Varicose eczema
Varicose eczema, also known as venous, gravitational or stasis eczema,is a long-term skin condition that affects the lower legs.It's common in people withvaricose veins.
Varicose eczema tends to be a long-termproblem. However, treatments are available to help keepit under control.
This topic covers:
Symptoms
When to seek medical advice
Causes
Treatment
Other types of eczema
Like all types of eczema,the affected skin becomes:
There may be periodswhen these symptomsimprove and periods when they become more severe.
Your legs may become swollen, especially towards the end of the day or after long periods of standing. Varicose veins (swollen and enlarged veins) are often visible on the legs.
Some people also have other symptoms, such as:
Left untreated, leg ulcers can develop. These arelong-lasting wounds that form where the skin has become damaged.
See your GP if you have symptoms of varicose eczema. They'lloften be able to make a diagnosis simply by looking at the skin.
Your GP will also ask you questions to determine whether you have a problem with the flow of blood in your leg veins, as this is the main cause of varicose eczema.
To help make a diagnosis, your GP may want to know if you have a history of:
Your GP may also check the pulse in your feet and may carry out an ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) test to see if compression stockings are suitable for you. See the section on treating varicose eczema for more information about these.
The ABPI test involves comparing blood pressure readings taken from your ankles and upper arms. A significant difference in the readings suggests a problem with the flow of blood in your arteries in which case, compression stockings may not be safe to use.
You may be referred to a specialist in a local hospital for further tests. This might bea vascular specialist (a doctor or surgeonspecialising in conditions affecting the blood vessels) or a dermatologist (a specialist in skin conditions) if:
Varicose eczema is usually caused by increased pressure in the leg veins.
When the small valves in the veins stop working properly, it's difficult for blood to be pushed upwards against gravity and itcan leakbackwards.
This increases thepressure in the veins, which can cause fluid to leak into the surrounding tissue. It's thought that varicose eczema may develop as a result of the immune system reacting to this fluid.
Varicose eczema is more common in people with varicose veins , as these are also often a sign that the leg veins aren't working properly.
Somepeople develop the conditionfor no obvious reason, although there are certainfactors that increase the chances of this happening, including:
For most people, treatment involves a combination of:
If these treatments don't help, your GP may refer you to a dermatologist (skin specialist) in case there's another cause for your symptoms or if they're concerned you may also have contact dermatitis .
If you have varicose veins, you may be referred to a vascular specialist (a doctor or surgeon specialising in conditions affecting the blood vessels) who can talk to you about the treatment options for varicose veins .
Readabout treating varicose eczema .
Eczema is the name for a group of skin conditions that cause dry, irritated skin. Other types of eczema include:
Read about varicose eczema, a long-term skin condition that affects the lower legs and is common in people with varicose veins
Read about treatments for varicose eczema. Treatment aims to improve the condition of your skin, treat your symptoms and help improve your circulation (blood flow)