What Is a Diabetic Rash?

Some skin lesions in diabetic dermopathy often indicate that diabetes may be latent. Diabetic skin disease is one of the most common complications of diabetes. It is characterized by a wide range of lesions and many types, which damage the skin of any part of the body and occurs at various stages of diabetes. Skin lesions are usually red faces, skin herpes, neck folliculitis, intolerable itching, paresthesia, abnormal sweating, gangrene of the feet, yellow tumors, etc. Skin damage can aggravate the condition of diabetes, and this skin change can be exacerbated by poor control of diabetes. Treatment of symptomatic treatment for skin lesions.

Basic Information

English name

diabetic dermopathy

Visiting department

Endocrinology, Dermatology

Common causes

Caused by microvascular disorders, neurological damage, metabolic disorders, diabetic skin infections, etc., and response to hypoglycemic drugs

Common symptoms

Red face, herpes on the skin, folliculitis on the neck, uncomfortable itching, paresthesia, abnormal sweating, gangrene of the feet, yellow tumor

Causes of diabetic skin lesions

There are many types of diabetic skin lesions, which can be roughly classified into five types clinically: skin lesions caused by microvascular disorders, skin lesions caused by neurological damage, skin lesions caused by metabolic disorders, diabetic skin infections and hypoglycemic drugs Skin reaction.

Common manifestations of diabetic skin lesions

Skin infection

When diabetes develops, the patient's blood sugar rises, and the glycogen content of the skin tissue also increases. This creates a good environment for mold and bacterial infections.

Skin infections occur in one-third of diabetic patients. For example, patients often suffer from bacterial infections such as edema, folliculitis, pustular disease, and scabies. Tinea patients are prone to ringworm such as ringworm, ringworm, jock itch, and athlete's foot.

2. Itchy skin

1/5 of diabetic patients with skin itching symptoms. This itching is systemic and very stubborn.

3. Feeling abnormal

One in ten diabetic patients suffer from peripheral neuropathy, such as paresthesia, including skin numbness, acupuncture, pain or burning sensation, and especially the feet of patients are more prone to paresthesia.

4. Diabetic bullous disease

Diabetic bullous disease is a skin complication that occurs in patients' hands and feet. This blister occurs suddenly and repeatedly without any symptoms. The blister varies in size, with a thin blister wall, a clear liquid inside the blister, and no blush on the outside of the blister. It usually heals itself after a few weeks, and pigmentation remains on the skin after it subsides.

5. Diabetic Xanthomas

On the skin of the patient's knees, elbows, back, or buttocks, a sudden appearance of clusters of yellow papules or small rashes of the size of rice grains to soybean grains (medically referred to as "nodules"). This kind of xanthomas has a shiny surface and generally does not have conscious symptoms such as itching. It is slightly harder to touch than the surrounding skin.

6. Diabetic rash

This skin change occurs in front of the calf. At the beginning it was a round or oval dark red papules, only about 0.3 cm in diameter. Some of these pimples are scattered, others are clustered together, and there are dander on the surface. After the rash subsides, local atrophy or pigmentation appears on the skin.

Examination of diabetic skin lesions

Ask for a history of diabetes.

Treatment of diabetic skin lesions

Treatment of diabetic skin lesions focuses on controlling the development of diabetes.

Skin lesions caused by vascular disorders

(1) Diabetic ischemia: In addition to actively treating diabetes, anti-infection, removal of necrotic tissue, application of external drugs, etc. according to specific conditions.

(2) Diabetic bullae: symptomatic treatment while actively treating diabetes to avoid secondary infection.

(3) Anterior tibial pigmentation: no conscious symptoms, no special treatment required.

2. Skin diseases caused by neurovascular abnormalities

(1) Diabetic foot: to treat diabetes and improve ischemia. If necessary, please consult for surgery and surgical treatment.

(2) Diabetic anhidrosis: There is no special treatment for anhidrosis, which can be treated symptomatically, such as topical oily ointment to avoid skin cracks.

3. Skin lesions caused by metabolic disorders

(1) Diabetic xanthomas: control diabetes, while giving triglyceride-lowering drugs orally.

(2) waxy skin and joint stiffness: control of diabetes can reduce symptoms.

(3) Pruritus of the skin: antihistamines such as diphenhydramine, ketamine and the like can be used. Topical itching can be applied topically.

4. Diabetes and skin infections

(1) Purulent bacterial infections: effective control of diabetes, intravenous drip or topical antibiotics, surgical incision and drainage if necessary.

(2) Fungal infection: Gentian violet liquid, nystatin ointment, suppositories can be used externally. A wide range of people can take oral antifungal drugs, such as jock itch, tinea pedis, ringworm nail can be used externally daconin.