Welcome to the turning of summer into fall! As we are encountering everything from colorful trees to colorful politicians, let’s turn our attention to the colorful legs that can sometimes be quite perplexing. Just as a red wound bed can represent different situations, so can redleg skin. In this blog post, we will concentrate on the red leg, trying to distinguish between conditions, irritations, and infections.
Hemosiderin
The hallmark of venous insufficiency begins with H: Hemosiderin staining is that ruddy red discoloration of the skin, turning tissue a darker reddish-brown color. This staining is consistent with chronic swelling, an undeniable “tattooing” from chronic leaking of red blood cells out of capillaries and into surrounding tissue. This iron-rich staining usually starts distally, in the ankle (or gaiter) region, but can extend proximally, forming a “knee sock” pattern. It is sometimes confused with cellulitis due to its deep
