Discolored Ankle Skin: Could it Be Stasis Dermatitis?

Skin discoloration happens for many reasons, but when it hits your ankles, there’s a primary suspect called hemosiderin, an iron-rich pigment resulting from the breakdown of red blood cells. 

When you notice brown or golden brown skin appearing around your ankles, it could be stasis dermatitis. It’s time to visit MD Vein & Skin Specialists in Columbia, Maryland, to establish a diagnosis and treatment plan for your skin discoloration. 

Stasis dermatitis and venous insufficiency

Hemosiderin produces a color that’s sometimes hard to distinguish from melanin, the source of eye, hair, and skin color. However, hemosiderin tends to clump more easily, so it can form larger patches of discoloration than melanin usually does. 

Your ankles are a gathering point of this blood-borne pigment because of a condition called venous insufficiency, usually accompanied by varicose veins in the legs. Problems start when venous valves in the legs fail, allowing blood to pool. 

This pooling increases the pressure inside the veins of the lower legs, making the ankles a typical place for symptoms to emerge. This can take the form of swollen ankles, aching or tired legs, and changes to the color of your skin. 

This discoloration results from the hemosiderin in the pooled blood, creating a condition called stasis dermatitis. Other symptoms include: 

• Itchy skin
• Areas of tenderness or pain
• Thick or scaly patches of skin
• Skin redness, in addition to the yellow-brown staining

Left untreated, stasis dermatitis can lead to slow or non-healing sores called ulcers. Your skin is also more vulnerable to infection, called cellulitis. 

Medical treatment for stasis dermatitis

Our dermatologist and phlebologist, Dr. Clement Banda, treats stasis dermatitis with a combination of therapies, depending on your condition. 

Compression therapy is a standard starting point, using medical-grade stockings to help prevent blood pooling in your legs. Compression therapy works best when combined with self-care lifestyle changes to enhance venous blood flow further. 

We may consider minimally invasive medical treatments for venous dermatitis when conservative therapy doesn’t improve your condition. These procedures include foam sclerotherapy, endovenous ablation, and ambulatory phlebectomy. 

These techniques seal off or remove compromised veins, creating new routes for blood flow through healthier veins. Improved blood flow begins to clear the discoloration associated with stasis dermatitis naturally. 

Self-care for stasis dermatitis

In addition to Dr. Banda’s care, you can help clear stasis dermatitis by changing a few aspects of your lifestyle, such as: 

• Adding breaks every hour when you sit or stand for long periods, such as at work
• Adding physical activity, like walking, to help blood flow through your legs
• Elevating your legs above your heart throughout the day, and at night when you sleep
• Wearing comfortable, loose-fitting clothing to avoid circulation problems
• Avoiding clothing that rubs on your ankles to sidestep additional skin irritation 

Contact MD Vein & Skin Specialists at the first sign of stasis dermatitis. Book your appointment online or by phone today.