Hello, You are a mother of 4 children and obese. You have developed reddish, brownish patches of skin around the ankles, 6 months duration and edema 4 days duration. There may be so many causes for patches around the ankle joint. After going through your statement I feel that it may be Petechiae . Petechiae are due to the inflammation of the blood vessels called as vasculitis. This condition calls for investigations and treatment right away The bleeding that takes place in the skin are called 1) Petechiae – smaller lesion (minute hematoma) – measures 2) Purpura – larger lesion – may be palpable – measures 3 mm to 1 cm Other than Vasculitis, Allergy, Dietary deficiency of vitamin C also may be the cause. It can be named as a nonspecific sign, but the underlying etiology may differ. Etiologies are mainly concerned with blood disorders. So careful clinical testing and investigation play a major role to determine the underlying cause. Consult a Hematologist and take proper treatment of the underlying cause, if any. Best wishes