Skin problems can often serve as early markers of uncontrolled diabetes and should not be overlooked, warns Dr. Rashmi Sarkar, Director-Professor of Dermatology at Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi. She stresses that the skin frequently functions as the body’s frontline warning system for individuals living with the condition.
According to her, a range of skin disorders are commonly associated with diabetes. These include persistent dryness and itching, fungal infections such as candidiasis, recurrent boils or styes, and diabetic dermopathy, which presents as brown patches on the legs. She adds that acanthosis nigricans—dark, velvety pigmentation on the neck, face or body folds—along with yellow, raised lesions near the eyes (xanthomatosis) and even diabetic blisters, though less common, may also signal the onset of diabetes.
If the skin can indicate early diabetes, Dr. Sarkar notes, it can likewise reflect poorly controlled disease. “Skin changes—often dismissed as simple dryness or irritation—can actually be early warning signs of unstable diabetes,” she says, pointing to a steady rise in skin-related complaints among diabetic patients.
Such changes frequently mirror fluctuating blood sugar levels and may surface even before a formal diagnosis. “Darkened patches, slow-healing wounds and recurring infections can act as early markers of diabetes or pre-diabetes,” she explains, adding that timely recognition enables patients to seek faster medical intervention.
Dr. Sarkar says diabetes affects the skin primarily by damaging blood vessels and nerves, thereby reducing circulation. “Poor circulation leads to dryness, itching, a heightened risk of bacterial or fungal infections and significantly delayed wound healing,” she told The Health Outlook.
“People often associate diabetes with the kidneys, eyes or heart. But the skin—the body’s largest organ—is equally vulnerable,” she stresses. Dr Sarkar advises simple but consistent skin-care practices for those with diabetes: maintaining good hygiene, moisturising daily to prevent cracking, checking the skin regularly for cuts, blisters or swelling and seeking prompt care for non-healing wounds or infections.
Regular consultation with a qualified dermatologist is essential, Dr. Sarkar notes, especially for individuals with long-standing disease. “Diabetes is a chronic condition, and the skin inevitably reflects fluctuations in blood sugar control,” says Dr. Sarkar, who also serves as regional director (South Asia, Africa and the Middle East) of the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS).
“With routine moisturising, prompt infection management and strict glucose control, patients can greatly improve their skin health and overall well-being,” she adds. Dr. Sarkar emphasises that early attention to skin symptoms can prevent complications, improve quality of life and offer crucial clues to underlying metabolic changes.
