[Increased corneocyte surface area in the diabetic skin].

In attempt to prove the hypothesis that corneocyte surface area in diabetics is larger than that in age-matched non-diabetics, we collected corneocytes from 50 diabetics and 43 non-diabetics in different decades of life. We measured surface areas of 27 +/- 3 corneocytes in each subject, utilizing an image analyser (Kontron MOP-10), then we counted mean number of corneocytes collected in 7 diabetics and 7 non-diabetics. There was a significant correlation between corneocyte surface area and chronological age in non-diabetics, whereas there was no significant correlation in diabetics. Corneocyte surface area of diabetics was larger than that of non-diabetics in every decades of life. The differences were statistically significant in 4th, 7th and 8th decades of life. Mean number of corneocytes collected in non-diabetics was 2.21 +/- 0.47 (X 10(5)), whereas that in diabetics was 2.49 +/- 0.55 (X 10(5)). The present study suggested that turnover time of corneal layer of the skin might be delayed in diabetics.