My brother has large purple coloration on the inside of both ankles, he says they itch terrible and burn. He has found no one to tell him what this might be. He is a 56 year old Vietnam vet. If you have any ideas please let me know so I can investigate further.

Dr. Joshua’s Answer

It’s hard for me to say what it is without actually seeing or performing a physical examination. One possibility that comes to mind is venous insufficiency, especially if there is swelling on the ankles/feet involved. This means that the veins are not working properly and are not transporting blood upwards as well as they should. This sometimes causes purplish eczema (rash). This is just one possibility - other reasons are possible as well.

Please have a doctor take a look. Most likely there is help and relief available once the diagnosis is made.