Crater-like wound on my leg turning black - what the hell is this (see pic)

[Bitworriedtbh]

Just as the title suggests! I got bitten last week, have no idea by what but it was itchy and the first day my leg was swollen and quite hard. Well now it’s turned into a small crater-like wound that feels really deep. It looks like a dark brown/black scab on it but I’ve tried lifting it a little and it’s like stuck in my leg, it looks hard but I’m sure it’s not actually a scab. When I tried to lift it (unsuccessfully) the skin around the wound peeled off. I have never had a bite end up like this! Any thoughts on what this is and whether it’s something that’ll heal on its own? Don’t want to bother the GP if it’s nothing!

Excuse the hairy legs and tattoo :D

Looks like something burrowed in it

PSA for late joiners: The skin discolouration is a tattoo!

I think I know what this is - erythema nodosum
I also have IBD (crohns) and I've had one of these on my leg and it has left a crater. It is an infection of the subcutaneous fat
It could be pyoderma gangrenosum too
Please go and see a doctor!

I had this year's ago, my legs were covered in big red welts , incredibly painful.

You say it's a crater but to me the picture look like there is something sticking out of the wound rather than a hole.

My assumption would be a tick that's burrowed in and it's sticking out.

Let us know how you get on when you're seen

Cellulitis. And it’s progressed far too much! Hospital or urgent care for antibiotics or you risk sepsis

YANBU a Dr will want to see you asap!

Oh sorry I've just seen you got bitten. In that case cellulitis would be my guess too. Do you have red, hot skin tracking up your leg?

@Bitworriedtbh How are you doing OP? Have you seen anybody yet?

I hope it's not but my friend's dog had a botfly burrow in and it looked just like that.

Closest walk in centre/A&E asap. Like today.

Have you had it checked OP? Looks sore!

Oh, just seen the discolouration is actually a tattoo! Sorry! Less urgent, but still get it seen, it looks like it has the potential to be infected. Walk in centre will give antibiotics.

Looks like a healing wound to me. It wouldnt worry me if I knew what caused it. Ie. stung/bitten by insect, or a scratched itchyt spot.
Together with tiredness and other symptoms while not knowing where it comes from I might worry a bit.

Not sure why people see a tick, there isnt any tick in the picture.

Is it definitely a bite? Not something that has appeared from within the skin?
I once got bitten by a Hornet twice. It was so painful. It made my leg go numb and it also swelled somewhat. The bite site looked similar.
I don't think Hornets leave stingers behind inside the bite. Some other insects do however.
I hope that you get treated and feel better soon.

Well it doesn’t look that bad without the tattoo. I mean I’ve got awful health anxiety and even I think everyone’s being dramatic.

If you've not had cellulitis from an insect bite, it may seem dramatic. If you have, then it really isn't.

It could be a stinger left behind. How do you know if a stinger is still in bite?
You'll likely see a red bump. If a stinger was left behind, you'll also see a small black filament sticking out of the center. It may have a bulbous end, which is the venom sac. If the skin around the stinger is loose, pull it tight to get a better look left behind in a bite, which does need to be removed.

Sometimes, if you get bitten by a small tick and it has burrowed into your skin, it is possible to scratch the body off without realising, leaving the head and legs inside the wound. This stops the wound healing.

I've had insect bites do that.

They sometimes form a little blister, when picked or scratch they don't form a proper thick scab just a thin one which is easily knocked off and then just kinda dries out inside the crater rather than filling in as a graze or cut would.

I'd keep it clean, keep checking the surrounding tissue is not overly red and importantly, is not streaking, no red streaks coming outward from it following blood vessels...

It will fill in slowly but as the scab is minimal and mostly tough connective tissue rather than dead stuff, any time you pick it you will make it deeper.

Did you read my comment immediately after the one you quoted? Where I realised it was a tattoo? They were right next to each other in the thread...

It’s a wolf so the light shading is fur lol, it’s actually a fantastic tattoo @NextTimeItsOver

Have you been seen?

I'm hoping you've at least shown it to a pharmacist. And that your toddler appointment went ok.

Hi , haven't read whole thread as was concerned when saw pics so have only read all of your posts before posting. If you have inflammatory bowel disease and are having bloody diarrhoea, it sounds like you're having an IBD flare up and so it's highly probably that's a pyoderma gangrenous. There's a concern it might be infected so having seen your last post, I very much hope you're now in A and E and will be admitted to the gastro ward for appropriate management. Wishing you all the best for a speedy recovery.