Diabetes and Dermatology
- What Is Dermatology?
- What Kind of Skin Problems Does Dermatology Deal With?
- Which Diseases Does Dermatology Treat?
- Is Botox Performed by Dermatology?
Forming 10% of our body weight alone, skin is the largest organ after skeletal system.
It is an organ that feels, perceives, responds and connects with external environment both medically and socio-culturally.
In addition to areas such as inside of mouth and lips, hair and nails called “skin appendages” and sexually transmitted diseases are within the field of interest of the Dermatology.
In dermacosmetic areas, anti-aging, meaning skin rejuvenation, procedures are also performed under the control of dermatologists.
What Is The Connection Between Diabetes and Dermatology?
Being a chronic disease, diabetes characterized by insulin deficiency or insufficiency affects metabolic system, veins, nerves, cardiovascular system and neural system. The skin may show signs of diabetes after it starts to develop or, in most cases, before it is diagnosed.
- Dermatological signs of diabetes can be studied under 4 groups as the following:
Effects of Diabetes on Skin (Metabolic Changes Like Elevated Blood Glucose) - Diseases Secondary to Chronic Degeneration of Diabetes
- Common Diseases Independent from These Two Conditions
- Disorders Secondary to Treatment.
What Kind of Skin Problems Are Common in Diabetes?
Itching, dryness, diabetic dermopathy (brown spots below-knee area), diabetic bulla (bubbles containing water), diabetic foot (stiffness of feet, calluses, scars, scratches on feet, ingrown toenail and nail fungus) are common skin disorders in diabetes.
When Should Patients with Diabetes Visit a Dermatologist?
Patients with diabetes should routinely examine their skins at certain intervals. It is very important for patients to visit a dermatologist when any kind of skin problem impairing the skin integrity such as even a tiny spot or scratch on the skin is seen. As long as measures are taken at early stage, progression of these disorders is prevented and the chance of treatment increases.
Callus, warts confused with calluses, nail fungus on a diabetic foot, candida (a type of non-infectious fungus) on areas such as armpit, groin and inframammary fold are typically seen in patients with diabetes.
On the other hand, several problems can arise in treatment of diabetes. For example, compressions or swellings may develop in the injection site where insulin is administered.
Skin Problems
How Are Skin Problems Treated?
In skin problems developing in treatment of diabetes, a solution is provided with patients by changing the type and injection site of the insulin. Patients may react to orally administered (tablet, capsule etc.) medications, which present itself with allergy or rash. In such cases, patients should apply to a hospital for a dermatological examination.
Even though no wound develops, it is vital for patients to moisturize the skin with an appropriate moisturizing cream, wash and clean the skin with moisturizing soaps even when no wound occurs. Without applying too much press on the skin, these cleaning methods should be practiced using a bath glove and shower sponge.
Genital Warts
What Is Sexually Transmitted Genital Wart?
Sexually transmitted diseases that emerge on external genital area are also within the field of interest of Dermatology. Genital wart and HPV infection are quite common in recent years. HPV is a kind of virus that is sexually transmitted and generally seen as swellings on genital region.
What Is The Treatment of The Genital Warts?
Thanks to dissolving the tissue with an electrical current called “cauterization” or cold therapy also called “cryotherapy”, these warts can be destroyed and prevented at early stage. The HPV is an insidiously progressing virus. Although the lesion is removed, it may remain intact within the skin cells. This condition depends on the person’s immune system and can be treated by dermatologists. In addition to cream therapies boosting the immune system, some restrictive treatments can also be performed together with cream therapies when appropriate. Some of the viruses can trigger cervical cancer in women patients. HPV vaccines, in this regard, can considerably prevent these kinds of disorders without progression of the disease.
Dermacosmetics
What Is Dermacosmetics?
There is a growing number of cosmetic procedures including non-surgical rejuvenation methods. Some of these procedures are performed with laser and radiofrequency devices whereas the rest is conducted with medications. Botox and Filling are the most effective methods that show result in a short time.
Botox
What Does Botox Mean?
The Botox is a drug used medically to remove wrinkles in glabella, forehead and nasolabial fold, also known as “smile lines” or “laugh lines.” It is injected by an expert physician at an appropriate dose in a suitable health center, which shows its effects in about 1 week. It is important to inject it at a proper dose, in this way, muscles can relieve a little bit. Permanent state of the wrinkles can be prevented in the long term. It is significant to start having Botox injection after the age of 30 without being too late for onset of permanent wrinkle formation. The effect of the Botox, which is required to be repeated, lasts 4 to 6 months. It can be performed 2-3 times a year based on the structure and response of the skin.
Filling
What Is Filling?
Filling is a procedure performed by means of injection of a natural substance called “hyaluronic acid” that allows skin to retain water in its natural structure and seem vivid. Patients can have cheek augmentation with this technique, and fine wrinkles as well as deep ones, collapsed skin, scars, lines extending from nose to lips can be prevented.
Peeling is also other option for those who do not prefer having Botox or filling but want to boost quality, flexibility and brightness of skin. There are various types of peeling, which are performed under examination conditions based on skin type of the patients, more commonly in winter season.
Mesotherapy
What Is Mesotherapy?
In order for skin to regenerate, gain flexibility and brightness, mesotherapy is performed by injecting a special mixture consisting of amino acid and vitamins to the skin using fine micro-needles. Providing nice tightness, vividness and brightness of skin, the mesotherapy should be performed at certain intervals.
PRP Therapy
What Is PRP Therapy?
PRP refers to platelet-rich plasma in medical literature and is widely used for intraarticular injection and wound healing. It is prepared from patients’ own blood. After drawing a small amount of blood from the patients, the blood is processed on a centrifugal machine. Special substances that excreted during this process are administered by injecting to the skin.
On Which Areas Is the PRP Therapy Applied?
PRP therapy is administered on face, neck, décolletage, hands and hairs. It is particularly performed for hair loss or areas where hairs become dull and weak, seasonal hair loss, also called temporary hair loss, male pattern baldness or its female pattern baldness form and strengthening the transplanted hairs following a hair transplant procedure.
How Is the PRP Therapy Applied?
It is administered on entire scalp between spaces measuring 1 cm with small micro-needles. The PRP therapy can be performed in 3-4 sessions at 2 to 3-week intervals once in 1 year or 6 months, alternating with mesotherapy, based on the need of the patients. As the PRP is prepared from the patients’ own blood, there is no risk of infection.
If the PRP therapy is not suitable mesotherapy, mesotherapy then can be performed with ready-to-use serums for both face and scalp. It is very important for anti-aging and eye contours. Using very thin needles, the mesotherapy can be applied at our hospital for dark circles under the eyes, under eye bags, fine wrinkles, the wrinkles located very closely to eye that the Botox cannot effect.
Peeling can also be applied with combined treatments on eye contours.
As for anti-aging and skin rejuvenation, performing a treatment in combination of multiple methods, rather than just one, helps to get the best and most natural result.
Dermapen-Dermaroller Treatment
What Is Dermapen-Dermaroller Treatment?
A roller is a special skin care device that is manually handled. It uses a rolling head of hundreds of micro-needles made of materials gold or titanium etc. With this rolling head, tiny micro canals or holes are created on face or the application area and the dermis is accessed. The length and millimetric measurements can be adjusted in line with the area that is required to be accessed. Thanks to this method, skin is stimulated with multiple microstimuli and allowed to rejuvenate itself. Perceiving these stimuli as damages, the skin secretes growth factor and collagen-boosting factors. Just after the procedure is completed, patients can feel the tightness in the skin. Its total effect can be seen 3 weeks after the whole treatment is completed. Applied with an electrical system, this system, also called Dermapen, is performed by rapidly compressing and pricking the skin with tiny micro-needles at 90 degrees. In order to for patients not to feel pain, cream is rubbed on face before the procedure begins. Being an effective method on neck, décolletage, stretch marks and superficial scars, it can be performed up to 4 sessions at 2 to 3-week intervals. Applied in combination with mesotherapy and PRP therapy, this treatment provides a cost efficient and effective option with the patients. Dermapen-Dermaroller treatment is very popular in USA and considered quite modern and promising method. Patients can get better results when combined with PRP therapy. As long as applied at early stage, good results can be obtained for brightness and rejuvenation of skin, tightening of pores and stretch marks that can develop during pregnancy or puberty. Depending on the size on which this treatment is performed, sessions are generally completed very shortly and take 30 minutes on average and 15-20 minutes on facial area.
Mild redness can develop following the session; however, this redness disappears in a couple of days and patients can return to their normal and routine lives.