The Doc Replies
Our expert answers your medical questions
I have dry red skin on my legs that won’t clear despite moisturising. Is it varicose eczema?
Varicose eczema is one of the complications of varicose veins and is generally a chronic condition. The main treatment is moisturiser, applied liberally and long-term. Often people don’t apply it enough. It must be at least twice a day or more often if the skin feels dry. Aim for your skin to feel greasy. For more severe cases or flare-ups, doctors might recommend a topical steroid but only for a couple of weeks because longterm use can lead to skin thinning. The compression stockings used for varicose veins can help with varicose eczema. If you experience persistent redness or dry skin on your legs, get it assessed by your GP as it could be severe varicose eczema or even lipodermatosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory condition that can cause redness, swelling, skin hardening and pain in the lower legs. If you have varicose eczema, it’s important to avoid injuries and bumps to the lower legs as that can trigger varicose ulcers. Keep legs elevated while sitting and stay as active as possible.
What could cause a middle ridge exterior indents my tongue?
Most likely, swollen tongue, also know as macroglossia. Your teeth can indent the sides of the tongue if it becomes enlarged. Causes can be an allergic reaction or a side effect of medication, such as ACE inhibitors, a common blood pressure drug, and anti-inflammatories. It can be associated with some conditions like an underactive thyroid or amyloidosis, or caused by injuries, like biting or cutting the tongue, or dental irritation.
My baby grandson has little white spots on his face. Is this normal?
Yes, almost half of new babies have these. Milia are small cysts containing keratin (the protein in the skin), that look like tiny pearl-white bumps under the skin.
They are completely harmless. In new-borns they appear usually on the nose, scalp and sometimes inside the mouth lining and palate, where they’re known as Epstein pearls. They disappear spontaneously and don’t require treatment.
The Doc Replies
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