Varicose veins are unsightly sometimes bluish bulgy veins seen in the legs. In women these can result from pregnancies and may be exacerbated by cyclic hormone production, weakness of the vein wall, heredity, and lifestyle.
Do you think you might have a DVT? Call our DVT & LEG HEALTH HOTLINE 833-687-6887
By Colin Doyle, APRN
Don't let these common skin changes be confused with other dermatological conditions. See what types of discoloration and skin texture changes are commonly misdiagnosed when they are likely signs of vein disease.
Skin discoloration and texture changes are common signs of vein disease. These changes are also often confused with other dermatological conditions and may go misdiagnosed for years.
Skin changes associated with vein disease may include:
Vein disease can cause discoloration even if there are no visible varicose veins. Varicose veins, which bulge out from the skin’s surface, are only visible when your diseased veins are close enough to the surface of your skin. If your veins are deeper, they can cause symptoms of pain, swelling, discoloration, or ulceration all while never showing visible skin changes.
Vein disease causes discoloration in the leg when blood pools in the vessels instead of flowing back to the heart. As the blood collects, the pressure inside the vessels builds until the vessel leaks. This fluid is very irritating to the tissue and can cause inflammation or as it collects, swelling.
The fluid inside the vessels also contains red blood cells which are partially composed of iron. If the iron collects in the skin, it can oxidize or rust in the skin, turning the skin a darker shade of brown or black. The chronic inflammation can, over time, also cause scar tissue to develop in the skin, causing thickening and hardening to the skin. The hardened tissue isn't as flexible as normal issue and can crack, allowing the fluid that leaked into the tissue to weep out of the skin. This fluid can collect on the skin, causing scaling or it can erode the skin resulting in an ulceration.
If you’re noticing skin discoloration or other symptoms of skin changes related to vein disease, you should:
Request a free consultation for your symptoms today!
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Varicose veins are unsightly sometimes bluish bulgy veins seen in the legs. In women these can result from pregnancies and may be exacerbated by cyclic hormone production, weakness of the vein wall, heredity, and lifestyle.
Struggling with itching skin? If creams and lotions haven’t helped abate the itch, the issue may lie deeper than skin. This might be a vein problem. Read on to see what it could be and how to fix it.
Finding it difficult to travel for in-person appointments? Whether it’s your schedule or lack of reliable transportation, we can help. With telehealth, you can take care of your vein health from home.
Pregnancy is a time of great anticipation, so don’t let the fear of deep vein thrombosis overtake your excitement. You should know, though, that your risk for deep vein thrombosis increases during pregnancy. Learn more here.
Are you worried about itchiness around your veins? This could be because of underlying vein disease problems. Find out which ones and how to receive treatment by reading here.
As we progress into 2022, Vascular Vein Centers continues our commitment to healthy legs for a healthy life and we will serve our patients while exceeding CDC COVID-19 safety standards.