If you have varicose eczema this post will tell you what you need to know and what you need to do to get rid of it.
Varicose eczema is important. It is a warning sign that you have a serious problem with the vein circulation. If neglected it can progress onto become a leg ulcer causing pain, odour and disability. Leg ulcers can be a recurring problem and may involve prolonged treatment to get them healed. So taking action before they develop, that is when varicose eczema starts is well worth it.
So why do you have varicose eczema? Well first of all, let me put a few things straight for you.
- This condition is NOT REALLY an eczema — a skin problem- nor is it ACTUALLY caused by varicose veins. The term arose before we fully understood the true nature of the problem. So IN REALLITY varicose eczema can develop in the absence of SURFACE varicose veins and unlike TRUE skin problems it should not be managed solely by dermatologists.
- The true nature of varicose eczema is a malfunction of the veins of the legs causing inflammation and scarring of the skin. So problems with the deep veins such as a blockage from a deep vein thrombosis or back flow in the superficial veins – called reflux can cause varicose eczema.
- Varicose eczema only develops on the legs and it is always associated with leg vein malfunction. If you have eczema on a different part of your body, IT IS NOT VARICOSE ECZEMA you should see a dermatologist.
Now to part you really want to know. How can you get rid of varicose eczema. Varicose eczema is important so get is sorted out quickly. Don’t delay seeking help. The longer you have varicose eczema the more likely you are to get an ulcer. Request an assessment by a vein specialist and request a duplex ultrasound scan to look at the leg veins in detail. A scan will detect the exact vein abnormality and the results of the scan will form the basis of the plan for curative treatment. Antibiotics, creams and ointments are almost never needed. In fact they can make things worse. In particular avoid steroid creams which actually thin the skin. Although steroid creams provide very welcome relief, they mask the symptoms of skin irritation, thin the skin and actually make a leg ulcer more likely in the long run.
So here are my top tips. Get help as soon as you have varicose eczema, request an assessment by a vein specialist including a vein duplex scan and get the underlying vein problem diagnosed and dealt with as soon as possible.
If you would like more information and help with your varicose eczema, request a free information sheet with everything you need to know about varicose eczema.