Diabetic Blisters
Share: Diabetic blisters are also called bullosis diabeticorum or diabetic bullae. They can sometimes develop in people with diabetes, although the condition is relatively rare. Only about one-half of one percent of those with diabetes is ever diagnosed with diabetic blisters. The blisters often appear on the legs and arms and seem to appear for no reason. In most cases, when they disappear, they do not leave scars. What Causes Diabetic Blisters? There is no single known cause for diabetic blisters. Many of those who have diabetic blisters may also have neuropathy and nephropathy. Some researchers think that a decreased ability to sustain an injury may play a role. And in people with heart failure, the swelling that can result from that condition may be enough to cause the blisters. Many people who develop the diabetic blisters have had diabetes for many years or have several complications from the disease. What Are the Symptoms of Diabetic Blisters? Most commonly, the blisters appear on the legs and feet. Rarely, you may also notice them on your fingers or the backs of your hands. You might go to bed one night with no blisters, wake up, and notice them. The blisters tend to be large and irregularly shaped. Sometimes, they look like a burn. There are commonly clear and contain sterile liquid. You might feel a burning sensation or a twinge of discomfort, but many people do not feel anything - other than a bit of surprise at seeing the blisters where there were none before. How Are Diabetic Blisters Treated? In many cases, the blisters heal by themselves, within two to four weeks, and no treatment is needed other than keeping them clean. On occasion, though, the blisters may burst. If this happens, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic ointment or something to help dry Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Your Skin
Protecting Your Outermost Layer The phrase “feeling comfortable in your own skin” is usually used figuratively to describe a level of self-confidence or self-acceptance. But when your skin itches, hurts, flakes, breaks out, changes color, or just doesn’t look or feel the way you’d like it to, the phrase can take on a new, very literal meaning. Diabetes can affect the skin in a number of ways that can make a person feel less than comfortable. In fact, as many as a third of people with diabetes will have a skin condition at some point in their lifetime. While some conditions may appear uniquely in people with diabetes, others are simply more common in people with diabetes. The good news is that a fair number of these conditions are treatable or can be prevented by maintaining blood glucose control and taking good daily care of your skin. Dry, itchy skin Dry skin can occur as a result of high blood glucose. When the blood glucose level is high, the body attempts to remove excess glucose from the blood by increasing urination. This loss of fluid from the body causes the skin to become dry. Dry skin can also be caused by neuropathy (damage to the nerves) by affecting the nerves that control the sweat glands. In these cases, neuropathy causes a decrease or absence of sweating that may lead to dry, cracked skin. Cold, dry air and bathing in hot water can aggravate dry skin. Dryness commonly leads to other skin problems such as itching (and often scratching), cracking, and peeling. Any small breaks in the skin leave it more exposed to injury and infection. It is therefore important to keep skin well moisturized. The best way to moisturize is to apply lotion or cream right after showering and patting the skin dry. This will seal in droplets of water that are present on t Continue reading >>
Diabetes: Skin Conditions
Diabetes can affect every part of the body, including the skin. Many people with diabetes will have a skin disorder caused or affected by diabetes at some time in their lives. In some cases, skin problems can be the first sign that a person has diabetes. In some cases, people with diabetes develop skin conditions that can affect anyone. Examples of these conditions include bacterial infections, fungal infections, and itching. However, people with diabetes also are more prone to getting certain conditions. These include diabetic dermopathy, necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum, and eruptive xanthomatosis. Some common skin conditions in people with diabetes: Acanthosis nigricans This is a condition that results in the darkening and thickening of the skin. Often, areas of tan or brown skin, sometimes slightly raised, appear on the sides of the neck, the armpits, and groin. Occasionally, these darkened areas might appear on the hands, elbows, and knees. Acanthosis nigricans can affect otherwise healthy people, or it can be associated with certain medical conditions. It is frequently found in people with diabetes. Allergic reactions Allergic reactions to foods, bug bites, and medicines can cause rashes, depressions or bumps on the skin. If you think you might be having an allergic reaction to a medicine, contact your health care provider. Severe allergic reactions might require emergency treatment. It is especially important for people with diabetes to check for rashes or bumps in the areas where they inject their insulin. Atherosclerosis Atherosclerosis is the narrowing of blood vessels thickening of the vessel walls. While atherosclerosis most often is associated with blood vessels in or near the heart, it can affect blood vessels throughout the body, including those that su Continue reading >>
Blisters & Diabetes: What You Need To Know
Living With Diabetes Starts With Proper Management Blisters & Diabetes: What You Need to Know As atype 1diabetic for the past 8 years, Im always trying to stay on top of the latest news and trends when it comes to diabetes complications. Did you know that every 30 seconds, somewhere in the world, someone loses a lower limb as a result of diabetes. Thats because diabetes and wounds are a dangerous combination. If you have diabetes, theres no such thing as a minorwoundto the foot even small blisters or foot sores can turn into anulcerthat, if not properly treated, can lead to amputation. The rate of amputation for people with diabetes is 10 times higher than for those who dont have the disease. There is no single known cause for diabetic blisters. Many of those who have diabetic blisters may also tend to suffer fromneuropathyandnephropathy. Some researchers think that a decreased ability to sustain an injury may play a role. Also in people with heart failure, the swelling that can result from that condition may be enough to cause the blisters.Many people who develop the diabetic blisters have had diabetes for many years or have several complications from the disease. Symptoms of diabetic blisters include intenseitchingandburningsensation of the skin. When the mucous membranes of the mouth are affected, it can cause pain, burning, peeling away of affected inner lining tissues, and sensitivity to acidic foods. Eating can be difficult, and involvement in the deeper areas of the throat can cause coughing. Involvement of the inner nose can cause nosebleeds. The disease typically worsens (exacerbates) and improves (remits) over time. It is crucial that you report any slow-healing blisters to your doctor because if infection occurs it can threaten the well-being of your entire Continue reading >>
Diabetic Blisters: What You Need To Know
People with diabetes can sometimes experience blisters on their skin. These are known as diabetic blisters, bullosis diabeticorum, or diabetic bullae. Although more than 29 million people in the United States have diabetes, diabetic blisters are relatively rare, affecting just 0.5 percent of those with the condition. The blisters typically occur in people with uncontrolled diabetes. They are painless and tend to heal on their own without the need for medical intervention. This article looks at the causes and symptoms of diabetic blisters and lists several ways to treat and prevent them. Contents of this article: Causes The exact cause of diabetic blisters is not known, but several factors are thought to play a role in blister development. The blisters may result from: wearing shoes that do not fit properly reduced circulation a fungal infection called Candida albicans other injury or irritation to the feet or hands Furthermore, certain people with diabetes are more at risk of developing diabetic blisters than others. People at risk of developing diabetic blisters include: people whose blood sugar levels are not under control people with sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) light men, as research reveals men are twice as likely as women to have diabetic blisters Symptoms Diabetic blisters most commonly appear in people who have had uncontrolled diabetes for several years. In some cases, however, they may be the first indication of diabetes or even prediabetes. Blisters are usually clear bumps that typically appear on the legs, feet, and toes, as well as the arms, hands, and fingers. They may be: irregularly-shaped up to 6 inches across clustered or, less commonly, occurring as a single lesion filled with a clear fluid itchy The skin around diabetic blisters will usually look Continue reading >>
Blisters : The Organic Diabetic
Posted by Chris - The Organic Diabetic 2 Comments As a type 1 diabetic for the past 9 years, Im always trying to stay on top of the latest news and trends when it comes to diabetes complications. Did you know that every 30 seconds, somewhere in the world, someone loses a lower limb as a result of diabetes. Thats because diabetes and wounds are a dangerous combination. If you have diabetes, theres no such thing as a minor wound to the foot even small blisters or foot sores can turn into an ulcer that, if not properly treated, can lead to amputation. The rate of amputation for people with diabetes is 10 times higher than for those who dont have the disease. There is no single known cause for diabetic blisters. Many of those who have diabetic blisters may also tend to suffer from neuropathyandnephropathy. Some researchers think that a decreased ability to sustain an injury may play a role. Also in people with heart failure, the swelling that can result from that condition may be enough to cause the blisters.Many people who develop the diabetic blisters have had diabetes for many years or have several complications from the disease. Symptoms of diabetic blisters include intenseitchingand burning sensation of the skin. When the mucous membranes of the mouth are affected, it can cause pain, burning, peeling away of affected inner lining tissues, and sensitivity to acidic foods. Eating can be difficult, and involvement in the deeper areas of the throat can cause coughing. Involvement of the inner nose can cause nosebleeds. The disease typically worsens (exacerbates) and improves (remits) over time. In many cases, the blisters heal by themselves, within two to four weeks, and no treatment is needed other than keeping them clean. On occasion, though, the blisters may burst. If Continue reading >>
Diabetic Blisters Explained
This week I had a special request to discuss diabetic blisters. The scientific term for this condition is Bullosis Diabeticorum. It is also known by the terms bullous disease of diabetes and diabetic bullae. (1, 2) This is a very rare condition that is unique to people with diabetes. Statistics of occurrence are estimated at approximately 0.5 percent of people with diabetes. (3) These are non-inflammatory, painless blisters that may appear suddenly and look like one had a burn blister but no burn, previous injury or trauma took place. They are described in the literature as usually found on acral skin surfaces of the body. (4, 5) Acral is defined as affecting peripheral parts of the body such as ones limbs, fingers or ears. (6) These blisters are most often reported on the lower legs and feet but they have been noted on the fingers, hands and arms. The blister contains a clear fluid and usually contain eosinophils which are a type of white blood cells. The cause of these blisters is currently unknown. (4, 5) The size of the blisters range from a few millimeters to several centimeters (over one inch diameter). The literature is not consistent as to if a higher blood glucose level correlates with this disease. One published article reports no relationship could be identified. (4) In another report presents a case study of an elderly man who had many reoccurring diabetic blisters over an 11 year period. Statistics on his blood glucose level showed that blisters were more likely to be formed when his blood glucose levels were high. (2) Who are more likely to develop diabetic blisters? Men are twice as likely to have diabetic blisters as women. (1) When they appear, the person is likely to have had diabetes for a long time or a history of neuropathy. (3) Even though they mo Continue reading >>
Diabetes: Foot & Skin Related Complications
How can diabetes affect feet and skin? For people with diabetes, having too much glucose (sugar) in their blood for a long time can cause some serious complications, including foot and skin problems, as well as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye damage, and other problems. How can diabetes affect my feet? Diabetes can cause two problems that can affect your feet: Diabetic neuropathy — Uncontrolled diabetes can damage your nerves. If you have damaged nerves in your legs and feet, you might not feel heat, cold or pain. This lack of feeling is called diabetic neuropathy. If you do not feel a cut or sore on your foot because of neuropathy, the cut could get worse and become infected. Peripheral vascular disease — Diabetes also affects the flow of blood. Without good blood flow, it takes longer for a sore or cut to heal. Poor blood flow in the arms and legs is called peripheral vascular disease. (The word "peripheral" means "located away from a central point," and the word "vascular" refers to the blood vessels. Peripheral vascular disease is a circulation disorder that affects blood vessels away from the heart.) If you have an infection that will not heal because of poor blood flow, you are at risk for developing gangrene, which is the death of tissue due to a lack of blood. To keep gangrene from spreading, the doctor may have to remove a toe, foot, or part of a leg. This procedure is called amputation. Diabetes is the most common, non-traumatic cause of leg amputations. Each year, more than 56,000 people with diabetes have amputations. However, research suggests that more than half of these amputations can be prevented through proper foot care. What are some common foot problems of people with diabetes? Anyone can get the foot problems listed below. For people Continue reading >>
Bullous Disease Of Diabetes
Practice Essentials Bullous disease of diabetes (bullosis diabeticorum) is a distinct, spontaneous, noninflammatory, blistering condition of acral skin that is unique to patients with diabetes mellitus. Bullous disease of diabetes tends to arise in long-standing diabetes or in conjunction with multiple complications. Prominent acral accentuation of bullous disease of diabetes lesions suggests a susceptibility to trauma-induced changes, but the definitive explanation awaits elucidation. In the United States, bullous disease of diabetes has been reported to occur in approximately 0.5% of diabetic patients. Male patients have twice the risk as female patients. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] Kramer first reported bullous-like lesions in diabetic patients in 1930 [6] ; Rocca and Pereyra first characterized this as a phlyctenar (appearing like a burn-induced blister) in 1963. [7] Cantwell and Martz are credited with naming the condition bullosis diabeticorum in 1967. [8] It is also termed bullous disease of diabetes and diabetic bullae. While lesions typically heal spontaneously within 2-6 weeks, they often recur in the same or different locations. Secondary infections may also develop; these are characterized by cloudy blister fluid and require a culture. [9] The clinician should consider direct immunofluorescence studies to exclude histologically similar entities (eg, noninflammatory bullous pemphigoid, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, porphyria cutanea tarda, other bullous porphyrias). Pseudoporphyria blistering due to photosensitizing drugs, chronic dialysis regimens, or ultraviolet A tanning devices should also be considered. Specific treatment is unwarranted unless secondary infections (eg, staphylococcal) occur, thereby warranting antibiotic therapy. However, aspiration of fluid from Continue reading >>
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Skin Problems Associated With Diabetes Mellitus
Introduction It is estimated that 30% of patients with diabetes mellitus will experience a skin problem at some stage throughout the course of their disease. Several skin disorders are more common in diabetic patients, particularly those due to infection such as candida and impetigo. Patients with type 2 diabetes also have twice the risk of developing the common scaly disease, psoriasis, as non-diabetics. Specific skin conditions associated with diabetes mellitus are described below. Diabetics with renal failure are also prone to reactive perforating collagenosis and Kyrle disease. Diabetic dermopathy Diabetic dermopathy is a skin condition characterised by light brown or reddish, oval or round, slightly indented scaly patches most often appearing on the shins. Although these lesions may appear in anyone, particularly after an injury or trauma to the area, they are one of the most common skin problems found in patients with diabetes mellitus. It has been found to occur in up to 30% of patients with diabetes. Diabetic dermopathy is sometimes also referred to as shin spots and pigmented pretibial patches. What causes diabetic dermopathy? The exact cause of diabetic dermopathy is unknown but may be associated with diabetic neuropathic (nerve) and vascular (blood vessels) complications, as studies have shown the condition to occur more frequently in diabetic patients with retinopathy (retinal damage of the eye), neuropathy (nerve/sensory damage) and nephropathy (kidney damage). Diabetic dermopathy tends to occur in older patients or those who have had diabetes for at least 10-20 years. It also appears to be closely linked to increased glycosylated haemoglobin, an indicator of poor control of blood glucose levels. Because lesions often occur over bony parts of the body such Continue reading >>
What Causes Diabetic Blisters?
ANSWER People with diabetes can develop skin problems, including blisters that resemble burn blisters. These blisters can occur on the fingers, hands, toes, feet, legs, or forearms. Diabetic blisters usually are painless and heal on their own. These skin problems often occur in people who have severe diabetes and diabetic neuropathy. Bringing your blood sugar level under control is the medical treatment for this health condition. Continue reading >>
10 Diabetic Skin Problems
1 / 11 Are You Suffering From a Diabetes-Related Skin Complication? About a third of people with diabetes will develop skin problems at some point. In fact, some skin issues can be warning signs of diabetes. The good news is that most skin conditions can be treated easily if they’re caught early. Keeping proper control of your blood sugar (glucose) can prevent skin problems and many other diabetes symptoms from happening in the first place. “For the most part, control of diabetes can help with related skin issues,” says Justin Ko, MD, the medical director and service chief of medical dermatology at Stanford Health Care, in Redwood City, California. “I’m always adamant that my diabetic patients take aggressive care of their skin and health in general. For the skin, moisturization, checking feet and legs daily for any blisters, sores, and skin breaks (especially between the toes), and nail care is extremely important. Nail and foot fungus can lead to skin cracks and breaks, allowing bacteria to enter and cause infection.” Continue reading >>
Diabetes: 12 Warning Signs That Appear On Your Skin
Diabetes can affect many parts of your body, including your skin. When diabetes affects the skin, it’s often a sign that your blood sugar (glucose) levels are too high. This could mean that: You have undiagnosed diabetes, or pre-diabetes Your treatment for diabetes needs to be adjusted If you notice any of the following warning signs on your skin, it’s time to talk with your doctor. This skin condition often begins as small raised solid bumps that look like pimples. As it progresses, these bumps turn into patches of swollen and hard skin. The patches can be yellow, reddish, or brown. You may also notice: The surrounding skin has a shiny porcelain-like appearance You can see blood vessels The skin is itchy and painful The skin disease goes through cycles where it is active, inactive, and then active again The medical name for this condition is necrobiosis lipodica (neck-row-by-oh-sis lee-poi-dee-ka). TAKE ACTION Get tested for diabetes if you have not been diagnosed. Work with your doctor to better control your diabetes. See a dermatologist about your skin. Necorbiosis lipodica is harmless, but it can lead to complications. A dark patch (or band) of velvety skin on the back of your neck, armpit, groin, or elsewhere could mean that you have too much insulin in your blood. AN is often a sign of prediabetes. The medical name for this skin condition is acanthosis nigricans (ay-can-THOE-sis NIE-gri-cans). TAKE ACTION: Get tested for diabetes. 3. Hard, thickening skin When this develops on the fingers, toes, or both, the medical name for this condition is digital sclerosis (sclear-row-sis). On the hands, you’ll notice tight, waxy skin on the backs of your hands. The fingers can become stiff and difficult to move. If diabetes has been poorly controlled for years, it can f Continue reading >>
How To Determine Whether Foot And Leg Blisters Are Related To Water Retention Or Diabetes
Leg and Foot Health Issues A number of medical patients confuse the symptoms of water retention (also known as fluid retention or edema) with the appearance of chronic diabetic skin blisters. Misunderstandings about the differences between the two conditions can cause undue anxiety in patients and their caregivers. In simple terms, water retention happens inside the body cavities and tissues to cause swelling of such areas as joints and limbs. In contrast, diabetic blisters occur on the outside surface of the body to cause raised areas filled with liquid. Disclaimer: The following information is intended to provide a general overview. It should not be used for official diagnosis or substituted for the expertise of a licensed healthcare practitioner. Please see your medical provider for complete diagnosis and treatment. Click thumbnail to view full-size Foot, leg, and ankle swelling are the painless swelling of the feet and ankles as a common problem, especially among older people. — US National Library of Medicine; Medline Plus, Article 003104 What is Water Retention? Fluid retention, or edema, and diabetic blisters are different in a number of ways. The first difference is that edema occurs inside body cavities or tissues, while diabetic blisters appear on the skin, outside of the body where you can see them. Edema does not cause blisters on the skin, but it can cause swelling below the skin layers, inside other tissues and body cavities. This swelling can stretch the skin above the edema and make it look shiny (please see photos above). Patients can confuse edema with blisters associated with untreated and uncontrolled or poorly controlled blood glucose levels in the chronic varieties of type I and type II diabetes and even hypoglycemia. Pre-diabetes and gestational Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Wounds: Caring For Sores
When you have diabetes, it's vital to treat foot injuries right away. Even minor wounds can turn into serious foot ulcers, which can cost you a foot -- or an entire leg -- if you don’t care for them quickly and thoroughly. These easy steps can prevent problems down the road. Common Causes What you put on your feet matters. "You can get a foot ulcer from something as simple as walking in new or tight-fitting shoes or getting a small pebble stuck in the shoe,” says Raul Guzman, MD, a vascular surgeon at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. If you have diabetes, you may get a kind of nerve damage that stops the feeling in your feet. Doctors call this neuropathy. If you can’t feel your feet, you may not know you’re hurt, and a small cut or sore can turn into something bigger. Or you might have poor blood flow to your feet, which makes it hard for even minor cuts to heal. Your doctor can tell you whether you have nerve damage or blood-flow problems. Guzman says he can do a test that shows how blood moves through your body. If the results are normal, you can have standard wound-care treatments. “If the results of this blood-flow test are abnormal, that means you have poor circulation that needs to be repaired,” he says. Surgery can help. “We can use a balloon and stent,” Guzman says, “or we can do a bypass procedure, where we connect the artery above the blockage to one of the arteries in the calf or foot.” Wound Treatment Options If you do injure your foot, don't try to take care of it at home. Go to a wound-care center or your doctor, even for blisters, calluses, and scratches. “Put on some antibiotic ointment and see a wound center or your doctor, at the latest, the next day,” says Harold Brem, MD, chief of the wound healing and regenerative medici Continue reading >>
