If you notice shiny, hairless, and smooth skin on your legs and you haven’t moisturized, it could be a sign that a heart attack or stroke is about to strike.
That’s because the shine on the skin can be due to poor blood circulation, which often precedes a cardiovascular event.
Dr. Babak Ashrafi, part of Superdrug’s online doctor team, warned that shiny skin on the legs could be a sign of several underlying conditions, including peripheral artery disease (PAD).
The condition causes a buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries, restricting blood flow to body tissues, including the leg muscles.
Although the condition itself is not immediately life-threatening, blood flow to the heart and brain can be stopped if the deposits build up in the walls of the blood vessels, leading to heart attack and stroke.
Dr. Ashrafi explained that shiny legs can also indicate fluid retention or deep vein thrombosis, in which a blood clot forms in a deep vein of the body, usually a thigh. Both conditions can be signs of dangerously poor blood circulation.
‘When circulation is compromised, it can reduce the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the skin cells, leaving the skin looking smooth, tight and shiny,’ Dr Ashrafi shared. The sun.
Several health conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and lifestyle factors such as smoking, can put people at risk for shiny legs due to poor circulation.
PAD causes a buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries, restricting blood flow to the leg muscles. Although the condition itself is not immediately life-threatening, plaque buildup in the walls of blood vessels can lead to fatal problems, such as heart attack and stroke.
Dr. Ashrafi emphasized that while glowing skin can sometimes simply be the result of hydrated skin, if you have recurring leg pain during exercise, swollen legs or persistent changes, you should have it checked by a doctor to rule out any problems notice in your skin.
NHS surgeon Dr Karan Raj, who has more than 5.3 million followers on TikTok, has also warned about the symptom.
Commenting on a video of a man showing off his “shiny, reptilian skin” on his shin, Dr. Raj explains that if he had a patient with such skin, he would “check to see if he had any blood flow problems.” ‘
“Specifically due to peripheral arterial disease due to the build-up of plaque in the arteries, causing them to become narrow,” he added.
He said: ‘Reducing blood flow means the skin can become tight and thin due to tissue wasting and shiny due to hair loss due to a lack of natural nutrients and oxygen.
‘There may be other things associated with it, such as reduced heart rate and perhaps even leg pain, depending on the severity of the problem.’