Sometimes dark spots of unknown origin appear on the legs. Whether they are dangerous or not, only doctors can answer this question. You need to immediately undergo an examination, find out the cause of their occurrence, and how to get rid of them.
The site provides reference information. Adequate diagnosis and treatment of the disease is possible under the supervision of a conscientious doctor. Any medications have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required, as well as detailed study of the instructions! Here you can make an appointment with a doctor.
What causes dark spots on legs
They will be both dangerous and non-dangerous. The root cause of the appearance of such spots may be wearing tight shoes. There is no need to worry about such formations; they disappear. They arise due to allergic skin damage from shower gels or depilatory products.
Darkening of the legs is the first sign to sound the alarm and run to the doctor, because the reasons for their appearance will be disastrous. But you cannot self-medicate.
This can only make the problem worse. Spots may indicate problems with the veins.
They may indicate that the condition of the gastrointestinal tract needs to be checked. Or it will be pigment spots that arise due to long exposure to the sun. For advice, you should consult doctors such as a dermatologist and endocrinologist.
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Women are at greater risk, since by shaving their legs they can damage an innocent mole, rather than provoke its degeneration into cancer.
The appearance of spots occurs completely unnoticed, although it is important not to lose sight of this moment. Because the smallest spot, such as a mole, can be a sign of a serious illness. If spots appear on your legs, begin to swell and itch, then this is a sure sign of melanoma.
To understand why spots on the legs arise, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination.
Sometimes a spot can occur due to rupture of capillaries, blood enters under the skin and a hematoma is formed. Formations occur in people who spend their entire working day on their feet.
Causes
Spots on the skin surface of the legs can be completely harmless, or they can pose some danger, signaling the development of pathologies. The most common cause of their appearance can be considered regular wearing of tight shoes. In this case, there is a violation of blood circulation in the lower extremities, which leads to such a visual defect. Sometimes this phenomenon is based on an allergic reaction of the skin to a procedure such as depilation. In this case, the person does not feel any other symptoms. And after some time the lesions themselves disappear on their own.
The cause of skin pigmentation in the lower extremities can be the development of diseases such as:
With varicose veins, brown spots may appear on the skin of the legs. This is due to changes in the structure of the vascular wall. It becomes thin and begins to stretch. As a result, the capillaries cannot cope with the load placed on them, and they burst. In addition, spider veins appear on the legs, veins protrude above the surface, and the skin is very itchy.
Dark spots on the legs may indicate problems occurring in the gastrointestinal tract. With such dysfunction, a person additionally faces an upset stomach, frequent diarrhea and painful spasms, and loss of appetite. Sometimes belching or heartburn may occur after eating. If the liver malfunctions, the entire skin becomes yellowish, bitterness is felt in the mouth, and pain appears on the right side.
The appearance of a dark spot may be preceded by rupture of capillaries. Blood begins to flow to the upper layers of the epidermis, and a noticeable hematoma forms. This problem usually affects people who, due to their professional duties, spend a lot of time on their feet. Heaviness in the lower extremities may also be felt, the legs will swell, and cramps may appear.
When dark spots on the legs look like bruises, then the cause is impaired blood flow or changes in blood viscosity. Then such spots begin to cover other parts of the body. With neurofibramatosis, which is considered a hereditary disease, milky brown spots appear on the legs.
Skin pigmentation of the lower extremities may be associated with a disease such as chronic dermatitis. In this case, symptoms such as:
- peeling of the skin;
- the appearance of rough areas;
- the spots themselves have a dense, convex structure;
- there is a desire to constantly comb the affected areas.
This disease can be provoked not only by an allergic reaction of the body to an irritating factor, but also by wearing tight shoes or very tight, compressive tights.
Another condition that can cause dark spots on the lower legs is skin carcinoma. In this case, the spots quickly increase in diameter, instantly becoming denser and causing dryness of the epidermis. Dark spots on the legs after wounds may appear due to an excess of a mineral such as iron in the body.
Features of varicose veins
Brown spots that appear on the legs will be a sign of varicose veins. Because the disease disrupts the structure of the walls of blood vessels. They stretch, the walls will be much thinner. With such a change, the capillaries cannot withstand it and burst.
If doctors have confirmed that the cause of the spots is varicose veins, then measures should be taken to eliminate them:
- Monitor your weight and normalize it with the help of a diet;
- Eliminate foods from your diet that are harmful to the body;
- Use elastic bandages or wear compression garments;
- Correct the blood condition and cardiovascular system with medication.
The appearance of spots on varicose veins may indicate that thrombophlebitis is beginning to develop.
If you do not pay attention to this and do not start treating it on time, the disease will develop into a more severe form and trophic ulcers will occur.
The treatment of which is so complex that sometimes it is necessary to amputate a limb.
If the appearance of spots is accompanied by itching, then it is advisable to take medications that soothe the skin, relieve itching and flaking. If they are accompanied by fatigue, heaviness and swelling of the legs, you need to consult a doctor.
There are exceptions when a visit to the doctor is postponed indefinitely. Then you need to take drugs that strengthen blood vessels.
Varicose veins, which are already accompanied by the appearance of spots, cannot be treated conservatively; only surgical intervention is necessary. Support required: ointments, creams, compression garments.
If surgical intervention is postponed indefinitely, then carry out a course of treatment that eliminates lymphovenous insufficiency and improves microcirculation. You need to reduce the load on your legs and place a pillow under your legs while you sleep to elevate them a little.
What to do
Despite the abundance of various pathologies, most often the appearance of spots on the lower limb is caused by varicose veins. If the vein is not in good order, it leads to capillary fragility, resulting in dark growths.
Varicose veins require consultation with a phlebologist. Eliminating the consequences of the disease requires an integrated approach; it has the greatest effect. So, your doctor may recommend:
- Diet. Special nutrition is aimed at reducing excess body weight and providing the body with vitamins and microelements.
- Compression underwear. Additionally, the use of elastic bandages is recommended.
- Charger. It is aimed at improving blood circulation in the extremities and helps disperse blood, preventing stagnation.
- Drugs. For varicose veins, drug treatment is indicated. The prescribed medications help improve the blood count, as well as normalize the function of the cardiovascular system.
The patient is also indicated for sclerotherapy. This is an effective non-surgical method of treating the disease, which is prescribed to eliminate spider veins, as well as remove small veins. After sclerotherapy, it is recommended to wear compression garments.
When treating varicose veins, it is recommended to adjust your diet.
Your doctor may prescribe systemic enzyme therapy. In this case, drugs are used that contain a complex of active enzymes. Medicines reduce the inflammatory process and also relieve lymphovenous insufficiency. Systemic enzyme therapy has a decongestant and antiplatelet effect. As a result of its use, the functioning of internal organs is normalized, the immune system is stimulated, and the negative effects of other drugs are reduced. Systemic enzyme therapy is well tolerated by patients and is quite effective.
If systemic enzyme therapy does not provide relief, phlebectomy is often prescribed to treat varicose veins and eliminate spots on the legs. This is an operation during which the patient has a section of the vein affected by varicose veins removed. Manipulation is prescribed if traditional treatment does not bring results. This is a safe operation requiring minimal preparation.
After phlebectomy, the blood flow of the vein is normalized. Recovery is quite fast. A person can return to normal life 5-9 days after surgery. However, physical activity and heavy lifting are strictly prohibited.
The advantage of the manipulation is that after phlebectomy the veins are not restored, that is, the likelihood of the disease returning is minimal.
The procedure is performed under anesthesia. The damaged section of the vein is removed through small incisions. As a result, after phlebectomy there are practically no noticeable marks left on the skin. The scars at the incision site are invisible, you can only see them if you know where to look.
It should be borne in mind that manipulation can cause dark spots on the legs. This is one of the side effects of surgery. After phlebectomy, bruising may occur in the area of the operation, which will go away on its own.
To prevent varicose veins, it is recommended to wear compression garments.
Spots like bruises
If dark spots like bruises appear on the body—on the legs—this may mean that some kind of reaction is occurring in the blood. Bruises will appear all over your body. But if they are found only on the legs, and a web of thin vessels forms around them, then the problem is in the vessels.
The vessels have become fragile and at the slightest touch of hard objects to the legs, the vessel is destroyed. A bruise forms and hence the appearance of bruises. This problem can be prevented by taking care of your feet.
You need to walk up the stairs as much as possible, take long hikes in the fresh air, and go for morning jogs. The loads will activate the muscles, which will put pressure on the vessels and the blood will circulate more actively. Which will prevent blood stagnation.
People who, due to their activities, are on their feet most of the time are at risk of developing varicose veins. To avoid illness, you need to put your feet on the table while resting. This ensures the flow of blood.
In this case, you can do a light massage using moisturizing creams. First the upper leg. At the same time, stretch your leg from the knee to the groin.
The shin is massaged next, from the foot. Next, the toes, the outside of the foot, the sole and heels are warmed up.
If you work while sitting all the time, you need to watch your posture. Slouching or crossing your legs is not allowed in any area. Periodically you need to take breaks and stretch your legs.
In this case, it is better to take a walk. But if this is not possible, then you can simply move them a little or lightly massage them.
At the first symptoms of illness, look at the shoes you wear every day. It should be comfortable and have a small heel.
The height of which should not exceed 6 cm. But you cannot wear shoes with flat soles. Clothing should also be comfortable and not restrict movement or interfere with blood circulation.
Socks and stockings should be replaced with compression garments, which are designed specifically to prevent varicose veins. At the same time, they also look aesthetically pleasing on the leg. And in such underwear the leg will look much more beautiful than in ordinary tights. But before purchasing underwear, you should consult your doctor.
Diseases that cause hematomas
The regular appearance of bruises on the body can be explained by changes in blood composition or increased permeability of capillary walls. This is typical for the following diseases:
- Liver dysfunction, accompanied by a failure in the production of specific proteins - blood clotting factors. In this case, the blood becomes too liquid and acquires the ability to flow through the walls of blood vessels into the surrounding tissues. Bruises that occur with severe liver pathologies can appear even with a light touch to the patient’s skin and remain on the body for a very long time;
- Varicose veins. This disease is characterized by a violation of the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels (most often the vessels of the lower extremities are affected). With varicose veins, hemorrhages look like red spots surrounded by a clearly visible network of capillaries (the so-called “stars”). In severe cases, extensive hematomas may form on the legs;
- Hemorrhagic vasculitis. An autoimmune disease in which the human defense system reacts pathologically to one of the layers of the vascular walls - the endothelium. As a result of an immune attack, all blood vessels begin to collapse. Hematomas in the form of numerous bright red spots can appear on any part of the body without any external reason, but are most often observed on the arms and legs (located symmetrically in the areas of the elbow and popliteal folds). The disease is very dangerous. Patients with hemorrhagic vasculitis often develop intense intra-abdominal bleeding;
- Vitamin deficiencies. A deficiency of vitamins C, P and K leads to disruption of the production of collagen, which is responsible for the elasticity of most tissues. The walls of blood vessels become brittle and easily permeable, resulting in small hemorrhages under the skin;
- Blood clotting disorders. They can develop as a result of metabolic failure, leading to a decrease in the level of prothrombin in the blood. Another reason is the body's decreased production of platelets (cells that play a major role in the formation of a blood clot during clotting). The composition of the blood is affected not only by various pathologies, but also by taking certain medications that are prescribed to thin the blood (for example, drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid).
The appearance of hematomas may also be associated with age-related hormonal imbalances. This is why older women often experience numerous bruises on their arms.
Appearance on toe
Since the body is completely interconnected, any deviation in its health can manifest itself in the most unexpected ways. Such as the formation of spots on the arms, legs and throughout the body. Changes in color and other indicators can only indicate the complexity and severity of the disease.
Because spots under the nails can indicate a serious illness, although there are exceptions. They can also form from mechanical stress on the toe.
Reasons for external influence
A dark spot under the big toe nail can form from a hematoma, which occurs as a result of a slight blow to the nail with a hard object. The color of the hematoma regularly changes from dark red to black, sometimes it can be yellow. When pressing on the nail, pain appears. Over time, the pain disappears.
If there was no impact, but a stain appeared, this may indicate that the problem is in the shoes. Since tight shoes can cause a hematoma.
You can be calm about this type of hematoma, since it will disappear on its own after some time. Sometimes you have to wait until the new nail grows completely. While the toe has an unsightly appearance, it can be coated with varnish.
Possible outside influence
Dark areas of the skin also occur due to improper use of coloring agents for pedicures. Most likely, the cause of this may be poor-quality varnish or the use of artificial nail coating.
The spots will disappear, but for this you need to give up the pedicure procedure for an indefinite period of time and take vitamins to strengthen the nail.
If none of the above reasons is confirmed, then you need to consult a doctor, since the cause of the stain may be a fungal infection.
Various internal causes of the problem
A dark spot on the big toe can be a much more serious cause than just a hematoma. One such disease may be endocarditis. This is an inflammatory process in the inner lining of the heart that affects the valves. With this disease, no pain is felt when pressing on the spot.
A spot on the finger may indicate that there is a high risk of developing a malignant tumor of the upper layers of the skin. The disease is dangerous because even the smallest cell can trigger a relapse. To avoid disastrous consequences, you should consult a doctor in time.
Why do neoplasms occur?
Spots on the skin of the legs have different colors, sizes, shapes and locations. These can be either ordinary bruises and bruises resulting from injury, or small dark spots on the nails, the causes of which are a fungal infection. Bruises should become smaller and lighter over time. Treatment in this case is not required. The spot may be flat or may protrude above the surface of the skin. A bruise that appears again indicates problems with blood clotting.
A bluish tint of the mesh on the skin indicates the occurrence of venous insufficiency.
A red neoplasm can occur due to a burst vessel or hemangioma. The shade can also be burgundy. The second option is a round protruding area of skin. Such dark spots on the skin are completely safe until the formation begins to increase in size. If the red spots on the legs grow and the cause is indeed a hemangioma, the patient is advised to use a laser. Manipulation allows you to get rid of formation. As a result of laser exposure, the vessels are immediately cauterized, so blood does not flow.
With venous insufficiency, a bluish mesh appears on the skin.
Cause of vascular damage: patient overweight, swelling of the extremities. The deviation is also observed in people who spend a lot of time in an upright position. Such red spots on the legs in most cases do not require specialist intervention and go away on their own. Help is needed only if the situation begins to worsen and blood accumulates under the skin.
Brown spots can appear in different places and have a different nature. Such manifestations may have the following reasons:
- Dysfunction of the liver, adrenal glands, and thyroid gland. In this case, chloasma is observed.
- Congenital pathology – lentigo. Accompanied by excessive dryness of the skin and flaking.
- Lack of vitamin A, rutin and other nutrients.
- Poor circulation of the lower extremities.
- Dermatological diseases. The cause may be lichen versicolor, neurofibromatosis, etc.
- Frostbite, hormonal surges, bad habits, heredity, condition after phlebectomy.
Also, a small dark brown spot can be a consequence of depilation. This is the safest reason. Such spots go away on their own.
Often the appearance of dark brown spots on the legs is due to the development of diabetes, atherosclerosis and other health problems. With them, the localization of formations is the lower leg area, and the foot also suffers. In this case, you need to seek help from a medical professional as soon as possible. To minimize complications, timely qualified treatment should be prescribed. For this purpose, a set of tests is prescribed. In advanced conditions, the limb can be amputated.
Proper drug treatment
Age spots appear on the legs for various reasons. And before starting treatment, you need to make sure that there are no serious illnesses.
The causes of pigmentation will be:
- The effect of sun rays on the skin;
- The appearance of spots due to puberty and hormonal imbalances;
- Kidney diseases, thyroid diseases;
- The influence of stress and nervous disorders.
These reasons are the most basic.
But there are other causes of age spots:
- Lack of vitamins in the body;
- Poor quality cosmetics;
- Poor circulation in the legs;
- Sweaty feet;
- Mechanical damage to the legs;
- Vasculitis or lichen.
After visiting a doctor, you can try to get rid of age spots. But a specialist should tell you how to do this.
There are several treatment methods:
- Stains can be removed using a laser;
- Use peeling, which can be superficial, medium and deep, using fruit acids;
- Using creams and lotions that contain hydroquinone and kojic acid, with the addition of other components;
- You can use Arbutin, which eliminates skin defects.
Hyperpigmentation
In addition, a dark spot can be caused by hyperpigmentation. It can be age-related or congenital. In fact, these are ordinary freckles that appear on the skin under the influence of sunlight. In a child, such dark spots most often appear on the face. In older people - on the neck, décolleté, back, limbs. During pregnancy, dark spots can appear on any part of the body.
If the color is brown and the neoplasm is not accompanied by itching or flaking of the skin, it is not a reason to contact a specialist.
Often spots appear on the skin under the influence of the sun.
Pigment spots can be eliminated or made less noticeable using modern whitening cosmetics or traditional medicine.
If you are prone to developing such spots, it is recommended to use sunscreens with a high SPF level of 35 or more before going out into the sun.
You can get rid of it using folk remedies
Pigment spots can also be treated using folk remedies.
To do this, prepare masks:
- Cucumber mask. Grind the cucumber and apply this paste to problem areas and leave for half an hour.
- Yeast mask. Mix 20 grams of yeast in equal proportions with lemon or grapefruit juice. The mask is applied to the spots and left for 15 minutes.
- Parsley juice. An effective mask. Parsley gruel can be used either in its pure form or with the addition of milk, lemon or honey. The mask should be applied to the spots and left for 30 minutes.
- Lemon. Lemon juice mixed with water is good for skin whitening. Make lotion in the proportion of 1 tbsp. L per liter of water. Next you need to add 20 grams of fatty cream and apply to the skin for 15 minutes. Then wash off using a tampon soaked in milk.
- Curdled milk lotions also whiten stains well. But to enhance the effect, you need to dilute it with vinegar.
- Currants, wild strawberries and strawberries are good for pigmentation. The berry pulp is applied to the spots.
- A good remedy for age spots is a lotion made from milk and vodka. In the ratio of 30 milliliters of milk to 10 milliliters of vodka. It is good to rinse problem areas with this solution before going to bed.
What causes red marks on limbs?
The congenital presence of small reddish dots on certain areas of the skin. This is quite rare, but still requires the attention of a phlebologist. The cause of their appearance may be vascular disease or a violation of the cellular structure of skin tissue.
Unhealthy or poor diet. If a person eats a lot of smoked, spicy and fried foods, he may develop similar marks. A balanced diet that limits the intake of unhealthy foods will help tidy up your skin.
Lack of vitamins. It's not just an unhealthy diet that can lead to red spots on your arms and legs, but also vitamin deficiencies.
Dermatitis. The most common reason. After using various types of cosmetics or eating certain foods, bright red marks appear on the skin, which are very itchy.
To eliminate them, antihistamines are prescribed, and contact with the irritant that caused the allergic reaction is stopped.
Formations are dry and flaky
Dark spots on the skin occur in several cases. They can occur due to hormonal changes in a pregnant woman. The spots are dry and flaky.
There's no need to panic. This will go away immediately after the baby is born.
Spots also appear in older people. It's not dangerous at all. This phenomenon is normal. In other cases, such spots may arise from hypothermia. Or it could be a fungal infection.
To get rid of unpleasant spots on the body, you need to find out the reason why they arose, and then begin treatment. Treatment must be prescribed by a doctor.
Self-medication should be excluded immediately. If you have a serious illness, you can only make the situation worse. Which will lead to more severe complications.
Removal methods
When talking about how to get rid of red dots on the body, the removal of these tumors is most often used. But such therapy is carried out only in case of aggressive growth of spots. The specialist prescribes a histological examination, which is carried out in cases where one or several red spots appear, associated with a cosmetic defect. Methods for removing hemangiomas:
- Laser.
- Surgical.
- Radiation therapy.
- Cryodestruction using liquid nitrogen.
It’s worth noting right away that the use of some methods can leave noticeable scars on the body. The optimal way to treat red spots is to use a green and yellow copper bromide laser, which has a wavelength of 578 nm . It is based on the concept of selective photothermolysis. The essence of this concept lies in the selection of laser parameters. The laser can only impact affected areas of the skin on areas with enlarged vascular defects.
The laser heats up to a temperature that causes coagulation without damaging healthy tissue and blood vessels located near the affected area. As a rule, 3 to 5 procedures are enough to achieve the desired result. If the area of skin damage is small, then two procedures will be enough.
Extensive hemangioma requires several courses of therapy with an interval of 2-3 months. All cosmetic defects on the skin disappear after such procedures. This is important when the tumor is located on exposed parts of the body, including the neck and face. If the hemangioma is localized in a hard-to-reach place , then the specialist may prescribe radiation therapy.
Let's look at some symptoms of diseases based on spots on the body.
Proven disease prevention
To prevent stains from appearing on the body, you should adhere to the following rules:
- You need to wear compression underwear, tights, stockings;
- Shoes should be no higher than 6 cm;
- While resting, raise your legs slightly above chest level;
- Less exposed to sunlight;
- Walk more;
- Exercise;
- Monitor your diet;
- Drink enough water per day;
- Wear comfortable clothes;
- Do morning exercises;
- Do not lift heavy objects.
Red rashes in children
But not only adults can experience such rashes. Quite often, red spots can be found in children. They appear quite unexpectedly.
The cause of their appearance is not always an ordinary allergy. Pay attention to the photo of red spots on the child’s legs, which is presented below.
Although these spots are similar to those that appear in adults, they are usually caused by fairly severe illnesses. These can be both infectious diseases and blood diseases.
Redness resembling a burn
However, red spots on the skin of the legs do not always look like a rash. Sometimes they have a blurred outline and look more like a burn. Moreover, such marks may not bother a person at all.
On the contrary, if such redness is detected, you should be wary. After all, they are the first symptom of a hemangioma tumor. It is benign, but it is still not recommended to leave it without treatment.
This disease responds well to surgical treatment only in the initial stages. Therefore, as soon as you notice such a spot or spots, you should make an appointment with a doctor to help get rid of this skin growth.
Otherwise, serious complications may arise in the future, which will lead to dire consequences.
Accompanying symptoms
With increased vascular permeability and blood clotting disorders, not only bruises on the body are observed, but also:
- frequent nosebleeds;
- bleeding from the mucous membranes of the mouth, bleeding gums;
- long cessation of bleeding even with minor cuts;
- in some diseases - blood in the urine, spotting from the vagina outside of menstrual periods.
These symptoms are not observed with bruises on the legs caused by varicose veins. With this disease, hematomas can appear only on the legs. Vascular “networks” and “stars”, swelling of the legs, discomfort and pain in the lower extremities are also characteristic.
Flaming nevus
Port-wine stains on the face in medical practice are called the complex term “telangiectatic nevus” or flaming nevus. At its core, this is a type of dysplasia, characterized by a violation of the integrity of the structure of blood vessels, which are located quite close to the surface of the skin. Due to the characteristic color of the marks that appear on the surface of the skin, this pathology is popularly called port-wine stain disease.
A flaming nevus is very similar in appearance to a hemangioma, but there are some differences. Firstly, the disease has a very good prognosis for cure, and secondly, it does not pose an oncological threat.
This pathology develops during the prenatal period. Flaming nevus is found in 2-3 babies out of 1,000.
The shape of the nevus is usually irregular. Often, nevus does not go away on its own, leaving a mark for life. It is often pink in color in babies, but over the years it can thicken and darken, turning purple.
In some cases, a flaming nevus can become a symptom of the following serious genetic diseases:
- Cobb syndrome;
- Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome;
- Sturge-Weber-Krabbe syndrome.
These diseases require special treatment and attention from medical specialists.
Even in the recent past, a nevus was removed using a scalpel, but such treatment often led to the fact that the cells remaining after an unsuccessful operation became malignant and provoked the development of cancer. Today, there are more humane, and most importantly, effective methods for removing such a purple spot from the surface of the skin. We are talking about cryotherapy and laser removal of nevus.
