Unveiling the link between Type 2 diabetes and the skin

"While Type 2 diabetes is widely known for its impact on blood sugar and heart health, its subtle footprints across the skin are often overlooked, despite being equally diagnostic and telling," says diabetes care specialist and general practitioner, Dr Mabowa Mkahomisane.

- Anne Mametja

He tells Polokwane Observer that as cases surge across the country and beyond, clinicians are spotlighting the skin's role as both a mirror and a messenger in chronic metabolic disease. The skin as a diagnostic canvas: Type 2 diabetes alters blood flow, immune response, and cell regeneration — all of which shape how the skin behaves.

Early signs can include:

• Dry, itchy skin - caused by dehydration and nerve damage, often a warning signal for poorly controlled glucose.

• Acanthosis nigricans - darkened, velvety patches, especially on the neck and armpits, linked to insulin resistance.

• Skin infections - fungal, bacterial, and yeast infections are more frequent and harder to treat due to immune suppression.