5 Steps to Healthy Summer Skin for Diabetics!

Do you have skin concerns and wonder if they are caused by your diabetes?

These 5 Steps to healthy summer skin for diabetics will help you!

I have been dealing with dry, bumpy skin on my arms and lower legs for years. Not only is it annoying… but it’s hard to find clothes to hide my skin when the warm weather comes. I have done TONS of research in order to find the right products for this concern, and I hope that they will help you too! I heard that 50% of diabetics have dry skin and so we just need to care for our skin a little more than the average person.

What are the dry, rough, bumpy patches of skin?

If you weren’t aware of this condition it is called keratosis pilaris or KP and it is very common! It is basically a buildup or “plug” of keratin in our hair follicles, these bumps may appear red or white.

What can I do to reduce the appearance of them?

You can do many things to reduce the appearance of these annoying bumps and get your skin smoother and ready for summer! Here are some things that have personally helped me and things that help many others too…

Exfoliate your skin a few times a week! Scrub but don’t over-scrub because that will further irritate your skin. Also, don’t use hot warm, use warm to reduce the bumps. My favorite exfoliants are sugar scrubs and you can get these from any beauty store or pharmacy. Here is one I tried before from Amazon that leaves your skin smooth and happy.
Use a lotion and keratolytic daily that is specially for KP! Lotions for this condition can contain alpha hydroxy acid, lactic acid or even salicylic acid. These are great because they are further exfoliating the skin and also help moisturize. Here are my favorites: AmLactin Rapid Relief Restoring Lotion, KPAway Keratosis Pilaris Treatment, and Glytone KP Kit Keratosis Pilaris.
Watch your shaving routine! If you are taking long showers and then shaving with a dull razor- your KP will probably get worse. Not only should you be careful of the water temperature and duration but watch the creams and devices you use to shave. They should be sharp, clean, and there are even moisturizing ones out there like this Schick Hydro Silk TrimStyle Moisturizing Razor.
Switch up your clothing and let those legs breathe! Females, if you have been wear leggings all the time (hello, quarantine) try to switch it up. Wearing tight clothing can cause this skin condition to appear worse. So if tight clothing means more redness and bumps, just switch it up once in awhile and keep your legs moisturized before you wear your leggings or workout gear.
Focus on dry brushing! Dry brushing is a great natural exfoliator to unclog those hair follicles and it also helps our lymphatic system. There are tons of brushes but this one has been my favorite for years- 100% Natural Boar Bristle Body Brush. It’s definitely worth every penny to me since it helps minimize those bumps from KP when I use it a few times a week.

Try incorporating or starting these 5 steps to healthy summer skin into your morning or nighttime routine and let me know if you notice a difference too! Cheers to smooth, beautiful skin right in time for the summer!

Stephanie

PS! I just set up my shop last week which will link you to some journals that I made… go check them out here. Thank you for your support and love!