Around one million Britons have type 2 diabetes without knowing it, experts have warned.
The findings, from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), also suggest many more people living in England – perhaps five million – are on the verge of developing the blood sugar condition.
The ONS based the data on information, including blood tests looking at blood sugar levels, gathered from 26,751 adults who took part in an annual survey of the nation’s health called the Health Survey for England.
Type 2 diabetes raises your spectre of dangerous complications posed by untreated high blood sugar levels.
Fortunately, identifying the condition and managing your blood glucose through healthy lifestyle choices are some of the best weapons you can add to your arsenal of protection. And your skin could ring alarm bells, according to a diabetes specialist.
An endocrine specialist, known on TikTok as The Voice of Diabetes, has outlined the warning signs of the blood sugar condition.
The doctor explained that one of the red flags can appear on your skin. She recommended getting “very dry” skin checked out by a doctor.
In a previous interview with Express.co.uk, Navin Khosla, medical writer at NiceRx, explained that another key diabetes sign – excessive urination – can lead to less moisture in other areas of the body such as the mouth and skin.
The expert said: “This can result in discomfort, increased thirst and itchy skin.
“These can also be caused by other factors; however, it is important to visit your GP if you have concerns surrounding these symptoms.”
Apart from very dry skin, diabetes can also cause the following problems:
- Skin discolouration in your underarms or neck
- Skin tags
- Acne.
The Voice of Diabetes shared the full list of symptoms that warrant getting checked.
She said: “The most common signs that indicate that you may have diabetes are increased urination, where you are peeing a lot, increased thirst, where you are drinking a lot and you still feel thirsty.
“If you’re feeling overly hungry despite eating, you have blurry vision or very dry skin, you have unintentional weight loss, where you cannot understand why you’re losing weight despite eating and doing the normal things you normally do, and you’re also feeling very tired all the time.
“If you know someone who is experiencing these symptoms, you should discuss with your doctor and they can [check] for diabetes.”
The NHS explains that the earlier you get a diagnosis of diabetes, “the better”.
