What Do Red Bumps On Ankles Indicate?

Posted on Sun, 14 Sep 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 14 Sep 2014 Answered on

Sat, 11 Oct 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : my name is XXXX. I am 64 years old. retired for 25 years. diabetic- use oral meds for it. have been on same meds for about 10-20 years. I have red bumps that started on both my ankles a couple of months ago but has now spread up to the calf on both legs. bumps are crowded clusters and seem to turn brown after being red for a couple of weeks. they don't itch and are not raised. once brown they look like a mass of freckles with hardly an empty spot left on the skin. the only new thing I am using is gold bond diabetic cream for dry skin.

Answered by Dr. Binu Parameswaran Pillai (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Skin lesions: possibilities

Detailed Answer:
Good day,
Noted your concern.
There are few possibilities
1) Diabetic dermopathy
2) Skin changes due to neuropathy
3) Necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum.

I know that these names are confusing and complicated. The treatment may differ. It is better if you could attach a photo of the leg lesions.

How is your diabetes control?
What medicines are you using for diabetes?

Regards
Binu

Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar