Varicose veins can lead to a skin condition called stasis dermatitis, also known as varicose eczema or venous eczema. Skin rashes like varicose eczema occur when damage to the vein allows fluid to leak into the surrounding skin tissue, blocking oxygen from getting to the skin.

1. Could My Varicose Veins Cause Skin Rashes?
If you experience a red or itchy rash along veins that are visible on your
legs, your varicose veins may be to blame. Varicose veins can lead to a
skin condition called stasis dermatitis, also known as varicose eczema
or venous eczema. Skin rashes like varicose eczema occur when
damage to the vein allows fluid to leak into the surrounding skin tissue,
blocking oxygen from getting to the skin. When left untreated, this type
of varicose veins rash can lead to cracked skin, non-healing wounds,
and dangerous skin infections.
At USA Vein Clinics, our leading vein specialists provide treatment for
varicose veins, varicose eczema rashes, spider veins, and a range of
other venous conditions.
How Can I Identify a Varicose Vein Rash on My Legs?
Varicose veins can lead to a range of skin changes. This is because
diseased veins can allow fluids to leak into surrounding tissue,
preventing oxygen from reaching the skin. When your skin is deprived
of enough oxygen, you may begin to see related skin issues, including:
 Skin rashes
 Skin discoloration
 Open, non-healing wounds

2. Varicose vein rashes usually develop around the lower legs and ankles.
They can be mild to severe and are often accompanied by other vein
symptoms like leg swelling, cramping, and fatigue.
Your varicose veins, ankle rash, or leg rash may be:
 Red
 Itchy
 Dry
 Scaly
 Inflamed
 Cracked
 Uncomfortable
If you have varicose veins and notice a skin rash on your legs, it may be
varicose eczema. We recommend contacting a vein specialist for a
consultation.

3. What Causes Varicose Veins?
The underlying cause of varicose veins is vein disease, also known as
venous insufficiency. Generally more common in women and older
adults, varicose veins affect approximately 23% of adults in the US.
Vein disease is a progressive disease, meaning that symptoms get
worse over time. It develops when vein valves are placed under chronic
strain and become damaged. Age, genetics, and lifestyle factors can
play roles in this process.
Vein valves in the legs are important since they keep blood flowing in
the right direction: back to the heart. There, blood is reoxygenated.
When one-way vein valves become damaged, blood can begin to pool
or flow the wrong way. This can lead to the formation of varicose veins,
spider veins, venous insufficiency rashes, and a range of other venous
issues.
Varicose veins are often thought of as only an aesthetic issue. However,
they can cause a range of painful and uncomfortable symptoms that
eventually impact your quality of life. Most commonly, the legs, ankles,
and feet are affected. Individuals who suffer from vein issues may
encounter difficulty standing, sitting, or walking.
If you have varicose veins, you may experience:
 Heavy legs
 Swelling
 Numbness
 Itching and burning
 Pain relief when legs are elevated
Along with causing the above symptoms, vein disease can increase your
risk of developing blood clots and venous ulcers. These are serious
health issues that require prompt medical attention.

4. How Does a Venous Insufficiency Rash Develop?
When blood pools in your lower legs due to venous insufficiency, fluid
can begin to leak into the surrounding skin. The resulting inflammation
can prevent sufficient oxygen from reaching your skin in the region. The
appearance of a varicose veins rash may be a sign that your skin is
deprived of oxygen.
The development of varicose eczema can also indicate progressing vein
disease and should be evaluated as soon as possible by a vein specialist.
What Types of Vein Disease Rash Complications Can Occur?
When varicose vein rashes are left untreated, there are two main types
of complications that can occur: venous ulcers and blood clots. Venous
eczema can eventually progress into venous ulcers, or open, non
healing wounds. Additionally, the presence of varicose vein rashes can
mean that you are at increased risk for dangerous blood clots, known
as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Venous Ulcers
Over time, venous eczema can progress into a venous ulcer. Venous
ulcers are open, non-healing wounds that often occur on the lower legs
or ankles. It is important to be aware of their symptoms since the early
stages of venous ulcers often go undetected.
Initially, skin changes may seem minor and appear similar to a bug bite,
bruise, or patch of irritated skin. As ulceration progresses, you may
experience increased bruising and/or reddened, dry, and cracked skin.
Eventually, the affected skin will begin to die, causing the wound to
open and become deeper and more inflamed.
Without treatment, venous ulcers can take a long time to heal or may
not heal at all. Venous ulcers can lead to skin infections, such as

5. cellulitis. Cellulitis is a serious, deep skin infection caused by bacteria.
Symptoms include redness, swelling, tenderness, warmth, fever,
headache, chills, and weakness.
Unfortunately, venous ulcers do not typically respond to lotions or
creams. Instead, treatment usually involves a minimally invasive,
outpatient procedure to close off blood flow to nearby, diseased veins.
Blood Clots
The presence of venous eczema due to vein disease can also place you
at increased risk for dangerous blood clots, including deep vein
thrombosis (DVT). DVT symptoms include leg pain, swelling, warmth,
and redness. Deep vein thrombosis can also lead to varicose eczema,
which may appear similar to a varicose vein rash.
If you notice signs of DVT, you should head directly to the nearest
emergency room for evaluation. Your doctor will likely prescribe a
blood thinner, send you home, and advise you to follow up with your
primary care physician. Sometimes, additional treatment is required.
Receiving prompt treatment for deep vein thrombosis is essential. A
blood clot in the deep venous system can break off and travel to the
lungs when left untreated. This can lead to a life-threatening condition
called pulmonary embolism.
Symptoms of pulmonary embolism include chest pain, difficulty
breathing, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood. If you
experience these issues, call 911 immediately or head directly to the
nearest emergency room.
After a DVT or pulmonary embolism diagnosis, your doctor may
recommend ongoing care with a vein specialist to monitor your vein
health closely.

6. How Can I Prevent Getting Skin Rashes from Varicose Veins?
Early treatment of varicose veins can help prevent skin rashes. We
recommend exploring your options promptly to avoid developing
irritated skin, skin discoloration, varicose vein rashes, and other venous
insufficiency symptoms. Vein treatment can also reduce the risk of
varicose eczema evolving into a potentially dangerous venous ulcer.
Along with vein treatment, we also want you to know that your lifestyle
choices can influence your risk of developing varicose eczema rashes.
While we understand that some risk factors, such as genetics and aging,
are beyond your control, there are other areas in which you may be
able to make improvements.
To help prevent venous skin rashes, we recommend:
 Maintaining a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI)
 Exercising regularly
 Eating a well-rounded diet
 Quitting smoking
 Avoiding prolonged periods of standing or sitting
 Managing related health conditions, such as diabetes and high
blood pressure
 Consulting a vein specialist for personalized recommendations
Healthy habits and effective treatment make the prevention and
management of venous skin rashes possible. If you feel you may need
additional support in guiding your recovery or early treatment steps. In
that case, our vein specialists can provide a helping hand.

7. Can Varicose Veins Rashes Be Treated?
We have good news if you are suffering from a varicose veins-related
itchy rash. There are a range of minimally invasive, office-based
treatment options available. To alleviate itching and dryness from
varicose vein rashes, we recommend treating the underlying cause:
your vein disease.
For the vast majority of patients, invasive surgery is unnecessary.
Instead, a range of non-surgical, outpatient care can be used to resolve
pain and discomfort. At USA Vein Clinics, most of our treatments take
less than an hour, from start to finish. Afterward, you can leave
immediately and resume most normal daily activities.
Along with treatment, your vein specialist may also recommend one or
more of the following to help alleviate painful and uncomfortable
symptoms:
 Compress: Wearing compression socks can help improve leg
symptoms due to varicose veins. Your vein specialist can prescribe
the best level of compression for your situation.
 Exercise or Be Active: Physical activity is beneficial for your vein
health. Aim for at least 30 minutes daily, five days per week.
Walking with a friend is a great way to get started. Along with
exercising regularly, avoid prolonged periods of standing or
sitting. Instead, try to move around frequently throughout the
day.
 Manage Your Weight: When it comes to varicose veins, weight
loss benefits are clear. Maintaining a healthy body mass index
(BMI) can relieve painful symptoms and help you avoid related
skin rashes. To help achieve a healthy BMI, focus on eating a
balanced diet.
 Moisturize: Although lotions and creams won’t resolve venous
eczema, they may bring some relief to symptoms like itching and

8. dryness. You can discuss specific product recommendations with
one of our experts.
 Medicate: Certain medications, such as antihistamines and topical
corticosteroids, may alleviate varicose vein skin rashes. Before
trying this on your own, be sure to discuss your plans with your
doctor as they may suggest prescription options that you cannot
obtain over-the-counter.
Implementing these changes may provide symptomatic relief, but only
treatment of the underlying condition can eliminate the problem. To
explore your treatment options, visit an experienced vein specialist.
Minimally Invasive Vein Treatment Options
At USA Vein Clinics, our primary goal is to improve your quality of life.
We understand that varicose veins can cause uncomfortable skin
rashes, painful leg ulcers, and other life-altering symptoms. Our leading
vein specialists are available to help.
All of our minimally invasive outpatient treatments work by closing off
malfunctioning veins and rerouting blood flow to surrounding, healthy
ones. Your doctor may recommend one or more of the following
treatments:
 Ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy: Using ultrasound guidance, one
of our experts injects a sclerosant agent into the diseased vein.
This causes it to become intentionally irritated and seal closed.
 Endovenous laser therapy (EVLT): With this state-of-the-art
treatment, we use laser energy to target malfunctioning veins and
cause them to collapse. Your targeted vein(s) will eventually
become reabsorbed by the body.
 ClariVein® treatment: This procedure simultaneously uses
mechanical and chemical methods to treat venous issues. It

9. involves a special catheter with a rotating tip at one end that
prompts targeted veins to close.
 VenaSeal™ treatment: Our most recently introduced treatment,
this technique uses medical adhesive to seal off diseased veins
and redirect blood flow. Afterward, most patients do not require
the temporary use of compression socks to aid recovery.
For desired results, some veins require more than one type of
treatment or multiple treatments of the same method. If you are
interested in obtaining personalized recommendations, schedule an
appointment or call us at 888.768.3467 today.
Request a Consultation at USA Vein Clinics
At USA Vein Clinics, our compassionate vein specialists don’t want you
to suffer from venous insufficiency rashes any longer. Our minimally
invasive outpatient treatments can alleviate your venous symptoms,
along with improving your quality of life. They can also reduce your risk
for developing dangerous venous conditions, such as deep vein
thrombosis and venous ulcers.
If you still are unclear who to turn to for help, we want you to know
that USA Vein Clinics has been awarded accreditation from The
Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) for Vascular Testing, an
organization that accredits imaging facilities and hospitals within the
vascular health field. In other words, we have been acknowledged as
leading experts in the field of vein treatment.
Our nationwide network of highly skilled and experienced vein
specialists perform leading-edge vein treatments at over 100 clinic
locations. We also offer convenient telemedicine options.
If you are concerned about the cost of treatment, we can help out with
that, too. Vein treatment is covered by most major health insurance

10. plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. To discuss the details of your
plan, just give us a call at 888.768.3467.
By delivering high-quality, compassionate care, our trusted experts can
transform and enrich the lives of our patients. Now that you know the
answer to your question (can varicose veins cause skin rashes?), we
encourage you to schedule an appointment today.