Some 85 percent of teenagers experience acne, with most healing with proper skin care and treatment. But acne that appears when you are an adult, or acne that fails to clear up with proper treatment, could be a sign of diabetes.
Significance
Diabetes can cause recurrent infections and problems in healing wounds or skin lesions, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). In fact, the ADA reports that up to one-third of people with diabetes will have a diabetes-related skin condition, such as acne, at some point.
Identification
In some cases a bad case of adult acne, especially one that seems difficult to treat or heals very slowly, can indicate the onset of diabetes, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). If acne develops in a person over 40, many clinicians advise checking for underlying diabetes.
Treatments
Oftentimes acne cases associated with underlying diabetes can be severe, with infection penetrating deep into the tissues of the skin. According to the AAD, diabetic patients should consult their physicians about their acne. They may need to consider antibiotic treatment to target the bacteria causing the infection or another form of treatment, such as laser therapy, designed to reduce inflammation and curb excess oil production.
Drug Treatment
The drug Accutane (isotretinoin) often is prescribed to treat severe acne and can be effective. However, the drug is known to affect blood sugar levels, and some clinicians also warn of a possible link between isotretinoin treatment and type I diabetes development. In a 2009 study published in Diabetes Care, three physicians reported on a case involving a 28-year-old man who was diagnosed with type I diabetes after undergoing isotretinoin treatment for his acne.
Prevention/Solution
For diabetes patients who suffer from acne, good skin care is a must, the ADA says. Keep your skin clean and dry, and immediately treat any erupting pimple with an over-the-counter or prescription acne treatment recommended by your physician. In addition, keeping your diabetes well-managed and your blood sugar low is one key to preventing infections, including acne, the ADA says.
