Many people faced a situation where red spots appeared on their legs for unknown reasons. This condition may be accompanied by various symptoms. Only an experienced doctor can determine the cause of this ailment. However, the main factors, as well as treatment approaches, if spots on the legs itch, will be considered in the article.
Pathology Features
If the legs itch and red spots appear (photo is presented below), this may indicate the development of various pathologies in the body. The skin is a reflection of ongoing internal processes. If a system fails, the skin may become an indicator that reflects this.
Also, the epithelial layer is the first barrier to harmful microorganisms, toxins, allergens and other similar substances. If spots appear on it, this may indicate the appearance of an external irritant. The skin can respond to adverse factors in different ways. A rash or spots of a sufficiently large size may appear on it. The formations itch, peel. Sometimes the epithelium is covered with vesicles. This condition causes anxiety, as well as physical discomfort in humans.
To take the right and timely action, you need to know what triggered the appearance of spots. They can be localized on both legs or on only one limb. Sometimes such manifestations do not cause discomfort. In some cases, spots on the arms and legs can be observed. Such formations itch strongly or less intensely. In any case, one cannot do without a correct, in-depth diagnosis. Therefore, be sure to consult a qualified dermatologist.
According to ICD-10, itchy spots on the legs are indicated by code L29. When they occur, a number of symptoms often appear. The main ones are as follows:
- Manifest in certain places. Most often, spots are localized in the area of the feet, knees, legs. They can also cover the inner and outer surfaces of the thighs. Sometimes such formations cover the entire surface of the skin of the legs.
- The form of the rash can be different. Sometimes these are just small dots whose color can be more or less intense. The spots are sometimes quite large. Their color in this case is saturated red.
- Formations can itch and at the same time peel off or release fluid. Sometimes discomfort is completely absent.
- Some patients have an increase in body temperature. This is accompanied by chills, a general deterioration in well-being.
Depending on the symptoms, the doctor may suggest the development of a condition. However, the diagnosis does not end only with symptoms. Be sure to do a number of tests.
Allergy
If red spots on the legs itch (photo below), this can be caused by various diseases. Often, such formations are a sign of skin pathologies. One of the most common causes is allergy. In this case, the pathology appears after the patient contacts a certain substance. Both food and clothing, cosmetics, plants, etc. can be an allergen. It is necessary to recall what events preceded the appearance of spots.
If the cause is an allergy, spots may not only appear on the legs. They can be seen on the face, hands, body. In this case, the formation does not hurt, but the itching can be quite severe. The area of the skin where the stain occurred may become a little swollen. The skin here is peeling. Sometimes edema covers the legs completely.
With a significant area of allergic spots, the patient has a general deterioration in well-being. Breathing may be difficult, swelling of the tongue appears, it becomes difficult to swallow. In this case, you need to call an ambulance. Procrastination can be dangerous.
If spots appear on the leg and itch, you need to consult a dermatologist. An allergic rash can manifest itself not only in the form of a similar rash, but also in small bubbles, sores.
Fungus
If spots on the feet itch, fungal infections are an equally common cause of such manifestations. Almost always, rashes appear on the feet, fingers or nails. In rare cases, they are located on the skin below the lower leg. In this case, the rash is not hot to the touch, has clear contours. The spots peel off, can be covered with small cracks. In the advanced stage, exfoliation of the skin begins.
With fungal diseases (mycosis), itching is quite severe. You need to start treatment immediately. Otherwise, the disease will go into an advanced stage and will appear again and again. The general condition of the patient with mycosis does not change. However, the discomfort can be very strong. Itching is replaced by soreness, as the infection affects the deeper layers of the skin.
Other pathologies
When spots on the leg itch (photo below), a few more common diseases can become the cause.
These include:
- pink lichen;
- psoriasis;
- eczema;
- atopic dermatitis.
The listed diseases lead in the frequency of occurrence (after allergic reactions and mycoses).
With psoriasis, the rash is localized mainly on the bends of the arms and legs. Moreover, spots can appear on the scalp, as well as the entire body. Rarely do they affect the face. The lesion may also trap the nail plates. Spots appear and pass spontaneously. Their appearance does not provoke food, materials, etc. The general condition of the patient does not change.
If the spot on the leg does not itch, does not hurt, this is one of the symptoms of psoriasis. At the same time, its surface is peeling. If itching occurs with diagnosed psoriasis, an additional examination is necessary. This indicates the development of other pathologies against the background of this disease.
One of the varieties of mycoses is pink lichen. This type of disease is not contagious (unlike a common fungal infection of the skin of the feet). Most often, the appearance of such a disease is explained by a weakened immune system. The spot has an uneven shape, peeling. Itching is moderate.
Another disease, the symptom of which is a rash, spots on the skin, is eczema. It can be in acute or chronic form. Spots with eczema can be red, flaky. Sometimes papules appear on the skin. In places where clothes rub on the skin, ulcers can appear (for example, between the legs, in the armpits).
Another cause of this condition may be atopic dermatitis. The spots in this case are swollen, flaky. Their contour is vague. Under the influence of cold, the disease develops more actively. When heated, the skin becomes cleaner.
Varicose veins
Red spots on the feet itch if more serious pathologies develop in the body. One of the reasons may be a complex pathology that develops in the vessels of the legs. Sometimes a similar situation indicates complications that developed against the background of varicose veins. Such changes in the epithelium can be located along the entire length of the limbs or only below, on the lower leg, below the knee, on the calf and around the bone of the foot.
The disease manifests itself with certain symptoms. First, a network of vessels appears. They have a purple color. Swollen veins in the legs may also appear over time . Sometimes this condition leads to the appearance of age spots. They can grow over time, spread higher up the leg.
The limbs can sometimes swell. Over time, the veins may turn blue. This indicates the further development of varicose veins. It is necessary to take the right actions at the stage of the first signs of the disease. In advanced cases, a serious operation will be required. Spots with varicose veins indicate the development of complications. Blood accumulates in the vessels, stagnates in them. If the leg is swollen, redness appears that does not peel off, this indicates thrombophlebitis. The vessels are clogged with blood clots. Their inflammatory process begins.
You should immediately consult a doctor if blue or white spots appear on the leg, except for red ones. This indicates insufficient blood flow into the tissue. Over time, necrotic changes may develop. Red spots on the legs itch with varicose veins due to insufficient intake of blood, oxygen and necessary substances in the tissues. If, at the same time, it began to darken, blacken the finger (or several fingers) on the foot, this indicates gangrene that has begun. You need to call an ambulance.
Sometimes the toe turns red first, and then turns blue and black at the last stage of varicose veins. However, the same symptoms sometimes indicate complications of diabetes. In this case, trophic changes appear in the vessels. If no action is taken, defects on the fingers and toes develop.
Rare reasons
Red spots on the arms and legs itch and with a number of other diseases. They are less often diagnosed today. However, they cannot be excluded. Sometimes red spots appear spontaneously, and then for some reason they themselves pass. At the doctor’s appointment, no traces of such skin rashes were observed. In this case, the doctor may suspect abnormalities in the autonomic nervous system. The innervation of the vessel wall in this case is disrupted.
This is a non-hazardous condition. The cause of this phenomenon can be physical or emotional stress, heat on the street or indoors. Because of this, the vessels are irrationally reacting to the stimulus. They are expanding. Because of this, the skin acquires a red tint. The spots in this case do not peel off, but they can itch. When the skin cools, it is washed with cool water, and physical or emotional stress subsides, the spots disappear without a trace. If the red spots on the legs itch and hurt, this may indicate the development of a serious infection.
If the cause of the rash is streptococcus, this pathology is called erysipelas. A spot appears on the leg, which has an intense red color. Along its periphery, a red outline may even be observed. The patient's body temperature in this case rises, weakness appears. The leg may even swell. Signs of the inflammatory process are determined in the blood.
With streptococcal infection, the surface of the skin is hot. The spot may creep over time, become less clear. The cause may be an injury on the leg, nail, foot. Through it, streptococcus enters the body and begins to multiply actively.
A dangerous disease that can manifest itself as multiple spots on the legs is syphilis. Also, such rashes are determined on the body (including palms, feet). The color of the spots is pink or red. They appear several at a time.
In children, the appearance of red spots is often explained by the development of certain infections on the skin or in the body. Their list is quite large. Only after proper diagnosis can the cause of this manifestation be determined. There are a huge number of provoking factors.
Diagnostics
If red spots appear and itch on your legs, you need to consult a dermatologist. It will take a certain diagnosis. It is not worthwhile to act on this stain by any means. This can distort the clinical picture. Diagnosis will be difficult. At the reception, the doctor conducts an examination. A dermatologist also interviews the patient about the symptoms that accompany the pathology. After this, a number of laboratory tests are performed. Their list is quite large. The doctor writes out a direction for:
- clinical, biochemical blood test;
- the amount of glucose in the blood;
- general urine analysis;
- scraping from spots.
Sometimes a biopsy is done to diagnose the cause of the disease. The skin area taken from the patient is examined using a special technique. Allergies are detected using certain tests and tests. The type of allergen is also established. With cholinergic urticaria, a provocative test is done using an acetylcholine analogue drug.
If necessary, other instrumental diagnostics may be required. So, for example, the doctor can prescribe angiography of the vessels of the legs, their ultrasound examination. Sometimes you need to diagnose the liver, thyroid gland. Sometimes, after the first series of tests, a dermatologist may prescribe several additional examinations.
The spots on the feet itch and peel due to acute or chronic diseases. Symptoms of many of them are similar. In the acute period, diagnosis is easier. Manifestations of a certain disease are pronounced. Chronic diseases require in-depth diagnosis. If you independently determine the causes of spots, you can aggravate the condition. However, some symptoms are concealed. Incorrect treatment can lead to serious complications, significantly prolonging the recovery period.
Allergy treatment
If a red spot on the leg itches and peels, and the diagnosis showed that the cause is allergy, the doctor prescribes a comprehensive treatment depending on the severity of the pathology. Symptomatic treatment is also prescribed. It allows you to reduce itching and discomfort, alleviating the general condition of the patient.
Without fail, an allergen is detected that provoked a similar manifestation. The diet requires a review. Products that can cause allergies are excluded from it. To quickly cleanse the blood and intestines of toxins, a special drug "Enterosgel" is prescribed. Its active substance absorbs metabolites of incomplete metabolic reactions, and also binds them. In addition, the drug removes pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microorganisms from the body. Moreover, in the intestine, the activity of beneficial flora is not disturbed.
"Enterosgel" allows for thorough detoxification of the body, stabilize the activity of immune cells. In this case, the sorbent is not determined in the general blood flow. The dosage is prescribed by the doctor depending on the age of the patient.
Sometimes the doctor prescribes local non-hormonal ointments to treat spots in places of contact with the allergen. It, for example, can be "Fenistil gel". The drug reduces irritation, itching and inflammation. Its action begins in a few minutes. The skin is cooling. In this case, the ointment has an analgesic effect. If red spots appear on the legs and itch, local ointments are applied to them. After that, you can not go out in the sun.
Other pathologies
If spots on the leg appear and itch, the treatment is prescribed in accordance with the causative agent of this process. Special fungicidal ointments and drops are used against the fungus. If mycosis spreads to the nails, they must be carefully cleaned. Also on sale is a large selection of drops that are applied to the nail in the morning and evening. Shoe processing is also carried out using the selected drug.
If the cause of the spots is in liver pathologies, diabetes mellitus, treatment of the underlying disease is prescribed. In parallel with this, the doctor prescribes antiallergic drugs. In many cases, vitamin complexes are prescribed (depending on the type of underlying disease). This allows you to increase immunity, restore the protective functions of the body. Physiotherapeutic treatment may sometimes be prescribed.
Folk remedies
If the spots on the feet itch, the doctor may advise using folk recipes in combination with the main treatment. They can reduce discomfort. However, as the main treatment, such recipes are not used. If the spots are caused by allergies, you can arrange a fasting day, make an enema. Activated carbon is also taken (tablet per 10 kg of body weight). Make lotions from infusions of medicinal plants (for example, a string, chamomile).
If the cause of the stains is mycosis, you can make trays of celandine (pour 8 tablespoons of dry grass 3 liters of boiling water). Red lichen is treated with lotions from the juice of viburnum berries, as well as undiluted apple cider vinegar. Applications with sea buckthorn oil are also effective.
If the spots on the legs itch, peel, hurt, this becomes a serious reason for contacting a dermatologist. He will prescribe the correct treatment, which will quickly solve the problem. Self-medication can be very dangerous.