Diabetes can leave patients vulnerable to a variety of skin problems, but there are many ways to keep your skin healthy, and these simple tips will help you.
1. Be knowledgeable
The key to preventing problems is to understand what causes them and talk to your doctor about complications and your particular risks, and how to reduce them.
2. Control your blood sugar
Keeping your blood sugar in the normal range, controlling your blood sugar if you already have skin problems can stop them from getting worse, trying to maintain a healthy weight, eating right, reducing salt intake, maintaining a healthy blood pressure, and getting regular exercise.
This is a daunting task, so seek support from your medical team.
3. Avoid injuries
If there is diabetic nerve damage, which is called neuropathy, there may be on your body that you haven’t discovered yet: infected wounds, abrasions, skin punctures.
Don’t let small problems become big problems; pay attention to your body and check your legs, ankles, and feet and toes every day for new wounds, or old wounds that never seem to heal.
4. Treat cuts and sores
Don’t ignore them. If you find scrapes, scratches, small cuts, or any injury on your body that won’t heal or that worries you, you need to seek medical attention.
5. Cover your skin
This simple first line of defense can prevent cuts and scratches that could lead to infection, whether you are working in the garden or walking your dog, by wearing long pants to cover your legs and flat, well-fitting shoes.
6. Prevent dry skin
Overly dry skin can crack, itch, and become infected.
Keep your skin, especially in the armpits, toes and groin, clean and dry, but not too dry.
Take a shower or bath with warm water and use mild soap and shampoo when bathing, not deodorant or scented cleansers that can harm sensitive skin.
If your skin is dry, moisturize it well. The best time to do this is after a shower or bath while it is still damp.
Gently pat dry, don’t rub, and focus on the skin under the armpits, between the legs, under the breasts and between the toes.
Basic skin care can help prevent skin problems. If you have any problems, or if a cut, scrape or bruise worries you, seek medical attention.