Skin Changes and CVI
Skin Discoloration:
Chronic Venous Insufficiency, or CVI, is a condition in which the veins have problems sending blood from the legs back to the heart. Normally, valves in your deeper leg veins keep blood moving forward toward the heart. With chronic venous insufficiency, vein walls are weakened and valves are damaged. This causes the veins to stay filled with blood, especially when you are standing and can also cause vein abnormalities such as varicose, reticular and spider veins. CVI can also cause several unsightly and uncomfortable changes to the skin on the affected leg. Read on to learn more about these changes.
Skin Changes:
One of the most obvious cosmetic symptoms of CVI is varicose veins. Because CVI weakens the veins, they may twist and bulge, often protruding from the skin. This is often what people notice most, and what they’re most concerned about when seeking treatment for CVI. However, there are many other symptoms that patients might experience but not realize are actually due to CVI. These include skin that becomes rough and thickened and has a leathery appearance. The skin on the legs might also feel very itchy and even begin to flake. Lichen Simplex Chronicus is often the culprit of such skin problems. Swelling in the legs, also called edema, is another common symptom that can further aggravate the skin problems. Skin discoloration is also because of CVI. Since these skin symptoms are usually misdiagnosed, typical treatments such as topical creams and cortisone injections do not provide relief and leave the patient feeling hopeless.
If Left Untreated:
As the condition progresses, ulcers may also form on the legs. Called stasis ulcers or venous stasis ulcers, these sores can be painful and difficult to treat. These ulcers form because the pressure and swelling associated with CVI cause capillaries in the leg to burst. This gives the skin a reddish-brown color and damages the tissues in the legs. Color changes in the skin often occurs most commonly around the ankles, so if you see discoloration in this area of your leg, consult your physician for a thorough physical examination. Ulcers form and can become infected, and if the condition is not treated, nearby tissue can also become affected, in a condition called cellulitis. These symptoms can often be alleviated by treating the diseased veins in the affected legs.
If you suffer from any skin changes, you may also have CVI. Book an appointment today with the vein experts at Alpha Vein Clinic. Dr Sassan Kaveh can diagnose and treat your diseased veins and have you on the road to relief from your symptoms in no time.
Alpha Vein Clinic
3150 N. Tenaya Way Ste. 400
Las Vegas, NV, 89128
(702) 430 7661
Dr. Sassan Kaveh
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