Two different kinds of veins make up the venous system in the body: superficial and deep. Superficial veins are located between the muscles and the skin and deep veins are found between muscles. Vein systems are linked by veins with one-way valves, which typically ensure blood flows from superficial veins to deep veins. If these valves fail, the blood will flow from the deep veins and then back to the superficial veins, normally forming varicose veins.

Venous leg ulcers usually occur because these valves that are not properly functioning. Venous ulcers affect between 500,000 and 600,000 people in the US each year and account for nearly 90% of leg ulcers. Venous ulcers are commonly seen in people who suffer with a history of varicose veins, leg swelling or blood clots. These ulcers can affect a single leg or both legs.

Risk factors of venous leg ulcers include:

~Age: These types of ulcers usually recur in older people.
~Sex: Women have a higher tendency to suffer from them. Hormonal changes from pregnancy, hormonal replacement therapy, menopause and birth control are factors that increase the formation of venous leg ulcers.
~Obesity. Someone who is overweight has an increased risk of venous leg ulcers because of the increased pressure on the veins.
~Employment. Activities or jobs that require standing for a long time are risk factors with standing increasing the pressure that is put on the veins.

Symptoms of leg ulcers include swollen legs, dryness, itching and sometimes brownish-colored skin that surrounds the ulcers and appearance that is weeping and raw and located right above the ankle usually inside the leg.

The goal of treating venous leg ulcers is to relieve the pain, quicken recovery and heal the ulcer. Each patient has a different treatment plan and is based on the person’s health, condition and ability to be able to care for the sore. The ulcers are treated with leg compression to minimize swelling. Compression treatments include multilayer compression wraps, compression stockings, wrapping of an ACE bandage or dressing the entire area below the knee. The compression used will be determined and prescribed by the patient’s physician. Dressing types include hydrogels, alginate, collagen, debriding, antimicrobial, composite and synthetic skin.