The first fictional diabetic I ever encountered was chopper pilot Smilin‘ Jack Mitchell in the MASH episode “Smilin‘ Jack.” The first hint of his diabetic status comes when Col. Potter notices that a wound on the back of his hand hasn’t healed in the expected time frame.
There are a number of skin complications you face as a diabetic. In my case, the first sign was acanthosis nigricans, which I’d noticed and worried about, but not enough to see my doctor. Don’t do what I did. Acanthosis nigricans can signal a number of concerns, and diabetes is just one of them.
Keeping my diabetes under control is about more than just taking my metformin and following my meal plan. After years of dealing with oily skin, I now have to worry about dry skin and keep an eye on any scratches I get–and as a cat owner, I collect my share of scratches.
I’ve never been especially girly. My husband is a super-taster, and it was no trouble for me to stop wearing lipstick so that he didn’t make a face after kissing me. I do have a weakness for handmade soaps, but being a diabetic meant having to up my game.
So … these days I scrub my feet with a sugar scrub. I’m lavish with lotion. I shower with exfoliating gloves. I’m even more careful about sun exposure.
On Friday I’ll be sharing information about the products I now rely on for skin care.
Rachel
I'm a writer, a knitter/spinner/weaver, a young stroke survivor, and a type 2 diabetic.
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