Dealing with diabetic dry skin complications? Try these tips and remedies from Better Health Kare.
If you or someone you love lives with diabetes, it’s important to be aware of how diabetes can affect the skin. Diabetic skin conditions can happen at any age and can be caused by a variety of reasons. And, according to the American Diabetes Association, up to a third of people living with diabetes will deal with a skin disorder or have some type of skin complication from diabetes during their lifetime.
Getting your skin checked is so important – click here to learn why.
The good news is with proper education and staying on top of the disease, diabetic dry skin issues can be dramatically decreased, easily treated, or prevented altogether. If you deal with diabetes and dry skin, or want to know what signs to look out for before any complications begin, here are six of our top tips and remedies:
Keep your diabetes well managed
When blood glucose levels run high, fluids are lost and skin becomes very dry. When this occurs, skin can crack, itch and in some cases, become infected. This is why it is crucial to stay on top of the disease through doctor visits, medication compliance, and regularly checking your blood sugar levels.
Say “no” to very hot water
To further prevent diabetes and dry skin, steer clear of very hot showers and baths. This can cause your skin to become even more dry, in addition to softening the skin of the feet too much, making it more prone to injury and infection.
Stay hydrated
This may seem simple enough, but the key to staying hydrated in a way that can help prevent diabetic skin conditions is choosing the smart drink. Lean towards water and/or sugar-free and caffeine-free drinks.
Pay special attention to your feet
One area that can often be a target for diabetic skin conditions is someone’s feet. If you or someone you love is diagnosed with diabetes, it is crucial to pay special attention to the feet. Regularly check for cuts, sores, redness, blisters or red spots. Treat small cuts immediately with water and soap, and see your physician right away for larger cuts in order to prevent infection. Do not treat cuts with antibiotic ointment unless your doctor has cleared it with you.
Eat hydrating foods
Believe it or not, some of the food you choose to eat can have a direct correlation on the state of your skin. Nourishing foods that are good choices include flaxseed and flaxseed oil, salmon, soybeans, and other foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Stay moisturized
After showering or bathing with a mild soap that won’t irritate your skin, dry your skin very well and moisturize to help keep it hydrated. Do not, however, moisturize between the toes, as this can lead to bacteria forming and other problematic diabetic skin conditions.
By staying on top of diabetes and checking your skin regularly for cuts, redness, or infection, you can easily take care of a small issue before it becomes a major problem. If you have diabetic neuropathy, which is nerve damage associated with diabetes, you will want to check on a daily basis to prevent diabetic skin conditions. Learn more about diabetes and dry skin, and how to properly care for your skin at BetterHealthKare.com
Sources:
https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/guide/diabetes-skin-care
http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/skin-care.html
