Diabetes mellitus is associated with a range of dermatologic presentations, 
including granuloma annulare and necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum. Granuloma 
annulare occurs earlier than necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum and the 
association with diabetes mellitus is much weaker. We describe two children with 
diabetes who both developed granuloma annulare and later, necrobiosis lipoidica 
diabeticorum. We postulate that the early onset and transient nature of 
granuloma annulare, compared with the later onset and persistence of necrobiosis 
lipoidica diabeticorum, might account for the different apparent rates of 
association with diabetes mellitus.