Get Informed About the Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments for Skin Ulcers

Advanced Vascular Surgery is dedicated to educating our patients about venous insufficiency issues and the treatments available to address them. Poor circulation in your lower legs increases the possibility of venous skin ulcers from forming and growing on your leg. Not only can they be painful, but the healing process can be a long and frustrating one. The sooner you address the skin ulcers that appear on your lower leg, the less complications you could face during the treatment and healing process. The experienced specialists at Advanced Vascular Surgery can properly diagnose venous issues and prepare the proper treatment plan for successful healing. Read further for more information about what to expect if you have venous skin ulcers.

Causes of Skin Ulcers

Like any other medical condition, finding the root to your skin ulcer problem is the key to successful treatment and healing. With ulcers, poor circulation will cause blood to accumulate and pool in your veins. This can result in fluid leaking and causing damage to surrounding tissues, which can eventually result in an ulcer.

Factors that Can Increase the Risk of Ulcers

There are a number of factors that can increase the possibility of ulcers developing on your leg. They include, but are not limited to:

• Deep Vein Thrombosis
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Lack of Physical Activity
• Working While Standing in the Same Place for Hours at a Time

Signs that You are at Risk for Skin Ulcers

The first thing you will notice is changes to your skin. Leaking blood can turn the skin a dark red or purple, and can even result in the skin becoming thick, dry, and itchy. Without proper treatment, the leg can become swollen and achy, and eventually an ulcer will appear on the surface of the leg.

Get Proper Treatment for Skin Ulcers

In order to treat skin ulcers, the main focus is on improving the circulation in your legs. This can be done through elevating the legs above your heart whenever possible, wearing compression stockings, and taking daily walks to facilitate circulation. Worse ulcers may require antibiotics to stave off infection or even skin grafting to heal them completely. From there, vascular surgery may be necessary to prevent ulcers from returning.

Other Types of Less Common Ulcers

Two other, less common, types of ulcers you can develop are Arterial Skin Ulcers and Neuropathic Skin Ulcers. Arterial skin ulcers will be found on your toes or feet and are usually very painful. Neuropathic skin ulcers are generally the result of diabetic nerve damage. The diagnosis and treatment of these two types will differ, so be sure to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists to get the right treatment for your specific type of ulcers.

It is crucial to follow your physician’s treatment and prevention plan to prevent developing ulcers in the future. If you feel that you may be at risk of developing ulcers, or you notice you have ulcers starting to form, contact us and schedule your initial consultation today!