And Red Legs Too.....

[Lolaforever]

I was neglected at a convalescent hospital following hip surgery and developed blood clots. I take Warfarin for that. Now below my knees my legs ankles and feet are very swollen and part of my legs have turned red, dry and peeling. What is this and what can I do?

[arwenmark]

I think you should see your doctor about this as soon as possible

[lesleyd]

Hello

I also think you should talk to your GP. However the symptoms you describe have some resonance with my leg problem.

For some years now I have experienced dry, red ( sometimes tight and slightly sore) skin below knees mainly around ankles. In addition slight swelling would accompany these symptom as the day wore on. - Initially I suspected hot weather ( particularly on holiday.) It also happened after a lot of walking including walking on hard surfaces. Some described this as "golfer's leg". Invariably the symptoms had reduced by the time i visited the GP. Last year the problem seemed to last longer but GP not sure of cause and advised moisturising and steroids if skin seemed itchy and sore. Later that summer I had a real flare up starting with redness, tightness, slight itching and swelling in the evening ( fluid build up I suspect) culminating in considerable swelling even above knee, some skin leakage, skin scaling and peeling. This time GP could see the issues and was worried about infection and vascular issues. Hospital investigations indicated no vascular issues. One of the PD doctors suggested that the majority of my problems were most likely Eczema related - In this case crazy paving ' asteatotic' eczema which often starts in later years ( the scaling and flaking actually looked like crazy paving). In addition she suggested that the skin's intra-cellular lipid and drainage system may have been compromised and that I would have to be vigilant about keeping skin moisturised in order to avoid dryness, swelling and possible infection. This summer I coped fairly well on holiday - I did have usual redness, swelling later in day etc and yes the skin appeared darker and felt leathery. I followed a moisturising regime several times a day, particularly in dry conditions and after a shower as well as keeping leg(s) elevated periodically alongside regular exercise.

I hope you find this account helpful it may not be the reason for your problems but it certainly sounds like your skin may have been compromised perhaps linked to your convalescence. When reading up about eczema and edema ( Medscape ) I was interested to find out that:

* epidermal ( outer) skin requires 10-20% water concentration to maintain it's integrity.

* excess water loss from the overlying epidermis results in dehydration of the dermis (lower) skin at a faster rate ( upto 75x) than healthy skin.

* the underlying cells shrink which in turn compromises the skin's elasticity and creates fissures.

* fissures rupture epidermal capillaries causing bleeding

* Intra cellular fluid / lipids can build up in skin and further stress the epidermis

* the consequent disruption of the skin's (cutaneous) integrity causes increased absorption of irritants and allergens, inflammation and the risk of infection.

If left unchecked eczema it can reoccur and even become chronic.

The good news is that eczema responds well to therapy, so aim to eliminate the causes and be aware of times of low humidity and low temperatures.

All the best lesley

[aspergerian in reply to lesleyd]

Lesley,

Your post is a tutorial. Thank you.

[Lindylanka]

Cellulitis of the legs, i.e. low grade infection of the soft tissue, often causes redness, hotness and peeling and dry skine. Also a possibility is lymphedema. You should get to a doctor soon especially if your lower legs feel hot.