Acanthosis Nigricans (darkened skin folds)

Acanthosis nigricans (AN) may sound like the scientific name for an exotic South American bird, but it is a common sign of insulin resistance that people outside of the medical field may not recognize.  AN is a darkening of the skin commonly observed around the neck and in the armpits.  The following links are very educational but be warned that there are some graphic photographs of skin lesions.
http://dermatology.cdlib.org/DOJvol6num1/original/acanthosis/katz.html
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1102488-overview#showall

AN is significant not because of the rare malignant state but because it is a common sign of insulin resistance.  Why is that important?   In non-diabetics, insulin resistance/ hyperinsulinemia is an independent predictor of atherosclerotic buildup in the aorta, i.e. blockage that could lead to heart attack or stroke or peripheral vascular disease.  http://www.atherosclerosis-journal.com/article/S0021-9150(05)00580-0/abstract  The implication is that without being a diabetic, who are know to have an increased risk of heart disease, frequently eating refined carbohydrates may be clogging your arteries.  And we all know that is bad news.

The first time I became aware of this condition was during a discussion with a friend several years ago.  She was complaining about the darkening of the skin on the back of her neck and in her armpits, which led her to avoid sleeveless clothing and to wear her hair long to cover the embarassing marks.  This friend also revealed to me that it is a very frequent condition seen in pregnant women back in her Asian homeland.  She also remarked that she was surprised that I did not develop it when I was pregnant with my son because this darkening was strongly believed to indicate a pregnancy carrying a male child.  She in fact attributed her skin darkening to having bourne two sons, and she tried every conceivable skin lightening or exfoliating product to remedy it.  It makes me just shudder to think about all the women experiencing this skin darkening during pregnancy back in my friend's homeland, who may be suffering from gestational diabetes unbeknownst to them and its health implications for them and their children.  Another topic for another day!  http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/31/5/e30.full.pdf+html

But it is not just ladies in a faraway land who suffer this condition.  AN is today used as a screening test for  children in the state of Texas to identify early those children who may have obesity related insulin resistance or Type 2 diabetes but who do not receive regular medical care.  http://www.infocusonline.org/acanthosis.pdf

AN can be misleading since it is not itchy or painful but merely unsightly.  My hope is that this discussion may prompt you to visit your doctor if you suffer from this condition so that you can start on the task of reversing this stealth killer - insulin resistance.