Updated: October 22, 2025 08:45 PM IST
Do you know that obesity also affects your skin? Not only with skin folds, but many other changes that reflect disrupted metabolic health.
When a person’s weight exceeds the normal range according to body mass index (BMI), whether he or she is in the overweight or obese category, it often shows up on the skin. Directly, this may include extra folds, a bulging belly, but there are also many other indirect skin problems that accompany it. This further suggests how obesity has adverse health effects that span multiple organs and functions.
Also read: Is childhood obesity inherited? Pediatrician Explains Do Genes Really Matter?
To understand more about how obesity can affect us in direct and indirect ways, HT Lifestyle caught up with Dr Praveen Banodkar, co-founder and leading dermatologist at Skin Beyond Borders.
“As we know, obesity is basically a part of inflammation; it’s a part of hormones, and it affects metabolism as well as circulation in the body. So overall, when you have excess obesity, a variety of changes can occur in your skin,” Dr. Banodkar said, highlighting how skin conditions reflect underlying problems.
The impact is complex and multilayered. Often, it is overlooked when other side effects of obesity become prominent and attract more attention, but these skin problems are linked to systems such as hormonal and metabolic, which are also affected during obesity. So these skin problems are part of a broader network of health complications that can spread throughout the body from obesity.
“Obesity damages the skin in many ways, be it structural, functional or infectious. It can also hinder wound healing and alter the overall appearance of the patient,” the dermatologist said.
Dr. Praveen Banodkar told that these 5 skin related problems occur due to obesity:
1. Fungal Infection
- When the skin folds, they can trap too much moisture, resulting in lots of fungal infections, foul odor, skin irritation, erythrasma and other contact dermatitis.
- Infections are increasing due to insulin resistance, which are fungal and bacterial infections.
2. Stretch marks
- If there is too much skin stretching due to obesity it can lead to inflammation.
- Stretch marks can be red or white in color.
3. Wound not healing properly
- There is a risk of wounds not healing properly which may be associated with obesity because when one has excess fat, there is also less blood supply to the folds in certain areas of your skin.
- This causes poor oxygen delivery and delays wound healing.
3. Dark spots
- Acanthosis nigricans is thick velvety skin in the folded areas of the neck, armpits, and groin.
4. Skin Tags
- Skin tags may develop on a person’s neck.
- These skin tags are excess skin that occurs due to insulin resistance and certain chronic inflammatory conditions like psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa.
- People who suffer from obesity are more prone to acne.
5. Chronic Lymphedema
- Obesity can also affect the feet. It is basically swelling with discoloration in the feet.
- One may have acute or chronic lymphedema, which may be complicated by cellulitis or infection, and as a result, puts patients at great risk.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions you may have about a medical condition.
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