Obesity: How It Can Be Bad for Your Skin

Several skin conditions can develop due to obesity, says Connie Diekman, RD, the director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis. “The most common is the inflammation or irritation that can occur in the folds of the skin,” she says. “Body fat that leads to multiple folds in the skin is a perfect environment to capture moisture and bacteria, leading to irritation, inflammation, and infection.”

How Excess Weight Affects the Skin Barrier

“People with obesity may experience skin issues due to folds where moisture, friction, and bacteria accumulate,” says Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, MD, a professor and the director of the cardiometabolic program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “Common problems include fungal infections, irritation, and sometimes cellulitis, a deeper skin infection.”

The risk of obesity-related skin problems increases when you have more skin folds or particularly deep skin folds, Dr. Lopez-Jimenez says. “Good hygiene, keeping skin dry, and early treatment of irritation can help prevent complications,” he says.

Stretch Marks and Skin Elasticity

Rapid expansion or contraction of the skin can cause the proteins collagen and elastin to break, per Cleveland Clinic. These proteins promote strong and healthy skin; stretch marks can appear as the skin heals in places where elastin has broken.

Stretch marks can look different from one person to the next, per MedlinePlus. Some take the shape of irregular bands, stripes, or lines, while others have the look of parallel strips of thin red skin that over time can take on a white appearance, much like a scar.

Skin Darkening From Insulin Resistance

Skin Infections and Cellulitis

“The risk of cellulitis is higher in individuals with obesity, likely due to a combination of impaired skin barrier function, reduced lymphatic drainage, chronic inflammation, and increased susceptibility to bacterial infection,” says Christopher McGowan, MD, an obesity medicine specialist and the senior vice president of peri-procedural care at Everself.

“Skin folds create warmth, friction, and moisture retention, which makes them an ideal environment for irritation and microbial overgrowth,” Dr. McGowan says. “As a result, individuals with larger skin folds often experience recurrent rashes, itching, and secondary infections in areas such as beneath the breasts, in the groin, or under the abdominal fold.”