It may surprise you to learn that itchy skin and scalp can be caused by diabetes. While eye, kidney, and heart disease are well-known diabetes complications, high blood sugars also affect other organs, such as the skin.
How Diabetes and Skin Issues are Related
According to WebMD, 1 out of 3 people has skin conditions related to diabetes.
Often, skin conditions can be the first signs that a person has diabetes. For example, acanthosis nigricans (AN) is the darker skin that appears in the creases of the neck. Shin spots (diabetic dermopathy) are spots on the front of the lower legs. I have them and they resemble age spots. While shin spots are caused by nerve and small blood vessel damage, they’re harmless and don’t require medical treatment.
Digital sclerosis is hard, thick skin. Sometimes it has the texture of an orange. It may cause stiffness and require physical therapy to help with bending or straightening arms and legs.
Diabetes may also cause skin tags. According to a study, patients with skin tags had a higher frequency of diabetes. The study found that there was an increased risk of diabetes in subjects with multiple skin tags, and suspected impaired carbohydrate metabolism (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17988334/).
Reasons Diabetics are Prone to Itchy Scalp and Skin
According to the CDC, too much sugar in the blood causes the body to pull fluid from its cell in order to produce enough urine to remove the excess sugar. This leaves skin dry and causes itchiness (https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/diabetes-and-your-skin.html).
Other causes are:
- Nerve damage
- Skin infections such as bacterial, fungal, and yeast infections
- Poor circulation, which usually affects the lower part of the legs
High blood sugars can weaken a diabetic’s immune system and cause poor circulation, which increases the risk of infections. High blood sugar allows bacteria, fungi, and yeast to grow. They can also lead to open sores and wounds, such as diabetic ulcers on the feet.
Yeast and fungal infections can be found under the breasts, in the armpits, and groin. They also include jock itch, athlete’s foot, ringworm, and genital itching.
Elevated blood sugars are a breeding ground for bacteria, as I wrote in my post on UTIs (https://backtonaturediabetic.com/utis-a-lesser-known-diabetes-complication/).
While dry, itchy skin is uncomfortable, take caution, not to scratch. Scratching can cut the skin, allowing infection to set in.
ADA Suggestions for Preventing Skin Problems
Suggestions from the ADA include managing diabetes, keeping skin dry and clean, avoiding hot showers, and treating cuts immediately (https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/skin-complications#:~:text=The%20culprit%20in%20fungal%20infections, moist%20folds%20of%20the%20skin).
You can use creams made specifically for diabetics, such as Gold Bond, but most creams will provide relief as long as they do not contain fragrance, which can further irritate the skin.
Diabetes and Itchy Scalp
I always thought I had dandruff and tried all the dandruff shampoos. I’ve even tried tea tree oil and apple cider vinegar. Then I thought, it’s not dandruff, I wash my hair too much and cut back. But despite trying all this, my itchy scalp always returned. I did not learn until years later that my diabetes was the culprit.
Ginger and Clay for Hair?
The best remedy will always be to manage your blood sugars. But I have found two shampoos that have not cured, but controlled, my itchy scalp.
The first one contains Hawaiian ginger. I tried Paul Mitchell Awapuhi shampoo during a hotel stay, where they had samples. I had never heard of Awapuhi and after using it I noticed that it calmed my scalp. I learned that Awapuhi aids with scalp issues because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
The second shampoo contains clay. I became interested in Morrocco Method Earth Essence Shampoo because it’s Paleo and gluten-free. Since I am sensitive to gluten like many type 1 diabetics (https://backtonaturediabetic.com/are-type-1-diabetics-allergic-to-gluten-and-cows-milk/), I believed I should avoid gluten in not only food but also cosmetics. Cosmetic companies often add gluten to shampoos as a thickener. However, according to the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, individuals with celiac disease should not be concerned about products with gluten applied to the hair or skin.
So, even though I don’t need to avoid gluten in products, I still like this shampoo. It contains clay, used to absorb excess oil, and natural ingredients such as aloe vera and rosemary. I have to warn you that the shampoo took some getting used to. Imagine putting chocolate pudding on your hair. This is what the shampoo resembles. It looks and feels like chocolate pudding. At first, it was strange not having suds when shampooing my hair. But the results are worth it. My scalp itches less and my hair feels soft. Because I miss the lather, I alternate between the Awapuhi and this shampoo.
The shampoos have soothed my scalp, but they have not completely resolved the irritation. The itch returns but is not as intense as before. Also, I still need to wash my hair daily. Some people say washing your hair daily is bad and you need to “train” your hair to be less greasy. Believe me, I have tried. But the result is always that my hair is itchier and falls out a lot. And the way I look at it, if I have to wash my face and brush my teeth daily, why wouldn’t I wash my hair daily too?
Besides these shampoos, other tips I can give are to wash your pillowcases, hair brushes, combs, hats, and hair accessories often if your hair is also oily.
Conclusion
Itchy skin and scalp are lesser-known diabetes complications. They are another reason to keep your blood sugars under control. Try the tips from the ADA and see a dermatologist if needed. And always contact your doctor if you suspect an infection or have skin ulcers.
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