Foot discoloration should be treated as a medical emergency, as it is often associated with other serious health issues. You will first notice purple or blue blemishes appearing on your feet, although they look harmless, persistent discoloration signifies health issues. You can find the cause of the issues when you visit Mesa foot discoloration experts near you. The healthcare professional will know the exact cause that could lead to your food discoloration including conditions such as:
- Raynaud’s condition.
- Frostbite.
- Diabetes.
- Arterial disease.
- And other injuries.
Diabetes
People with diabetes should be keen on their legs’ health as they are prone to poor circulation, leading to discoloration. They are prone to having slow healing sores, resulting from minor injuries that could be due to infections. Moreover, diabetes is associated with acanthosis nigricans condition, causing the skin on the feet to be thick and dark. It also leads to diabetic dermopathy, which causes brown and red patches on the skin. Furthermore, necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum associated with diabetes leads to raised, waxy, yellow skin on the legs’ lower parts.
Raynaud’s Disease
Raynaud’s disease makes the veins in the feet spasm and constrict, affecting blood flow in the legs. Raynaud’s disease’s poor blood circulation makes the affected leg appear blue, purple, red, or white. However, you will know that you have Raynaud’s condition since it is associated with numbness and pain, feeling as if pins and needles are under the skin. It can impair your movement, making it difficult to use your fingers and feet. Stress and cold temperatures can trigger Raynaud’s disease, fortunately, its symptoms subside once you warm up or when the stress subdues. If you have severe Raynaud’s disease symptoms, see a doctor for further treatment.
Lupus Disease
Lupus can affect any healthy cells since the immune system mistakenly sees them as a potential health threat. Lupus can cause Raynaud’s condition, which restricts blood flow in the feet, resulting in blood vessel inflammation. When the blood vessels are inflamed, it causes a rash that appears as red or purple dots on the feet. Furthermore, inflamed blood vessels make the feet lose strength, leading to numbness and tingling.
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
PAD creates the arteries outside the body’s core, like those in the legs to narrow, restricting blood flow to the body’s outer parts. If PAD affects your legs, you will feel cramping, pain, tingling, and weakness. The reduced blood supply to the feet can make them appear purple and blue, if left untreated, PAD gradually leads to health complications such as ischemia and gangrene.
The Bottom Line
Although foot discoloration looks harmless, it could indicate severe underlying health conditions, seeing a doctor to diagnose underlying health complications is effective. Most of the conditions that cause discoloration, such as PAD, are inflamed blood vessels that can lead to heart disease and stroke if left untreated. Conditions such as Raynaud’s disease can be appropriately managed if you reduce stress and ensure that you are kept warm during the winter. Diabetes is a health-threatening condition, and you can manage it better to achieve a happier everyday life.