Every single part of your body can hold important clues about your health, including your skin.
Skin experts are often able to pick up telltale signs of chronic conditions with just a glance at your skin.
Your skin texture and colour can give away a lot about your health. Fortunately, Dr Jeremy Brauer, a dermatology surgeon based in New York told BuzzFeed what to look out for.
Redness
Depending on its pattern and distribution, redness could be a red flag sign of rosacea, skin irritation, or an allergic reaction.
The doctor explained that tiny red or purple dots that don’t fade when pressed might indicate that you lack vitamins or suffer from more serious health issues.
Furthermore, red, scaly patches might be a sign of skin cancer, while a red rash across your cheeks often occurs with lupus.
Discolouration
This sign comes in many colours, with every single one pointing to a specific cause, according to Dr Brauer. Red points to inflammation, brown indicates pigmentation changes and blue is a sign of vascular issues.
Spotting pink and yellow patches on your shins, also known as Necrobiosis lipoidica, could be a signal that you need to get checked for diabetes. However, it can also point towards thyroid issues or inflammatory diseases like Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis, according to Dr Brauer.
Skin thickness
Skin thickening or enlargement could be another warning sign of diabetes. This red flag is often visible on your fingers, hands, and feet. Dr Brauer noted it’s also typical to experience decreased feeling.
