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Diabetic DermopathyAka: Skin Spots

Epidemiology
1. Most common skin finding in Diabetes Mellitus
  1. More common if comorbid Diabetic Neuropathy
2. More common in men
Pathophysiology
1. Skin Hyperpigmentation due to hemosiderin deposition
2. May be associated with trauma
Symptoms
1. None
Signs
1. Round hyperpigmented areas
  1. Initial: flat-topped, red and scaly Papules
  2. Later: Depressed below skin level
2. Distribution
  1. Bilateral shins (most common)
  2. Forearms
  3. Anterior thighs
  4. Lateral feet
Course
1. Heal spontaneously
2. May leave preciously involved skin with altered pigment
References
1. Habif (1996) Dermatology, p. 624
2. Marx (2002) Rosen's Emergency Medicine, 1759-60

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 6/1/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.