Actor Rajesh Sharma’s health scare: How diabetes can worsen skin infection

This can create a difficult cycle. An infection can push blood sugar even higher, while very high blood sugar can make it harder for the body to control the infection.

Why a skin problem can become harder to heal

High blood sugar can also affect blood vessels and nerves over time. Reduced blood flow means fewer oxygen and nutrients may reach damaged tissue, slowing the healing process. Nerve damage can reduce sensation, particularly in the feet and legs, meaning a wound or skin injury may go unnoticed for longer. As a result, a cut, sore, ulcer or existing skin problem can take longer to heal and may be more likely to become infected.

“Uncontrolled diabetes can significantly change the way the body responds to even a pre-existing skin problem. High glucose levels can also affect small blood vessels and nerves, which can compromise circulation, sensation and healing, particularly in the legs and feet. Therefore, a longstanding skin condition that may have been relatively stable can become inflamed, infected or difficult to heal when diabetes becomes severely uncontrolled. In some cases, what may initially appear to be a local skin problem can become more serious and require hospital-based treatment,” explains Dr Chaturvedi.

Why doctors take leg and foot infections seriously in diabetes

In people with diabetes, infections involving the feet and lower legs can become particularly difficult to treat when blood sugar is poorly controlled. The combination of impaired immune response, poor circulation and nerve damage can allow an infection to persist or worsen.

That does not mean every infection in a person with diabetes will become severe. “However, very high blood sugar can act as an important factor in worsening an existing condition and can slow down recovery. When there is a sudden change in chronic skin lesion, increasing redness or swelling, pain, discharge, ulceration or a wound that is not healing, both the skin condition and blood glucose levels need to be assessed promptly. Getting the diabetes back under control is an important part of managing the underlying problem and preventing further complications,” advises Dr Chaturvedi.

The warning signs not to ignore

For someone with diabetes, a wound or skin problem that becomes increasingly red, swollen, warm or painful deserves medical attention. Fever, pus or a wound that is not healing are also warning signs. Watch out for darkening tissue, red streaks, blisters, fever, chills, shaking, marked weakness or confusion.

Keeping blood glucose within the recommended range is an important part of preventing diabetes-related complications.