Leg ulcers usually develop on the inside of the leg, between the knee and the ankle. Venous leg ulcers are the most common, causing 60% of cases, affecting one in 500 people in the UK, more commonly with age.
They can develop after a minor injury, with persistently high pressure in the leg veins weakening the skin. Symptoms include pain, itching and swelling. There may be discoloured or hardened skin around the ulcer, with a foul-smelling discharge.
See your GP if you think that you have a leg ulcer, as it will need specialist treatment to help healing. Your GP will examine your leg and may