When Dark Rings Appeared Around Child’s Neck – Doctor Determined THIS Serious Disease
When fourteen-year-old Pantera became sick and suddenly developed a dark ring around her neck, her mother became concerned, as she had believed the ring was simply dirt. However, when the ring couldn’t be scrubbed away, a trip to the doctor confirmed that it was a symptom of something much more serious.
Along with the ring of darkened skin around her neck, Pantera had been suffering from uncontrollable thirst, frequent urination, changes in mood, and frequent headaches. These symptoms, along with the ring around her neck, alerted her doctor to test Pantera’s blood sugar. It was discovered that she had developed Type Two Diabetes, which usually presents itself in overweight adults, since fat cells are resistant to the effects of insulin, causing a greater resistance to insulin overall. Once this resistance is established, the disease causes blood sugar levels to spike to unhealthy levels. To attempt to counteract this imbalance, the pancreas produces more insulin than normal. Over time, this damages the pancreas and leads to a lifelong condition. Should Type Two Diabetes go untreated, it can lead to heart and/or kidney disease.
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Why did Type Two Diabetes cause a dark ring around Pantera’s neck? The answer is that when one’s body begins producing more insulin to compensate for a high-sugar diet, the skin found in folds of the body- typically in the neck, underarm, under the breasts, and/or in the groin area- will thicken, feel almost velvety, and turn darker.
This is due to the fact that when insulin levels are too high, skin cells begin to reproduce much more quickly. The new skin has more melanin in it than the surrounding skin, causing it to appear much darker. The condition is known as acanthosis nigricans, and can also appear with small wart-like protrusions.
While Type Two Diabetes or prediabetes is often the culprit when this skin change is present, Acanthosis nigricans can also occur when a person takes certain birth control pills, some bodybuilding supplements, or growth hormones, thyroid medications, and even some bodybuilding supplements, since these medications can change insulin levels. Some chemotherapy drugs can also cause the skin to develop dark patches though often the skin discoloration goes away once the medications are discontinued.
This video further explores the reasons behind this condition and introduces us to Pantera and her mother. You’ll learn more about acanthosis nigricans from a medical professional, who goes on to explain why children with this disease are much harder to treat than adults. You’ll also be able to hear a warning from Pantera’s mother about monitoring your child’s eating habits before it is too late.
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