Venous Leg Ulcer: 4 Best Wound Treatment Products
If leg ulcers do not heal within six weeks and the sore increases in size, it is known as a venous leg ulcer or chronic leg ulcer. It can even result in amputation in that part of the leg. Thus, it’s important to treat them fast. Read further to discover the signs, types, causes, and wound treatment products for venous ulcers.
Causes of Venous Leg Ulcers
Leg ulcers are sores on the skin of the leg that allows bacteria and air to pass into the underlying tissue. They are caused by an injury, and in most cases, they will heal up within one week or two.
Obesity, hypertension, circulatory disorders, etc. are the health issues that contribute to the development of leg ulcers. But, the most common problem that causes a venous leg ulcer is the disease of veins.
-Arterial disease: The poor blood flow in arteries causes 15 percent of the leg ulcers.
-Venous disease: The failure of veins causes about 15 percent of the leg ulcers.
-Other causes (including rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and some rare conditions) contribute about 5 percent of the leg ulcers.
Symptoms of Venous Leg Ulcers
Venous leg ulcers are painful and open sores on the skin that take about one month to heal. They typically develop on the inside of the leg and above the ankle. Common signs include:
-Foul smelly discharge
-Swollen ankles
-Ache or swelling in the legs
-Enlarged and swollen veins on the legs
-Darkening and discoloration of the skin around the ulcers
-Scaly, flaky, red, and itchy skin on your legs
-Heavy feeling in the legs
-Hard skin around the ulcer
If they are not appropriately treated with the right wound care products, it can even cause cellulitis, bone infections, and even necrotizing fasciitis.
Type of Leg Ulcers
–Malignant Leg Ulcers: They are caused by the tumor on the leg skin.
–Arterial Leg Ulcers: They are caused by the poor blood circulation in arteries
-Traumatic Leg Ulcers: They are caused by a severe leg injury.
–Diabetic Leg Ulcers: They are caused by the high blood sugar related to diabetes
-Vasculitic Leg Ulcers: They are associated with chronic inflammatory disorders like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Dressing Venous Leg Ulcers with Wound Treatment Products
The best way to treat chronic leg ulcers is with advanced wound treatment products and supplies. They help to enhance blood flow to the affected region and promote fast healing. After debridement, it’s important to treat the ulcer with sterile saline or cytotoxic cleanser.
Silver-Based Dressings
The silver-based wound dressings contain silver molecules produced by nanotechnology that help combat bacterial infections and also promote healing.
Compression Dressings
Compression dressings put pressure on the venous leg ulcers, prevent swelling, and improve blood flow through the feet as well as legs. But note, that the wrong compression product can lead to severe complications like severe ischemia and skin necrosis.
Multiple-component dressings like a blend of wound dressings and compression stockings work excellently when one component is an elastic-type bandage.
Biological Wound Care Products
Biological dressings stimulate the factors that are important for wound closure. Tissue-based and cellular wound care products offer a moist environment vital for leg ulcer management.
Topical Products
Topical wound treatment products are also advised for venous leg ulcers. It includes alginate dressings, foam dressings, and antimicrobial dressings. Alginates absorb large amounts of wound drainage and encourage new skin growth.
These gels also prevent wound dehydration while supporting debridement. Foam dressings contain polyurethane foam that absorbs wound exudate and maintains a moist surface around the wound. Due to the multifaceted nature of both foam and alginate dressings, they are used in combination with silver dressings to stop infection.
On the other hand, anti-microbial dressings contain gauze that is soaked in the ointment which has anti-microbial properties. It binds the micro-organisms to the dressing surface and eliminates them from the wound when the dressing is changed.
