When the skin on your lower legs appears shiny, it could be time to check in with our Georgia vascular specialist. While it sounds surprising, shiny skin on legs is actually a warning sign of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), a condition caused by built-up plaque narrowing your arteries, in turn restricting the flow of blood to the extremities. Often not diagnosed until the condition is quite advanced, detecting early symptoms such as changes in the appearance of the skin on your legs can help you seek earlier intervention.

Wha Causes Shiny Skin on Legs?

When you develop PAD, your lower legs could be the first body parts affected; because they are further from your heart, they will be most impacted by the reduced blood flow. While the skin on your lower leg may appear shiny, it's actually being thinned and tightened as a secondary effect of reduced blood flow. Your leg hair may also grow slowly or stop growing due to the reduction in blood flow and the subsequent drop in nutrients and oxygen.

Other Symptoms of PAD

If you have noticed loss of leg hair or shiny skin on legs, you should also be on the lookout for these other PAD symptoms:

• Weakness or numbness in your legs
• Cramps that manifest with movement, improving with rest (Claudication)
• Slow-growing toenails that may also be brittle
• A pale or blueish tint to the skin on your lower legs
• Male erectile dysfunction

Treatment for Shiny Skin on Legs

When you come into Georgia Endovascular with symptoms of PAD, we'll likely order the simple, non-invasive Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) test. This procedure compares the blood pressure levels in your ankle and arm to detect any signs of reduced circulation in the leg arteries. In turn, we can diagnose PAD, although we may need further imaging, including an Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) or Computed Tomography (CT) to determine disease progression and help us provide appropriate care.

We offer several minimally invasive PAD treatment options; none require overnight stays in the hospital. The one we recommend will depend on your individual condition, but choosing prompt treatment is crucial, since PAD is a progressive condition. Have you already noticed notice shiny skin on legs or other PAD symptoms? Don’t delay treatment: simply reach out to our team to request a consultation.