Many different skin manifestations are seen in conjunction with endocrine disorders. Some cutaneous lesions are directly related to the degree of endocrine dysfunction and may be caused by an excess or deficiency of a hormone acting on a specific tissue, such as warm and moist skin associated with hyperthyroidism or dry and cool skin associated with hypothyroidism.

In diabetes, it may be difficult to link the skin findings to the degree of hyperglycemia (e.g., necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum).

Diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by a disturbance in the production of insulin or a resistance to insulin activity, which results in abnormal glucose metabolism.

Diabetes causes cellular changes, such as microangiopathy of small blood vessels, which can result in organ damage, retinal disease, renal dysfunction, and cutaneous lesions.

Diabetes can also affect immune function and can lead to an increase in bacterial, fungal, and yeast infections.