Experts have warned that itchy fungal nail infections could be the sign of the potentially serious blood sugar disease diabetes. Type 2 diabetes affects around 4.4million people in the UK, with a further 500,000 having the more serious Type 1 on their medical records.
The condition causes the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood to get too high due to lack of insulin produced in the body. Most people manage it with healthy diet and lifestyle choices, plus regular insulin injections.
But in the most serious cases it can result in sudden death syndrome for those with Type 1 diabetes. mNow skin specialists have highlighted fungal nail infections as a major red flag for those unaware they have the condition.
Sam Cinkir, CEO of skin and hair specialists Este Medical Group, said: “Skin problems can often be one of the first signs that someone is suffering from diabetes. “They are symptoms that anyone can experience, but are more likely to occur in people with the blood disorder.
“One of the main types is fungal nail infections that are caused when a bacteria, most often associated with athlete’s foot, spreads to the keratin in the nails. That can cause the nail to become discoloured, fragile and crack. They may also become raised away from the nail bed, and become very painful if not treated.”
Other classic signs of fungal infections include thickened or twisted nails and white or yellow streaks on the surface. As well as diabetes, some of the other causes include injuries to the toe or nail, poor circulation – often associated with old age – and a weakened immune system.
Further skin conditions that may be a red flag of diabetes include necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum, diabetic dermopathy and diabetic blisters. Another is eruptive xanthomatosis, which causes small yellow-red bumps to appear on the body.
Este Medical Group’s Mr Cinkir added: “One of the best ways to address the problem of fungal nail infections is a state-of-the-art laser treatment, when a powerful ray of light which transmits through the nails and is absorbed by the infection, thereby destroying it.
“It’s also recommended to wear comfortable shoes and maintain a strict foot health regime, keeping them clean and dry as much as possible. Fungal nail infections mainly affect toenails, but what many people don’t know is that in 20 per cent of cases it can be in fingernails – so these signs are certainly worth watching out for.”
According to Diabetes UK, almost 14m people in the UK are at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes – with 850,000 currently living with it but yet to be diagnosed. Diet, exercise and losing weight have all been linked to reducing the risk of developing the condition by around 50 per cent.
More recent research has linked factors such as drinking tea, a regular sleep cycle and eating more dairy to improving outcomes.
