Be Fair With Skin Care

Caring for your skin is very important for everyone. But when you are diabetic that importance level increases.

Importance of skin care with type 2 diabetes

Did you know that caring for your skin is not just done on the outside? No, no, no. You also have to take care of it from the inside. Depending on your sugar level, moisturizing your outer layer is not nearly enough to stop your skin from drying, itching or other skin conditions. We all know that itch that will not go away and you can't stop it until you almost break the skin and we DO NOT want to do that. That will definitely cause more problems then it's worth. So let's talk about what could happen to your skin when you are a diabetic.
NOTE: The reason I say COULD happen to your skin is because we all know diabetes affects everyone differently.

Before we start, I want to remind you to always talk to your healthcare provider about any skin breakdowns that you may have noticed. This can save you from future complications. I do not recommend treating any problems without talking to a healthcare provider first. Especially if this is a new problem.

When you are a diabetic and your blood glucose runs high this can cause your skin to dry out and continue to stay dry. Do you ever wonder why you just lotion-ed and you are still very dry? I used to wonder that all the time. I could have just lotion-ed up and before I could get out of the house I would need some more. This can really get aggravating when you have to keep adding lotion. I know that it's been a time that I myself have purchased new skin moisturizers because I thought that my current one was just no good. Sometimes that is not the case at all. Sometimes it's simply not enough water in your body to help keep your skin hydrated. Yes, that's all it takes sometimes just some good ol' H20.

Reasons for dry and itchy skin

I don't know about you but I do not like that feeling when I am sleeping and that itch comes and just won't go away. When it's your leg you have to sit up and scratch. VERY AGGRAVATING... ugh. Neuropathy can cause you to have dry skin. Even though you may not be able to feel at all or as good as before some people tend to neglect these areas but they still need moisture. Maybe more often because when your nerves are damaged your body does not produce sweat in those areas which will cause more drying of the skin. Poor circulation can also cause you to have dry skin, therefore, you have to make sure you are always keeping your body moisturized to limit the advancement of further problems with your skin. Climate change is one that most people don't think about. For diabetics and non-diabetics this can make a big difference in how you care for your skin. If you are living on the east coast or northeast and are used to using one lotion/moisturizer but you decided to move to a dryer area on the west coast or more south this lotion/moisturizer may not work so well for you as it once did or vice versa. So you may have to change to something that provides better protection to your skin for that area. While climate change can mean moving but it can also mean staying right where you are and having a drastic change in weather. Like if you had 100 degree summers and 20 degree winters. So please, be a friend to your skin and dress it accordingly.

Make sure that you continue to check for cuts, tears, sores, cracks and other skin conditions like scaly looking skin that may require medical attention. The sooner you get treatment the better. Do not wait or push this off for another day. Remember that being a diabetic makes sores slower to heal which can cause infections. Again, I do not recommend you treating any new skin conditions without consulting with your healthcare provider first.

Skin care tips

This is my list of things that have helped me with my skin:

1. Always talk to your healthcare provider about recommended skin moisturizers that are not by prescription (trying to save money)
2. Drink plenty of healthy fluids like water and other things recommended by your healthcare provider
3. Be generous to your skin. Love it back. Don't just slap something on and go about your day. Take the time a massage your lotion/moisturizer into your skin
4. Find a lotion/moisturizer that will work with your skin
5. Find a lotion/moisturizer that will work with your climate (very important)
6. Always pay attention to areas that tend to itch a lot
   (This can be an indication of something like your glucose levels being too high or other underlying problems)
7. Moisturize your hands and the bottom of your feet as well, as they will tend to crack as well from the drying

What preventive measures do you take to prevent your skin from drying? Please share...