Healthy Skin Care And Diabetes – Living with Diabetes? How Eucerin can keep your skin healthy.

Did you know that diabetes affects more than one in four locals in the GCC population? In fact, researchers predict that more than 35.4 million people in the MENA Region have diabetes and by 2040 that number will rise to 72.1 million – that’s a 100% increase. Living with diabetes requires special care, and a relatively unknown side effect is that skin irritations are quite frequent in diabetics: four out of five people will be bothered by dry and itchy skin. In fact, skin sensitivity and irritation can be one of the first signs that a person has diabetes.

Follow the simple tips below to relieve many common skin care concerns, giving you the confidence in knowing your skin looks and feels its best. Talk to your dermatologist or doctor for further information.

As many as four out of five people with diabetes will have a skin disorder caused by their disease. Most of them will develop dry skin, especially on their legs and feet, as skin loses its ability to bind moisture and its function as a barrier is impaired. Dry skin can set the stage for even more serious skin infections and diseases such as eczema and ulcers.

If you have diabetes, you may have noticed that your skin tends to be more sensitive. Skin irritations are quite frequent in diabetics. Why is that? Diabetic skin cannot restore moisture like healthy skin and thus it gets dry and cracks more easily. The elevated blood sugar affects small nerves and vessels as well as sweat glands. Therefore, the perspiration of your skin is reduced, which normally helps to keep your skin soft and moist. To keep your skin moist and healthy, you should look after it carefully. Eucerin® supports you and your skin with selected dry skin products, which replenish what your skin is lacking.

Most common skin problems are:

• Dry, flaky and cracked skin
• Pressure marks on the feet
• Impaired barrier function
• Recurring skin infections
• Impaired wound healing
• Itching, which aggravates skin problems

If you suffer from diabetes, skin care is more than just cosmetic. Eucerin® Dry Skin formulas replenish natural moisturizing factors like Urea and Lactate as well as skin-related lipids. As a result, your outer protective shield gets less susceptible to irritations and further skin problems. With daily appliance your skin becomes soft and visibly smooth again.

Urea:

• Actively increases natural water-binding capacity
• Intensively moisturizes dry skin

 

Lactate:

• Acts synergistically with Urea
• Helps regulate the physiological pH value of the skin
• Inhibits scaliness

 

Tips of diabetic skin care

• Keep your skin moist by washing with a mild soap
• Use a moisturizing body-care product, especially suitable for diabetic skin
• Drink lots of fluids, such as water, to keep your skin moist and healthy
• Check your skin regularly and talk to your doctor about any skin issues or problems

Avoid Hot Water

Be cautious of the temperature of your shower or bath water. Hot water strips skin of its natural oils, making it drier and more sensitive.

Don’t Over Do It

Only focus on washing parts of the body that absolutely need it, like underarms, groin, hands and feet. Cleansing other areas such as arms, legs, stomach and back that don’t get as dirty, will leave you dry and itchy.

Lock in Moisture

Moisturize skin with a thick creme after getting out of the bath or shower. Applying while skin is still damp will lock in the moisture.

Break the “Itch-Scratch” Cycle

Scratching the skin will only make dryness or irritation worse and set up a repetitive “itch-scratch” cycle.

Invest in a Humidifier

Get a humidifier for your bedroom during the dry winter months to get the most out of your moisturizer. Low humidity levels rob the skin of needed hydration while the added humidity gives your moisturizer the hydration it needs to “grab” and seal into skin.

Make Time for Your Skin

Don’t neglect your skin because you’re too busy. Good skin care doesn’t have to take a lot of time. A simple regimen of a gentle cleanser and moisturizer used daily, a humidifier, and warm water temperatures will go a long way to keeping skin in good shape.

Elevated blood sugar levels can cause damaged nerves and result in a loss of feeling. If this happens, you may not be able to notice injuries. Simple cuts can lead to serious skin problems. That’s why your feet need some daily extra care. Eucerin® UreaRepair PLUS Foot Cream 10% Urea contains skin’s natural moisturizing factors Urea and Lactate, which provide effective moisturization. UreaRepair PLUS Foot Cream 10% Urea is clinically proven to help heal rough, cracked heels in just two weeks.

Tips for foot care

• Inspection – You should check your feet for cuts, sores, red spots, swelling and infected toenails
• Corns & hornification – Let the specialist, e.g. podiatrist, take care of it
• Shoes – Proper foot attire helps to keep your feet healthy and comfortable
• Make sure to fully dry your feet after the shower and carefully in between your toes
• To avoid possible injuries, don’t stay barefoot

 

Eucerin® UreaRepair PLUS Lotion 10% Urea

 

Study design:

• Single-blind in-use study
• 2x daily application over two weeks
• 64 diabetics type I and II (aged 20 to 70 years) with dry or very dry skin

 

Eucerin® UreaRepair PLUS Lotion 10% Urea has shown excellent results in skin care of diabetic patients and is recommended for the daily care of diabetic skin.

Eucerin® UreaRepair PLUS Foot Cream 10% Urea

Study design:

• 2-week clinical study, including 604 patients (178 with diabetes)

Study results:

• Immediately and significantly increase of moisturization 24h after one single application
• Significantly reduction of skin dryness 48h after last treatment
• 91.5% of patients stated that the general condition of the feet has improved
• 100% of patients assessed tolerability of the foot cream as “very good“ and “good“

Eucerin® UreaRepair PLUS Foot Cream 10% Urea reduces typical dry-skin symptoms in 96.7% of cases and is recommended by 96.7% of the dermatologists.

Eucerin Dry Skin products are clinically proven formulations that actively restore moisture even to extremely dry, cracked, flaky skin as caused by diabetes. They contain Urea and Lactate as natural moisturizing factors, which act jointly to compensate daily loss of moisture. Well-hydrated, healthy skin is your best defense against skin complications in diabetes.

Eucerin® skin care products deliver superior medical efficacy and safety for dry skin especially in diabetes as we only use selected active ingredients. The products are developed in close collaboration with leading dermatologists based upon the latest medical findings.

For more information and additional tips on Diabetes and how to treat it, please view our practical advice videos on our Media Library page.