Video

Mystery leg lesions and low vitamin C? Think scurvy


 

When repeated dermatologic treatments for skin lesions on a patient's lower extremities didn't lead to resolution, Dr. Richard C. Glogau decided to check the patient's vitamin C levels. What he found was "a big shock": The cause of the lesions was a scourge that once plagued sailors throughout history: scurvy. Dr. Glogau has since discovered more cases masquerading as hard-to-treat skin disorders.