Uncontrolled Blood Sugar Levels & Dry Skin

When your skin is dry, you start wondering what is the cause. Most will suspect whether the dryness is due to weather, due to your soap or due to age. While dryness may be caused by any of such conditions, did you know that high sugar levels can be a cause for skin dryness too?¹ This adds our skin to the list of organs that are affected by high sugar levels such as the kidneys, the heart and the eyes. FUN FACT: Yes, the skin is considered a body organ! In fact, the skin is the largest organ of the body!

How Does Your Sugar Levels Link To Skin Dryness?

While the mechanism behind the link between diabetes and skin dryness is not fully discovered, we know a few ways diabetes can result in skin dryness: 1. ‘Pulling of Water’² Diabetes is known to cause 3 ‘Poly-s’ which are polydipsia, polyphagia and polyuria. These terms might sound fancy but they actually mean: Polydipsia: Excessive thirst Polyphagia: Excessive appetite Polyuria: Excessive urination volume Both polydipsia and polyuria are due to the fact that your kidneys need to produce more urine in an effort to remove the extra glucose in the body of those with high blood sugar. Your brain then tells you to drink more water to compensate for the water lost. This explains the excessive thirst. This ‘pulling of water’ from our body to form urine also impacts our skin. 2. Poor Blood Circulation¹ Diabetes can damage blood vessels and nerves, which can lead to poor circulation. This can make it more difficult for the skin to get the nutrients and oxygen it needs, which can also contribute to dryness.

Control Your Sugar Level!

If you have issues with your blood sugar, you should definitely have it checked regularly! You should target the levels stated below if you want to keep your skin healthy. *HbA1c ≤6.5% is advocated for patients with a shorter duration of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, no evidence of significant cardiovascular disease and longer life expectancy, and have minimal risk of hypoglycaemia.³

Combating Dry Skin Due To Diabetes^1,4

Other than keeping your sugar level in check, you can practice the tips below to keep your skin healthy and moist: 1. Bathing Habits While many of us love to enjoy our shower time, staying in the bath for too long is detrimental to our skin. Remember to use warm and not water that is too hot. 2. Drink! Keep your skin hydrated throughout the day by drinking sufficient water. Tip: Control your caffeine intake! Too much coffee is bad for your skin. Caffeine induces fluid loss from our body! 3. Gentle Cleanser Harsh soap and cleanser remove the natural oil from our skin that is important to keep our skin moist. Tip: Choose hypoallergenic, pH balanced, soap free cleansers that are meant for dry and sensitive skin. 4. Moisturise Keep your skin moisturised! Tip: Apply your moisturiser while your skin is still damp. Choose a moisturiser that has no preservatives, perfumes or colourants. This is an educational program / disease awareness program supported by: This article is not a substitute for professional healthcare advice, patients should still refer to their healthcare professional to manage the diabetes/dry skin.