How To Know If You Have Varicose Eczema: Signs and Symptoms of Venous Eczema

If you are watching this video, I presume you have a skin rash and you are concerned that you have varicose eczema and that it might turn into a leg ulcer. In this video I will tell you what you need to look for, what features are strongly suggestive of varicose eczema and what you should do about it.
First of all, let me make an important point right at the start. Eczema is not a diagnosis. It is a reaction of the skin to a number sources of inflammation. For example, some irritants such as harsh soaps, detergents and bubble baths cause eczema, environmental factors such as house dust, pollen and pet fur can cause it as well as food allergies, certain types of clothing and infections. In all cases when the skin becomes inflamed, it reacts in the same way – it becomes red and itchy. To begin with, the skin may be weepy and oozing but as time goes by the skin becomes thickened and pigmented.
So if the appearance of the skin does not tell us what the cause of the redness and itchiness is, how can you tell if you have varicose eczema? Well, the main clue is the site of the eczema, that is where specifically it is on your body. Varicose eczema only develops on the lower legs below the knees. I have never seen cases affecting any other part of the body. In fact, I have never seen varicose eczema extend to involve the skin of the knee. So you have eczema affecting other parts of your body is not varicose eczema. Now the catch, if you do not have varicose veins, but you have eczema affecting your legs above or near the ankles and nowhere else, you may still have varicose eczema. This point is worth repeating just to be clear. Varicose eczema can occur without varicose veins. So what is varicose eczema? The correct definition would be an inflammatory reaction of the skin caused by a defect in the leg vein circulation and a better term would be venous eczema. This should be regarded as a damaging inflammation of the skin caused by a leg vein problem, either in the superficial veins, deep veins or the connecting veins. Varicose veins on the surface may or may not be visible under the skin.
So what should you do? Well if the damage is allowed to continue, a leg ulcer may develop and to rectify the vein defect, you will need a duplex ultrasound scan of your leg veins to see exactly what the problem and what can be done.
So here are my top tips. If you have, red, itchy skin around or above your ankles and nowhere else, suspect venous eczema, seek medical advice and request a duplex ultrasound scan even if you don’t have varicose veins. I still see many people with this condition who are not diagnosed or treated properly so it really is up to you.
If you would like more information about venous eczema visit our website or request our free information fact sheet on venous eczema. In addition, if you would like to request a consultation and scan get in touch




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