses on the skin and address them before they develop into ulcers.
– Be alert to any persistent pain, which may indicate nerve damage (neuropathy) due to high blood sugar levels.
– Recognizing the symptoms of poorly managed diabetes

Inspecting your feet daily is just one key step in early detection of diabetes-related problems, but it’s also important to be aware of other signs of poorly managed diabetes. If you notice frequent skin infections or slow-healing wounds, it may be a sign that your blood sugar levels are not being controlled.

Boils, styes, and bacterial skin infections can often occur more frequently when diabetes is not properly managed. Similarly, if small cuts or insect bites take significantly longer to heal than usual, it may be a sign of high blood sugar levels, which affect circulation and the body’s natural healing process.

Also note changes in skin texture and color. Eruptive xanthomatosis—which appears as reddish-yellow bumps on the skin—usually appears when diabetes is out of control.

Diabetic dermopathy, which manifests as light brown, scaly patches commonly found on the shins, is another warning sign of complications resulting from uncontrolled diabetes. These symptoms require review by a healthcare professional, who can adjust treatment plans accordingly to better manage diabetes.