People with diabetes tend to have chronic elevated or high blood pressure, which causes damage to arteries and veins as well as dehydration. All of these issues contribute and cause dry skin problems. Dry, cracked skin is a potential breeding ground for infection. It is important to stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water and applying moisturizing lotions to the skin. Using mild soaps and other gentle skin care products helps maintain healthy skin. Underarms, groin, and between the toes need to stay dry to prevent fungal infections. Approximately one third of people with diabetes will have some type of skin problem during their lifetime. Often skin problems are the first sign that a person has diabetes. If skin problems are diagnosed early, then most of them can be prevented or treated easily with medication or with simple skin hygiene maintenance.

Anyone can get or have skin conditions, but people with diabetes tend to get them more easily. These might include the following: bacterial infections, fungal infections, and itching. Other skin problems happen mostly or only to people with diabetes. These include diabetic dermopathy, necrobiosis, lipoidica, diabeticorum, diabetic blisters, and eruptive xanthomatosis.

Other skin conditions associated with diabetes include:

• Acanthosis nigricans: Is a skin condition that is most likely to develop in the groin, armpit region or around the back of the neck. Symptoms include: light-brown-to-black discoloration of the skin that is related to overweight and high levels of insulin in the blood.
• Bullosis diabeticorum:  Also known as diabetic blisters. Are sores that look like burn blisters, but they are painless and have no redness around the perimeter.  Diabetic blisters can occur on the backs of fingers, hands, toes, feet, and sometimes, on legs or forearms. Usually, within three weeks they heal by themselves without any scars.
• Diabetic dermopathy: Light brown scaly patches and small firm bumps most commonly found on the front of both legs of people with diabetes; the legs may not be affected to the same degree. These patches may be oval or circular. These often become pigmented and ulcerated, which can result in scars.
• Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum: More common in women and is a rash that occurs usually on the lower legs that may start as a small red spot(s) with a yellow center or raised area. The centers may develop open sores that are painful or itchy and are slow to heal. As the spots heal, they turn a brownish color, which fades slowly over time, but is permanent.
• Bacterial Infections: People with diabetes tend to have more bacterial infections than people without diabetes.  One of the most common bacterial infections are styes, which are located on the eyelid.  Infections of the hair follicles are known as boils.  Carbuncles are deep infections of the skin and the tissue underneath. Diabetics can also get infections around the nails.  The most common bacterial infection of the skin (hot, swollen, red, and painful) are Staphylococcus bacteria; also known as staph.
• Fungal Infections: Some of the most common fungal infections include: jock itch, athlete's foot, ringworm and vaginal infection, which all cause itching. People with diabetes often have infections caused by Candida albicans. This yeast-like fungus can create itchy rashes of moist, red areas surrounded by tiny blisters and scales. These infections often occur in warm, moist folds of the skin. Problem areas are under the breasts, around the nails, between fingers and toes, in the corners of the mouth, under the foreskin (in uncircumcised men), vagina, groin and armpits.
• Itching - Localized itching can be caused by a yeast infection, dry skin, or poor circulation. When poor circulation is the cause of itching, usually this will affect the lower parts of the legs. You may be able to treat itching yourself by limiting how often you bath; especially if the humidity is high. Use mild soap with moisturizer and apply skin cream after bathing. If the condition persists, please call your physician.
• Nerve damage - Makes it hard for your nerves to send messages to and from the brain and other parts of the body. It may cause you to lose feeling in parts of your body or have a painful pins-and-needles-like feeling. While nerve damage most often affects the feet and legs, it can also affect other parts of the body.