What are Skinny Cankles?
Proof that the universe has a sense of humor, skinny cankles are those that appear on thin or fit individuals. A lack of definition between the calves and ankles, cankles are often associated with obesity and weight gain. But there are many potential cankle causes that have nothing to do with your weight.
Understanding the reasons for skinny cankles can help you prevent them. If prevention fails due to uncontrollable factors like genetics, you do have several treatment options. Both surgical and non-surgical treatment strategies are available.
Causes of Cankles in Skinny or Fit Individuals
Even if you’re of smaller stature or make it a point to take good care of yourself, skinny cankles can still happen to you. There are several reasons for this, and it can be difficult to recognize them without the help of a doctor. This is because all of the causes stem from internal processes that you may not know are happening.
Genetics
Skinny cankles may just be in your DNA. We all store some body fat, regardless of size or shape. Your body decides where to store this fat, and your genetic makeup may encourage it to store it in your lower legs.
Muscle Structure
Somewhat related to genetics, your unique anatomy can cause skinny cankles. If your calf and ankle muscles are underdeveloped, the lack of definition can cause skinny cankles. A sedentary lifestyle can contribute to this issue but is not the only cause. Larger bone structure, flat feet, or a short Achilles tendon can all contribute, as can naturally thick ankles.
Poor Lymphatic Drainage
Your lymphatic system serves to remove excess fluid from your body along with toxins and waste. When it functions poorly, excess fluid stays in your body where gravity pulls it down into your lower legs. Congenital conditions or trauma to the lymph nodes or vessels can lead to chronic lymphatic insufficiency and localized swelling even if you are otherwise healthy.
Vascular Issues
Arteries and veins carry blood throughout the entire body including into your feet, ankles, and calves. Unfortunately, blood can get effectively stuck in your lower extremities if you have poor circulation, causing swelling and skinny cankles. Conditions like venous insufficiency, varicose veins, diabetes, and peripheral artery disease can contribute to poor circulation, as can low blood pressure and dehydration.
Water Retention and Fluid Imbalances
Hydration and diet can play a large role in skinny cankles. As mentioned above, dehydration can lead to poor circulation and swelling in the legs. It’s important to drink plenty of water and to watch what you eat. A diet high in sodium leads to water retention and thereby swollen ankles.
Hormonal changes may also lead to water retention and fluid imbalances, especially during pregnancy. Many women find they develop pregnancy cankles, particularly in their third trimester. Other factors can cause hormone changes as well, including hypothyroidism or the use of hormonal birth control pills.
Exercise-Induced Swelling
Some people notice temporary skinny cankles after exercising. Exercise-induced swelling typically subsides in a few hours and has several potential causes. Exercise increases the blood flow to the muscles, potentially allowing excess fluid to leak into them and cause swelling. Standing for a prolonged period while holding excessive amounts of weight can lead to blood and fluids pooling in the ankles, which also leads to swelling.
Prevention Strategies for Skinny Cankles
The good news is that you’re not helpless against skinny cankles. There are steps you can take to try and prevent them, and many of those steps are good for your overall health as well. Here are several things you can do:
- Engage in regular workouts to promote good circulation and tone your calf muscles
- Drink lots of water
- Avoid processed foods and salt
- Maintain a healthy electrolyte balance—sugar-free sports drinks can help you do this
- Wear compression socks, particularly during exercise
- Incorporate regular muscle massage into your workouts to stimulate the lymphatic system
Non-Surgical Treatments for Skinny Cankles
If you already have skinny cankles and want to rid yourself of them, there are several non-surgical treatment options available to you. Some of these treatments double as prevention strategies, so you may notice some overlap. To try and treat skinny cankles on your own, you can try:
- Reducing your salt intake to avoid water retention
- Increasing your water intake to prevent fluid buildup (We know this sounds counterintuitive, but it works,)
- Strengthening your calves to improve ankle definition (Focus on exercises like calf raises and jump rope that build and tone the calf muscles.)
- Practicing yoga and other stretching techniques to improve blood flow and lymphatic drainage
- Scheduling regular lymphatic massages with a massage therapist or learning how to perform lymphatic massage yourself
- Wearing compression socks to squeeze the lower legs to improve circulation
- Using ice baths or cold wraps to decrease swelling after you exercise
Diagnosing the Cause of Skinny Cankles
You can often make non-surgical treatments more effective or determine if you need surgery by getting an accurate diagnosis as to what is causing your skinny cankles. Once they determine the cause, doctors can determine and explain the best treatment options for you. Assessing the cause of your skinny cankles may require several steps.
Visual Examination and Medical History
To determine the cause of your skinny cankles, a doctor will first want to look at them. This allows them to take note of skin coloration, muscle tone, and ankle structure. They will also look for anatomical anomalies like flat feet, which can cause skinny cankles.
Your doctor will then take a detailed medical history, likely asking not only about your health but whether circulation or other related problems run in your family. They will also ask about your lifestyle, likely wanting to know if, for example, your job requires you to stand on your feet for long periods of time. The goal is to identify underlying conditions, lifestyle factors, and genetic influences that could be causing your cankles.
Vascular Testing
Depending upon their findings when they examine you, your doctor may send you for vascular testing. This involves using an ultrasound machine to check for blood clots, venous insufficiency, and other circulatory problems. Detecting and fixing vascular problems helps your heart pump the blood out of your legs more efficiently so that it doesn’t pool around your ankles.
Lymphatic Drainage Assessment
If fluid is accumulating in your lower extremities but your doctor thinks it’s something other than blood, they will likely check your lymph system. For this test, a care provider injects dye into your lymph system. They then use scans to track how the dye is moving through your lymphatic system, highlighting any blockages or other problem areas. Managing lymphatic system issues will help stop excess fluid from accumulating in your lower extremities.
When to Consider Cosmetic Procedures for Skinny Cankles
Cosmetic surgery may be the best choice for getting rid of skinny cankles if lifestyle changes like diet and exercise just aren’t doing the trick. Surgery can also be the best choice for those who prefer instant gratification. The treatment methods mentioned above can resolve your cankles, but they all take time to work. If you want faster relief, surgery may be the right choice for you.
Liposuction for Cankles
Liposuction is an excellent way to get rid of your skinny cankles. During the procedure, which can be done under general anesthesia or while you’re awake, very small incisions are made in the calf and ankle area. Your surgeon will remove excess fat through these incisions using a thin tube called a cannula. This fat removal process will involve strategic decisions, removing fat in a way that sculpts the ankles and calves into a more defined and desirable shape.
Sometimes it’s excess fat that surrounds the ankles, but it’s possible for skinny cankles to result from loose skin in the calf and ankle area. If your skin lacks elasticity, it’s also possible for liposuction to cause some loose skin. At Mia Aesthetics, we can tighten this new skin with a fascinating technology known as J-plasma.
During a J-plasma tightening procedure, a small device is placed under the skin that produces radiofrequency (RF) energy. When combined with helium, this energy simultaneously heats the skin enough to shrink it while keeping it cool enough to avoid burns. This is a much less invasive way to remove excess skin as compared to surgically removing it. We would love to offer you a free virtual consultation so you can learn more about fixing your skinny cankles with surgery and/or skin tightening.