Weighing 110 kg, 35-year-old Lalita wasn’t one to be bothered by the extra weight. If you looked at her, you’d think she didn’t have a care in the world, which for the most part was right. But there was one thing that kept bothering her—the black patches on her inner thigh, the groin region, and at the back of her neck. It began spreading to her elbows and knuckles. She scuttled from one doctor to another to find a fix but all she got in return were a bunch of prescription scribbled with names of medicines that never helped. After several haplessness months, she finally got a diagnosis. It was a skin condition called Acanthosis nigricans, that led to hyperpigmentation. The real shocker, however, was that it was caused by her being overweight.
She could never fathom that the two were interconnected. But here’s a fact-check: “When one is obese, the high level of insulin in the blood triggers the growth of abnormal skin cells, which increase melanin in the body. The process causes darkness in the skin making it rough. It can lead to complications in the body, mainly indicating early sign of type-2 diabetes,” says Dr Deepali Bhardwaj, dermatologist and director of Centre for Skin and Hair Pvt Ltd, Delhi.
The skin is often at the receiving end of a gamut of obesity-related issues. “What’s startling is that almost 50-60 percent of the obese population isn’t even aware of this. Those who do know, believe that skin specialist or beauty products can work magic and make their conditions disappear. Not true,” says Dr Meena B Makhecha, professor and HoD, dermatology, HBT Medical College and Dr RN Cooper Municipal General Hospital, Mumbai.
The phenomenon has gotten worse with time, mostly because of poor lifestyle choices. Obesity is on the rise largely due to overeating and physical inactivity. In light of this, cases of skin-obesity issues are also increasing. “It’s shocking to see young adults and even children suffering from weight-related skin problems,” says Makhecha.
Ignorance isn’t bliss so it’s important to be familiar with common skin issues that are linked to obesity. Some of these are intertrigo, a rash that develops when the skin rubs together, striae or stretch marks, lymphedema or swelling in the legs, acne, baldness, Adiposis dolorosa, a painful fat deposition, and several kinds of infections. “Skin tags, skin warts, and black and rough skin, are common among obese children aged 15 to 25,” says Bhardwaj.
People who are obese have a thick layer of subcutaneous fat, which increases the temperature of their body rapidly. This causes excessive sweating, which leads to many skin issues as fat tissues create multiple skin folds that adversely affect the interchange of oxygen in cells. “This condition upholds moisture for a long time and encourages the growth of bacteria and fungus, making the cells vulnerable to bacterial and fungal skin infections,” says professor Jayakar Thomas, Department of Dermatology, The Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University, Chennai.
Other irritants include furunculosis or frequent recurrence of boils, folliculitis or inflammation of hair folliculitis, and candidiasis or fungal infection. “The extra skin folds rub against each other and lead to friction. This develops moisture and produces heat, which encourages fungal and bacterial infection to germinate,” says Thomas.
Stretch marks are the commonest visible side-effect. They’re found around the breasts, buttocks, abdomen, and thighs. Initially, the marks are red but slowly change to violet, and finally, become permanent as white plaques. Hyperkeratosis is another condition that bothers over-weight people. In this condition, the level of keratin in the body increases, especially in the feet. It leads to thickening of the surface on the soles and is seen as bluish-purple itchy patches. Obese people can also develop corns and calluses, according to Thomas. The bottom line is: don’t take being over-weight lightly. Shed the extra kilos and say hello to a happy and healthy skin.
Lesser-known Skin Disorders Due to Obesity