Hemosiderin, a protein compound that stores iron in your tissues, can accumulate under your skin. As a result, you may notice yellow, brown or black staining or a bruise-like appearance. Stains most often appear on the lower leg, sometimes covering the space between your knee and ankle.
Haemoglobin, a protein molecule that contains iron, causes hemosiderin stains. The haemoglobin in your red blood cells is responsible for carrying oxygen from your lungs to other tissues, and when the red blood cells break down, the haemoglobin releases iron.
This trapped iron is stored as hemosiderin in tissues beneath your skin, which causes the visible hemosiderin staining. Certain medical conditions that can overwhelm this process, including trauma, diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, vein insufficiency, leg edema, venous ulcers or hypertension and lipodermatosclerosis (a skin and connective tissue disease).
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