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Shallow sores on your legs that won’t heal are leg ulcers

	Older people are more likely to get leg ulcers than younger people. Turn to ConsumerReportsHealth.org to learn more about ways to treat and prevent leg ulcers.
	Subscribe to ConsumerReportsHealth.org to find out if compression bandages rate best for treating leg ulcers.

Shallow sores on the lower leg that don’t heal for at least six weeks are called leg ulcers. Leg ulcers sometimes start with a knock or bump that doesn’t heal because of poor circulation in the legs. If blood is not flowing properly, a wound doesn’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs to heal, causing an ulcer.

We've brought together the best research about leg ulcers and weighed the evidence about how to treat them. You can use our information to talk to your doctor and decide which treatments are best for you. This information is for people who have a condition called venous leg ulcers. Here we don't look at how well these treatments work for people who have diabetes, who get diabetic foot ulcers.

Key points about leg ulcers

• There are lots of different treatments for leg ulcers. If the first treatment you have doesn't work, there are others to try. Most ulcers do heal eventually.
• Firm bandages around your lower leg, called compression bandages, are commonly used to treat leg ulcers. They lower the blood pressure in your legs, helping the blood to flow and the ulcer to heal.
• If the bandages alone don’t help, you can take a medication called Pentoxifylline, which improves blood circulation in your body. However, you will need to keep wearing the bandages.
• If regular treatments don’t work, artificial skin made from two layers of skin cells may heal your ulcer.
• The best way to prevent leg ulcers is to wear compression stockings or, if you have varicose veins, have surgery to treat them.

There are various other treatments, as well as things you can do yourself, to help your leg ulcers heal. We encourage you to read our entire condition report and to consult with your doctor to learn more about leg ulcers. As a Consumer Reports Health subscriber, you’ll have access to our expert research and recommendations, and you’ll be more confident and knowledgeable about which treatments are best for you.