acanthosis

Pigmentation means coloring. Skin pigmentation disorders affect the color of your skin. Your skin gets its color from a pigment called melanin. Special cells in the skin make melanin. When these cells become damaged or unhealthy, it affects melanin production. Some pigmentation disorders affect just patches of skin. Others affect your entire body.

If your body makes too much melanin, your skin gets darker. Pregnancy, Addison's disease, and sun exposure all can make your skin darker. If your body makes too little melanin, your skin gets lighter. Vitiligo is a condition that causes patches of light skin. Albinism is a genetic condition affecting a person's skin. A person with albinism may have no color, lighter than normal skin color, or patchy missing skin color. Infections, blisters and burns can also cause lighter skin.

Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Glucose is your main source of energy. It comes from the foods you eat. A hormone called insulin helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. If you have diabetes, your body doesn't make enough insulin or doesn't use insulin well. The glucose then stays in your blood and not enough goes into your cells.

Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause health problems. But you can take steps to manage your diabetes and try to prevent these health problems.

Type 2 diabetes may be caused by a combination of factors:

• Being overweight or having obesity
• Not being physically active
• Genetics and family history

Type 2 diabetes usually starts with insulin resistance. This is a condition in which your cells don't respond normally to insulin. As a result, your body needs more insulin to help the glucose enter your cells. At first, your body makes more insulin to try to get cells to respond. But over time, your body can't make enough insulin, and your blood glucose levels rise.

You are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you:

• Are over age 45. Children, teenagers, and younger adults can get type 2 diabetes, but it is more common in middle-aged and older people.
• Have prediabetes, which means that your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes
• Had diabetes in pregnancy or gave birth to a baby weighing 9 pounds or more.
• Have a family history of diabetes
• Are overweight or have obesity
• Are Black or African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander
• Are not physically active
• Have other conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), or depression
• Have low HDL (good) cholesterol and high triglycerides
• Have acanthosis nigricans - dark, thick, and velvety skin around your neck or armpits

Many people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms at all. If you do have them, the symptoms develop slowly over several years. They might be so mild that you do not notice them. The symptoms can include:

• Increased thirst and urination
• Increased hunger
• Feeling tired
• Blurred vision
• Numbness or tingling in the feet or hands
• Sores that do not heal
• Unexplained weight loss

Your health care provider will use blood tests to diagnose type 2 diabetes. The blood tests include:

• A1C test, which measures your average blood sugar level over the past 3 months
• Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test, which measures your current blood sugar level. You need to fast (not eat or drink anything except water) for at least 8 hours before the test.
• Random plasma glucose (RPG) test, which measures your current blood sugar level. This test is used when you have diabetes symptoms and the provider does not want to wait for you to fast before having the test.

Treatment for type 2 diabetes involves managing your blood sugar levels. Many people are able to do this by living a healthy lifestyle. Some people may also need to take medicine:

• A healthy lifestyle includes following a healthy eating plan and getting regular physical activity. You need to learn how to balance what you eat and drink with physical activity and diabetes medicine, if you take any.
• Medicines for diabetes include oral medicines, insulin, and other injectable medicines. Over time, some people will need to take more than one type of medicine to control their diabetes.
• You will need to check your blood sugar regularly. Your health care provider will tell you how often you need to do it.
• It's also important to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels close to the targets your provider sets for you. Make sure to get your screening tests regularly.

You can take steps to help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by losing weight if you are overweight, eating fewer calories, and being more physically active. If you have a condition which raises your risk for type 2 diabetes, managing that condition may lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Craniofacial is a medical term that relates to the bones of the skull and face. Craniofacial abnormalities are birth defects of the face or head. Some, like cleft lip and palate, are among the most common of all birth defects. Others are very rare. Most of them affect how a person's face or head looks. These conditions may also affect other parts of the body.

Treatment depends on the type of problem. Plastic and reconstructive surgery may help the person's appearance.

Until recently, the common type of diabetes in children and teens was type 1. It was called juvenile diabetes. With Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not make insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose,or sugar, get into your cells to give them energy. Without insulin, too much sugar stays in the blood.

Now younger people are also getting type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes used to be called adult-onset diabetes. But now it is becoming more common in children and teens, due to more obesity. With Type 2 diabetes, the body does not make or use insulin well.

Children have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes if they are overweight or have obesity, have a family history of diabetes, or are not active. Children who are African American, Hispanic, Native American/Alaska Native, Asian American, or Pacific Islander also have a higher risk. To lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in children:

• Have them maintain a healthy weight
• Be sure they are physically active
• Have them eat smaller portions of healthy foods
• Limit time with the TV, computer, and video

Children and teens with type 1 diabetes may need to take insulin. Type 2 diabetes may be controlled with diet and exercise. If not, patients will need to take oral diabetes medicines or insulin. A blood test called the A1C can check on how you are managing your diabetes.

If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels are too high. With type 2 diabetes, this happens because your body does not make enough insulin, or it does not use insulin well (this is called insulin resistance). If you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, you might be able to prevent or delay developing it.

Many Americans are at risk for type 2 diabetes. Your chances of getting it depend on a combination of risk factors such as your genes and lifestyle. The risk factors include:

• Having prediabetes, which means you have blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes
• Being overweight or having obesity
• Being age 45 or older
• A family history of diabetes
• Being African American, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander
• Having high blood pressure
• Having a low level of HDL (good) cholesterol or a high level of triglycerides
• A history of diabetes in pregnancy
• Having given birth to a baby weighing 9 pounds or more
• An inactive lifestyle
• A history of heart disease or stroke
• Having depression
• Having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Having acanthosis nigricans, a skin condition in which your skin becomes dark and thick, especially around your neck or armpits
• Smoking

If you are at risk for diabetes, you may be able to prevent or delay getting it. Most of the things that you need to do involve having a healthier lifestyle. So if you make these changes, you will get other health benefits as well. You may lower your risk of other diseases, and you will probably feel better and have more energy. The changes are:

• Losing weight and keeping it off.Weight control is an important part of diabetes prevention. You may be able to prevent or delay diabetes by losing 5 to 10% of your current weight. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, your goal would be to lose between 10 to 20 pounds. And once you lose the weight, it is important that you don't gain it back.
• Following a healthy eating plan. It is important to reduce the amount of calories you eat and drink each day, so you can lose weight and keep it off. To do that, your diet should include smaller portions and less fat and sugar. You should also eat a variety of foods from each food group, including plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. It's also a good idea to limit red meat, and avoid processed meats.
• Get regular exercise. Exercise has many health benefits, including helping you to lose weight and lower your blood sugar levels. These both lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. Try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week. If you have not been active, talk with your health care professional to figure out which types of exercise are best for you. You can start slowly and work up to your goal.
• Don't smoke. Smoking can contribute to insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. If you already smoke, try to quit.
• Talk to your health care provider to see whether there is anything else you can do to delay or to prevent type 2 diabetes. If you are at high risk, your provider may suggest that you take one of a few types of diabetes medicines.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the name for set of symptoms that are related to an imbalance of hormones. PCOS affects the ovaries, as well as many other parts of the body.

People with PCOS usually have at least two of these problems:

• Not ovulating. Normally, your ovaries make the egg that is released each month as part of a healthy menstrual cycle. This is called ovulation. But with PCOS, the egg may not develop as it should, or it may not be released during ovulation. Your periods may be irregular, or you may not have them at all.
• High levels of androgens. Androgens are hormones that are important for normal male sexual development. Women normally make smaller amounts of androgens. Having higher levels of androgens can cause you to have extra body or facial hair (called hirsutism).
• Cysts in one or both ovaries. Cysts are growths that are small, fluid-filled sacs.

The exact cause of PCOS in unknown. Research has shown that different factors may play a role, including:

• Genetics. PCOS tends to run in families.
• Imbalances in androgen levels.
• Insulin resistance. This is a condition in which your body can't use insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps move blood glucose (sugar) into your cells to give them energy. Insulin resistance can lead to high blood glucose levels.

PCOS often develops as young as age 11 or 12, around the time of your first period. But you can develop it later.

The symptoms can vary from person to person. Some people have few or even no symptoms. They may not realize they have PCOS until they have trouble getting pregnant. Other people may have more severe symptoms.

The symptoms of PCOS may include:

• Irregular or missed menstrual periods.
• Too much hair on the face, chest, stomach, or thighs.
• Obesity, weight gain, or trouble losing weight.
• Severe acne which may be hard to treat.
• Oily skin.
• Patches of thickened dark skin (called acanthosis nigricans).
• Infertility. PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility. But many people with PCOS can still get pregnant.

PCOS is linked to many other health problems, including:

• Insulin resistance, which can lead to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
• Heart disease. Having PCOS increases your risk, and this risk goes up as you age.
• High blood pressure.
• High LDL ("bad") cholesterol and low HDL ("good") cholesterol. This increases your risk of heart disease.
• Sleep apnea, a disorder that causes you to repeatedly stop breathing during sleep.
• Depression and anxiety.

Although there are links between PCOS and these conditions, researchers do not know whether:

• PCOS causes some of these problems
• Some of these problems cause PCOS, or
• There are other conditions that cause both PCOS and these other health problems

Not everyone who has PCOS will have all these problems. However, you and your health care provider may want to monitor your health for signs of them, so they can be treated early.

There is no specific test for PCOS. To find out if you have PCOS, your provider:

• Will do a physical exam, which will include looking for the physical signs of PCOS.
• Will ask about your medical history and family health history.
• May do a pelvic exam to check for signs of extra male hormones and to see if your ovaries are enlarged or swollen.
• May order a pelvic ultrasound to look for cysts on your ovaries and check the thickness of your endometrium (the lining of your uterus, or womb).
• May order blood tests, including tests to check your hormone levels.

There is no cure for PCOS, but treatments can help you manage your symptoms. The treatments may include:

• Lifestyle changes, which can help reduce many symptoms. They can also lower your risk for or help manage related health problems. These changes include:
  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Getting regular physical activity
  • Eating healthy foods
• Medicines:
  • Hormonal birth control, such as pills, shots, and IUDs, can make your period more regular. They may also help remove acne and extra facial and body hair. But you would only use them if you don't want to get pregnant.
  • Anti-androgen medicines, which block the effect of androgens. This can help reduce hair loss on your head, the growth of facial and body hair, and acne. Providers do use them to help with these symptoms, but anti-androgen medicines are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat PCOS. These medicines can cause problems during pregnancy. Your provider may have you take them with birth control (to prevent pregnancy).
  • Insulin-sensitizing medicines, which are medicines that are used to treat type 2 diabetes. They improve insulin resistance and keep your blood glucose levels steady. They may also lower your androgen levels. They are not approved by the FDA to treat PCOS. But they may help with your symptoms.
  • Medicines for acne. These medicines come in pills, creams, or gels.
• Treatments for hair removal, such as facial hair removal creams, laser hair removal, and electrolysis.
• Fertility treatments if you are having trouble getting pregnant. They include medicines and procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).