Skin issues on ankles.

[onijester]

I am 30 years old and overweight working on losing my excess weight. However something that has been bothering me is a oddity to me. On the back of my ankle (over the area I have always been told was the Achilles tendon area) a large patch of skin has darken and hardened. It is not painful but is rough to the touch and if scratched scrapes away with little pain and smooth skin under it.

The problem is that I have had this for years and assumed it was nothing to worry about. Now I am older and recently began to enter into a stage of life where I focus a lot of time on maintaining my health and getting into a better state of health. So I figured I should ask but I don't want to ask a doctor I see here because I feel self conscience about it.

Please someone help me understand what this is and if I need to confront a medical professional about it in person for help. If I can treat it at home I will though. Thank you for your time and patience.

~James

[AngieWilson]

*wish XD sorry 4 the typo

[AngieWilson]

I understand how you feel (being self conscience) I felt the same way when going to the Chiropractor for my back pain.....

As for the skin on the back of your ankle?  I'm not sure what it is per say so I'd recommend asking about it even though you feel the way you do about asking.

For an example (and diff. topic) I felt the same about the back pain I was going through years ago...

I didn't want to go to a Chiropractor because I felt I was still way too young and that only old(er) people with true back problems went to them.

But then came the point where I knew I couldn't put-it-off any longer ....
So I shoved my self conscience aside and humbled myself a little to go in and admit (to myself and them) that I needed help.

After that? I felt incredibly better! I'm now glad that I forced myself to do what I felt insecure about.


I would guess that it might work for you as well.  Knowing even though you're self conscience about going into your local doctor and admitting to them & yourself that you need help. Plus, you'd get an answer you may not find in greater detail than the one provided by the Dr.

But that is completely up to you! ;) I don't know if my little story may help but I can't give you a firmer answer than that -- as much as I with I could give a nice solid answer ... you know?

Good luck! Angie W. =3

[silverfox67]

You might want to try putting baby oil on this area and wearing socks to bed every night.  After about two weeks, the dark skin will start sloughing off and you should see new skin there.  You might want to just make it a habit of using baby oil and socks from now on so that it doesn't come back. - I've seen the ankles of people who left it alone and is isn't attractive to say the least.  One woman had it so bad that the skin got thick and hung down to the floor all dark and crusty looking. - It wasn't that she didn't bathe - she was clean - but that dry skin just wouldn't go away by itself. -  Some people will recommend petroleum jelly (vaseline) but remember it's made of petrol...