What is a venous leg ulcer?
A skin ulcer is where an area of skin has broken down and you can see the underlying flesh. Venous leg ulcers are the most common type of skin ulcer. They mainly occur just above the ankle. They usually affect older people and are more common in women. About 1 in 50 people develop a venous leg ulcer at some stage. Venous leg ulcers can be painless but some are painful. Without treatment, an ulcer may become larger and cause problems in the leg. Skin inflammation (dermatitis) sometimes develops around a venous ulcer. Non-venous skin ulcers are less common. For example, a skin ulcer may be caused by poor circulation due to narrowed arteries in the leg, problems with nerves that supply the skin, or other problems. The treatment for non-venous ulcers is different to that of venous ulcers. The rest of this leaflet deals only with venous leg ulcers.
