[Cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus]

This article reviews the cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus. At least 30% of the patients with diabetes mellitus have some type of cutaneous involvement during the course of their chronic disease. The cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus may be considered categorically as (1) Specific skin diseases with a strong association with diabetic degenerative complications, (2) Non-specific skin signs related to diabetes mellitus, (3) Cutaneous disorders that are more common in diabetes mellitus, (4) Cutaneous infections in diabetes mellitus. On occasion, these cutaneous findings provide early clues to the diagnosis of underlying latent diabetes mellitus therefore, clinicians should be familiar with these skin signs.