Type 2 diabetes can be a 'devastating diagnosis' says expert
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Skin problems happen to people with diabetes. Out of control blood sugars are synonymous with changes to the skin. These include bacterial infections, fungal infections or itching. An unsightly skin symptom is known to affect a person’s eyelids, neck, armpits or groin.
Small pieces of extra skin known as skin tags are known to form in the creases of a person’s skin and is a major indicator your blood sugar is out of control.
Skin tags are skin growths that hang from a stalk.
“While harmless, having numerous skin tags may be a sign that you have too much insulin in your blood or type 2 diabetes,” said the American Diabetes Association.
The health site added: “These growths are most common on the eyelids, neck, armpit, and groin.”
The cause of skin tags in people with diabetes is unclear.
It appears to be connected to the body’s resistance to insulin, but more research is needed to confirm this.
People who are overweight are also prone to developing skin tags.
Obesity is also linked to diabetes, so this could be another factor in a person developing skin tags.
One study also found a link between high cholesterol and skin tags.
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In a person without diabetes, the pancreas produces a hormone called insulin to help move sugar into the cells of the body.
However, with diabetes, the pancreas either doesn’t make enough insulin, or the body doesn’t use it as well as it should and because of this, the sugar builds up in the blood.
Those with diabetes may develop skin tags and is a strong indicator you need to speak to your doctor about the possible cause.
Skin tags affect around 25 percent of the general population.
They are also known as acrochordons and are linked with a person’s rising blood sugars.
Along with skin tags, dark, velvety plaques on the neck or in the body folds are commonly seen in patients with insulin resistance.
It’s important to note that skin tags are also associated with a number of other health conditions and may not always be related to type 2 diabetes.
Treatment options for skin tags may include:
- Surgical removal (using scissors or a scalpel to remove the skin tag)
- Cryotherapy (freezing the skin tag with liquid nitrogen)
- Ligation (tying surgical thread around the base of the skin tag and cutting off its blood supply)
- Electrosurgery (using high-frequency electrical energy to burn the skin tag).
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