Advanced Ankle Discoloration Treatments in Tinley Park, IL

Have you noticed the skin on your ankles is becoming darker? This could signify an underlying vascular disease and might become severe if not given proper treatment. Ankle swelling, discomfort, and discoloration are symptoms that require treatment from an experienced vascular specialist. The team of experts at Vascular Specialists provides the most innovative vascular treatment for conditions that cause ankle discoloration. For treatment of ankle discoloration in Tinley Park, book an appointment online or call the office to receive the best care.

What Is Ankle Discoloration?

Also referred to as hyperpigmentation, ankle discoloration is a condition in which the skin around your ankles darkens. Ankle discoloration is often accompanied by symptoms such as flesh that swells easily. These signs usually indicate an underlying vein disease such as venous insufficiency. The darkening of the skin is caused by hemosiderin, a pigment found in the iron contained in the blood. When you have venous disease, your blood hemoglobin breaks down, releasing the hemosiderin deposits that cause the discoloration.

If left untreated, ankle discoloration can develop into severe conditions such as lipodermatosclerosis and venous leg ulcers. Lipodermatosclerosis usually causes swelling in the subcutaneous adipose tissue, which results in thickening. It might eventually result in ulcers. On the other hand, venous leg ulcers refer to painful open wounds that have slow healing characteristics.

Which Conditions Cause Ankle Discoloration?

Venous insufficiency is the common cause of ankle discoloration. There are blood valves located in your blood vessel veins. The valves function as a barrier to allow the blood to flow towards your heart while preventing backflow, or flowing back the wrong way. If the valves become weak or faulty, your blood can begin to pool, and it’s more difficult for your veins to pump the blood back to your heart. This results in poor circulation, which might cause problems such as ankle discoloration and varicose veins.

Venous insufficiency mainly affects older people, with most patients being over forty years old. Other conditions that might increase your probability of developing venous insufficiency include; deep vein thrombosis (DVT), traumatic injuries, and previous vein or leg surgeries.

What Are The Available Ankle Treatment Options?

Ankle discoloration is often caused by venous disease. Your veins fail to appropriately pump the blood back to the heart, making the blood pool in your legs. When you visit the Vascular Specialist team with symptoms of ankle discoloration, they use advanced medical technology for accurate diagnosis of the underlying condition and create a personalized treatment plan for you. The experienced team will identify the faulty nerves and use minimally invasive therapies to treat them. Some of the effective treatment options used include endovenous ablation and sclerotherapy. After eliminating the defective valves, they are absorbed by your body, and the blood is directed to the healthy veins for the restoration of ideal blood circulation.

To sum up, if you are experiencing ankle discoloration and swelling, you should seek proper medical care as soon as possible before the condition becomes severe. The team at Vascular Specialists provides effective minimally invasive treatment to address any underlying vascular disease. To get started, call or schedule an appointment online today.