Diabetes & Dry Skin

AD – Gifted | I’ve mentioned that I have diabetes a few times here and there on my blog, usually in passing.  And I’ve been asked a few times before if I could do a post about it. I’ve tried. Several times. But truth be told, I don’t have a lot to say. It doesn’t really influence my day to day life at all, other than the fact I stick needles in myself a few times a day. But I was reading a press release for some skincare recently that talked about diabetes and dry skin and I realised there’s probably a lot more I could say about having diabetes but they’re things I don’t think about because they’re just ‘one of those things’. 

Before we begin, I have type 1 diabetes. I’m saying this first because there are some huge differences between types 1 and 2. And no, I wasn’t an overweight kid/ teen. Yes, skinny people have diabetes too. If you’re wondering why I’m saying this, you’d be amazed at the number of times people feel the need to comment or ask a question about that. And the black plastic thing in the photos is a glucose monitor for anyone unfamiliar/ unsure what that has to do with anything.   

One of those things? 

I was diagnosed 2 months before my 5^th birthday. So, I’ve had diabetes for my whole living memory. Literally – my earliest strong memories are from going to hospital/ being in hospital that week. Like the vast majority of people diagnosed in childhood (which is the majority of people with type 1), I don’t know if I’d be any physically different without it. There are theoretically lots of things about me that I see as ‘one of those things’ that could be a by-product of diabetes.  

Reading that press release made me think of a few skin-related things that are maybe one of those things that I could have included on my list.  

Diabetes & Dry Skin/ Skin Issues

Dry skin  

Yep. I’ve always had dry skin. Like, really dry. And that’s a normal thing that lots of people have and I’ve never really questioned whether diabetes plays a role in that. But the more I thought about it, I realised that when my lips are suddenly extremely dry, that’s something that makes me test my blood sugar suspecting it might be high. Likewise, they’re sometimes dry if my sugars are low.

Higher glucose levels can cause higher fluid loss, causing dry skin. And my dry lips with lower blood sugar? That’s essentially the body trying to suck whatever it can from wherever it can before you step in and manually help it out with a little snack or a glucose tablet.  

My blood sugars are usually fairly stable, so I’m not really sure if my diabetes and dry skin are related. But it’s something to think about, especially if you (or your child) is newly diagnosed and didn’t have dry skin prior to that.  

Cold hands  

Diabetics are known to have greater circulation issues. We’re told from day one to make sure we take extra care of our feet. Do our best to keep them moisturised and warm. Mine her dry, like every other skin cell on my body, but not in any sort of critical way that’s beyond typical ‘winter skin’.

But my hands are almost always freezing. I run quite cold in general, and there are lots of potential causes. Just me? Maybe. I always bleed quite easily when I’m stabbing myself with those needles we were talking about, and I don’t struggle to draw enough blood for my tests. So, I’m not too concerned about my circulation. Because I’m on the thinner side? Maybe. Because it’s actually winter and I live in northern England? Maybe. Diabetes? Also maybe. But, obviously, colder skin is more prone to dryness/ cracking/ irritation in general. More to come on that in a minute…

Lumps and bumps 

This is one of those things that is definitely caused by diabetes and it’s been annoying me for at least 15 years. Those needles? Yeah, sometimes you get bumps in your injection sites. There are two types of lumps – small and hard, soft and fatty. Small and hard is bad news, after an injection a small and hard lump can mean that for a number of reasons, such as putting the needle slightly too far over and not in the ideal area, the insulin has pooled rather than gone in. Then there’s the guessing game of when your body is actually getting your dose. But that hardly ever happens (to me at least) and aren’t the little bumps that annoy me to death.  

Little Fatty Lumps & Bumps

The little fatty bumps are literally a small fat build up under the surface. Insulin can make fat cells increase in size, hence the bump. You can try to control them by rotating your injection sites, but unfortunately, if you’re thinner, you’re more likely to get them. There’s simply less surface area you can use as a potential injection site. And I think we all have our favourite areas anyway, which doesn’t help. I’ve had a little lump or two on my thighs since er…forever. At least the majority of the time – the precise location varies, I’m not talking about the same bumps.

I’m currently actively avoiding my stomach as an injection site because I started to feel a small one forming and while I accepted the little lumps on my thighs a long time ago, I refuse to have any on my stomach. Other potential sites include arms, which I’m not a fan of because mine always bleed, and bum. While that’s a medically perfect location, that’s just not the most practical the majority of the time.  

I’d just like to make a note that these lumps are fairly small and aren’t noticeable to anyone but me unless you’re really staring and looking at them closely. It’s something that annoys me but isn’t much deeper that. Have a little look for yourself above.

Photo is from my Bali Bady tan review.

Dry skin and sensitive skin  

Dry skin is more prone to cracking and irritation, diabetic or not. So, if you do have dry skin and diabetes, or dry skin in general, it’s important to try and use gently formulated products. Try to avoid fragrance, use something hydrating and use SPF to protect your skin from any other potential damage. We should all be trying to protect our skin from the sun anyway, but sunburn on skin that was already dry to begin with is a pain that none of us need to experience.  

And quality skincare doesn’t have to cost a fortune. I’ve been trying the SOS Serum and SOS SPF 50 for the last few weeks and they’re both great for people who like fuss free skincare. The SPF is thin and absorbs instantly, making it great under makeup. Both contain hyaluronic acid for that light hydration without feeling heavy. The whole range is vegan friendly and there are no added alcohols or fragrances, two things I always try to avoid. If you’re someone who really does love a simple approach to skincare, they can be used on both face and body, although I’ve only used them on my face so far. And they’re just £15 for 50ml bottles or £5 for 15ml travel sized versions.  

I’d you’re also a diabetic, do you have a one of those things list too? If you’re not, I hope you learnt something new from this post. And please wear SPF even in winter. And no, not all diabetics have an obesity problem regardless of what the media may have you believe.  

Until next time, 

Sophie 

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