Chronic venous insufficiency is a body condition related to blood vessel issues. A person suffering from such a condition would be seen asking, ‘why are my legs turning blue?’ the answer is hemosiderin staining. It is when the color of your lower legs becomes discolored and looks like bruises.
Hemosiderin Staining:
Let us look into hemosiderin staining in more detail. It is when a patch of your skin appears bluer than the surrounding skin, making it look like a bruise. Over time, this discoloration may become darker, and the skin might look black in that case. This condition usually happens on the lower leg or near the ankles. When the blood leaks out of the capillaries, the blood pools under the skin, leaving residues of hemoglobin that then settles in the tissues of that area. Since hemoglobin is composed of iron, the stains appear to be rusty.
Symptoms:
This condition can lead to some symptoms that may include:
- Discomfort
- Pain
- Fatigue
- Swelling
- Varicose veins
- Itching
- Sores that heal very slowly
Reasons:
Such a condition is slowly becoming very common. To reduce its chances, we first need to know the possible reasons behind it. The causes may include:
- Obesity
- Family history of chronic venous insufficiency
- Past injuries
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Lack of exercising
Considerations:
This blue appearance of the legs may be permanent in extreme cases. Hence, it is essential to identify the underlying causes at an early stage of discoloration. To lighten such spots, you may use skin creams that contain hydroquinone as prescribed by the doctor. The question why are my legs turning blue? and its solutions are not so complicated anymore. Laser treatment or IPL may also help to fade away the discoloration that has happened. You may want to visit a dermatologist for it as well.
Looking deeper into the cause of discoloration, you may also want to treat chronic venous insufficiency. Treatment of CVI can be done by taking care of the vein condition. To manage this, doctors recommend lifestyle changes that help to improve the circulation in the legs preventing more blood from pooling in your ankle and feet.
You may:
- Avoid standing or sitting for extended periods
- Change the position you are sitting in periodically to keep your leg in inactivity
- Regularly exercise
- Lose weight if you are overweight
- While sitting or lying down, elevate your legs
- Start wearing a compression stocking
In other cases, doctors may recommend some tests and treatments for clotting and wounds. Treatment includes medications, vein surgery, and wound care. It all is somehow related to the body’s blood circulation; hence, taking care of your circulatory system should be greatly emphasized to avoid any such condition.
