Type 1 Diabetes & Self Tanning Products (like…really?)

[Bluemarine Josephine]

Hello my beautiful friends, I hope that you are very well today!

So… in my effort of “fake it 'till you make it” and since Spring hasn’t even remotely sprung yet, about a month ago I thought I could get into a summer mood by trying a self tan lotion.

So here I am with the lotions and potions and exfoliators and mitts ready to fake a summer glow. All goes well, I follow the instructions religiously and I end up with a tan that is an absolute success (yay)…. And a blood sugar at 12 mmols (like... girl what?)

At the time (that month ago) I didn’t even think that it could be because of the self tan… I didn’t repeat the application because, to be honest, it’s too much hustle and nobody has time for this (or at least, I don’t).

Yesterday, I was flirting with the self tan bottle on the shelf and thought “shall I give it a go again?”

I was at a beautiful 4.8 when I started yesterday evening.
Midnight, I was at 6.9, brilliant number to go to sleep.
Fasting this morning, 10.3….
Weirdly enough, my ratios today are also 1.5:1 (instead of 1:1) – breakfast actually worked as 2:1.

I know that my Levemir isn’t problematic (unless something changed overnight, which wouldn’t be surprising because with my diabetes sometimes things change almost every 15 days.) Nevertheless, I doubt this is a case of fine tunning my basal.

I have, also, heard that whatever we apply on our skin (because skin is an organ, although not perceived as one) is being absorbed yet, I doubt that these substances (for example, moisturizers etc) enter the blood stream.

Has any of you experienced anything like this? I mean, a blood sugar rise from a body lotion or a self tan or aromatherapy oils etc?
Clearly, it’s not a vital issue for dicussion but, it did make me wonder…and when I googled the subject I didnt find anything on it.

Regards
Josephine

 

[Juicyj]

Hello @Bluemarine Josephine - I will be completely honest, as an occasional spray tan fan for special events, I have never experienced high BG levels from this, I also love spa's and have never had an issue with products used affecting my control. Products used on the skin should not interfere with your BG control as these are only absorbed by the skin and are not absorbed into the blood, so look at other reasons, so have you got an infection of some sort, check your teeth, then check your insulin and change your cartridge if necessary, are female hormones at play here, stress, or exercise ? Hopefully you will get to the bottom of it

 

[Mobbo]

Hi
The active ingredient DHA (Dihydroxyacetone) in fake tan is a simple carbohydrate but i do not think it is entering your blood stream through your skin, the only things that can get through your basement membrane (bottom layer of skin) are hormones and nicotine. So i wonder if you kind of breathed it in (was it a spray) and swallowed it??
If so try a lotion or be careful about it getting into your mouth - face mask?