Symptoms:

You may have symptoms of venous insufficiency, which include a dull aching or heaviness in the leg and pain that gets worse when you stand.

At first, the skin of the ankles and lower legs may look thin or tissue-like. You may slowly get brown stains on the skin.

If you scratch the area, the skin may become irritated or crack. It may also become red or swollen, crusted, or weepy.

Over time, some skin changes become permanent:

• Thickening and hardening of the skin on the legs and ankles (lipodermatosclerosis)
• A bumpy or cobblestone appearance of the skin
• Dark brown color

Skin sores (ulcers) may develop (called a venous ulcer or stasis ulcer). These most often form on the inside of the ankle.

Signs and tests:

The diagnosis is primarily based on the appearance of the skin. Your doctor may order tests to examine the blood flow in your legs.