Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
A skin ulcer is a crater-like, open sore on the skin. These wounds are roughly circular, with a center that is open and raw.
This article will talk about the various types of skin ulcers, their symptoms and causes, and how they can be treated and prevented.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
Skin Ulcer Symptoms
Skin ulcers cause a crater-like depression in the skin, which may weep clear fluid (calledserous), blood, or, when infected,pus. The outer border of a skin ulcer is often raised and inflamed.
The skin around the ulcer can be discolored, raised, or thickened. Areas of the ulcer may turn black as the tissue dies.
Skin ulcers generally start slowly and gradually worsen as the skin breaks down. In theearly stages of a skin ulcer, you may just notice an area of discoloration, either darker or lighter than the surrounding skin tissue. The area may burn or itch.
As the ulcer progresses, the skin tissue disintegrates and may look like the skin has been eroded away or has “disappeared.“
Minor skin ulcers are shallow, affecting just the top layers of the skin (theepidermis). More serious skin ulcers can affect the lower layers of the skin (thedermis) andsubcutaneous tissue. In extremely severe cases, the ulcer extends to the muscle and bone.
Even small skin ulcers are a cause for concern because they are notoriously slow healers and can easily become infected.
When to Call a Healthcare ProviderIf the ulcer is large or deep, growing in size, incredibly painful, or if you have any signs of infection (increased redness, pain, swelling, and/or pus), you notice a bad smell coming from your ulcer, or you’re running a fever, call your healthcare provider right away.You’ll also want to call your healthcare provider if your ulcer, no matter how minor, isn’t showing signs of healing after a week to 10 days.
When to Call a Healthcare Provider
If the ulcer is large or deep, growing in size, incredibly painful, or if you have any signs of infection (increased redness, pain, swelling, and/or pus), you notice a bad smell coming from your ulcer, or you’re running a fever, call your healthcare provider right away.You’ll also want to call your healthcare provider if your ulcer, no matter how minor, isn’t showing signs of healing after a week to 10 days.
If the ulcer is large or deep, growing in size, incredibly painful, or if you have any signs of infection (increased redness, pain, swelling, and/or pus), you notice a bad smell coming from your ulcer, or you’re running a fever, call your healthcare provider right away.
You’ll also want to call your healthcare provider if your ulcer, no matter how minor, isn’t showing signs of healing after a week to 10 days.
Causes of Skin Ulcers
Anyone at any age can develop skin ulcers, but they are more common in the elderly, people with certain chronic diseases like diabetes andatherosclerosis, and those with mobility issues.
Obesity,smoking, and pregnancy also put you at a higher risk.
Types of skin ulcers include:
Venous Skin Ulcers
Venous ulcers are usually shallow wounds. They typically form over a bony area of the leg, such as the ankle.Varicose veins, obesity, lack of activity, and pregnancy all put you at a higher risk for developing these ulcers.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoHemjaa / Getty Images
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Decubitus Ulcers
Decubitus ulcers, also calledpressure ulcers,pressure sores, or bedsores, are created when there is continued pressure on a particular area of the skin for long periods of time. This compresses the blood vessels, disrupting normal circulation in the area and causing the skin to break down. If this type of ulcer is not treated promptly, it can worsen to the point where underlying tissues or bone are exposed.
These types of ulcers most often develop around bony areas, since there is less fat there to cushion the skin. They most often occur on the hips, elbows, back, on the buttocks around the tailbone, and around the ankles and heels.
People most at risk for pressure ulcers are those with limited mobility like the elderly and those confined to a bed or in wheelchairs.
Know the Risk Factors for Pressure Ulcers
Arterial Skin Ulcers
When arteries aren’t delivering blood to the skin properly, arterial skin ulcers, also called ischemic ulcers, can develop.
Atherosclerosisis the most common cause of arterial ulcers. Atherosclerosis causes the arteries to narrow, preventing a healthy supply of blood from flowing to the legs and causing skin tissue to die. One of the main causes of atherosclerosis is an unhealthy cholesterol level. Cholesterol creates plaques that build up in the arteries, narrowing them.
Like venous ulcers, arterial skin ulcers are more common on the extremities, especially the lower legs. Any condition that compromises your circulation makes you more likely to develop arterial skin ulcers.
Neuropathic Skin Ulcers
Neuropathicskin ulcers are most common in people with diabetes. They are often calleddiabetic foot ulcers.
This type of ulcer can occur when damage to the nerves (neuropathy) causes a loss of sensation in parts of the feet. As a result, you may not feel when your feet are tired and need a rest, or if there are small injuries that need to be addressed. Coupled with compromised circulation, these wounds aren’t able to heal and, over time, an ulcer develops.
Neuropathic skin ulcers typically form on the bottoms of the feet. Because of the loss of feeling in the foot, these ulcers may not hurt, so they are easy to ignore.
As with any ulcer, it’s important you treat these as soon as possible, even if they aren’t painful enough to be bothersome. Otherwise, they can quickly progress to something more serious.
Finger Ulcers
Uncommon Causes of Skin Ulcers
These causes of skin ulcers are are less common:
Diagnosing Skin Ulcers
If you suspect you have a skin ulcer or any wound that isn’t healing well, you should see your healthcare provider. Even minor skin ulcers can progress to something quite serious in a short span of time. Because skin ulcers are notoriously slow to heal, you’ll likely need medical advice and intervention to help treat them.
When you go in to have your skin ulcer examined, your healthcare provider will ask questions about your health and will want to know how long you’ve had the ulcer, if it’s growing or healing, if it’s painful, or if it bleeds.
Skin ulcers are classified as eitheracuteorchronic.Acute ulcers are those that heal within about 12 weeks time. Ulcers that are not healing well after 12 weeks are considered chronic.
Of the two, chronic skin ulcers are more serious. Chronic ulcers, even small ones, are prone to infection and can cause a lot of pain.
Differential Diagnosis
There are other types of skin wounds that can resemble ulcers. Your healthcare provider may want to rule these out before making a diagnosis.
Poor-fitting shoes or athletic equipment, or repetitive motions like shoveling, can abrade the skin and leave a crater-like wound.
A large cystic breakout or boil that has drained may also leave a roundish-shaped area of skin with a depressed center.
How to Treat Skin Ulcers
Treatment for skin ulcers is tailored to your situation and depends largely on the type of ulcer and its severity.
Home Remedies
In most cases, the ulcer will be dressed to protect the wound, and your healthcare provider will show you how to change your dressings at home.
However, if your ulcer is draining considerably, your healthcare provider may recommend leaving the wound uncovered. In this case, dressing the ulcer can slow down healing.
If your ulcer is painful, you may be prescribed pain medicine. Antibiotics may also be prescribed eitherprophylactically(to prevent infection) or to treat an already infected wound.
Leg ulcers, in particular, are very likely to reoccur, so you may need to wear compression stockings all the time.
If your ulcers are worsening, especially if you are treating them yourself, don’t put off calling a healthcare provider.
Medical Procedures
When an ulcer is not responding to treatment at home, or is getting more severe, medical procedures may be required. These include:
Skin ulcers are very slow-healing wounds. Getting them healed properly requires strict adherence to the treatment plan your healthcare provider has devised for you, plus time and patience.
Preventing Skin Ulcers
If you’re prone to developing skin ulcers, a visit to your healthcare provider is in order. They can help you develop a plan to prevent them.
Eating a healthy, nutritious diet is an important prevention strategy. Nutritional deficiencies can make it harder for the ulcer to heal.
Lifestyle changes are also helpful. Quitting smoking (since it limits the amount of oxygen in the blood), exercising to increase blood flow, and keeping diabetes and cholesterol levels under control can helpprevent ulcers from developing.
A Word From Verywell
Always keep your healthcare provider apprised of any changes in your skin ulcer, ask questions, and do your best to follow your ulcer treatment and prevention plan. This will give you the best possible outcome.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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