If you’re asking this, you’ve probably been watching a wound closely and seen it move the wrong way. This page can’t explain what’s happening in your particular wound. What matters is that the change itself is significant.
Contact your provider if the wound is larger or deeper, or it looks dried out or dark. This applies to both closed and open surgical wounds. Other changes to report include more redness, pain, swelling, or bleeding at the wound, and drainage that increases or becomes thick, tan, green, or yellow, or smells bad.
For wounds managed over a longer time, an assessment of the cause looks at where the ulcer is, how it looks, your symptoms, your medical history and medicines, and the skin around it. It also includes blood-flow tests such as an ankle or toe pressure test, and often ultrasound to check the veins and arteries. Sometimes other tests such as X-rays or blood tests are needed if infection or bone involvement is suspected.
There’s one more possibility when a wound is not behaving as expected. Very rarely, a wound that does not heal as expected may be due to another condition, including skin cancer or inflammatory diseases. A health care professional may suggest taking a small skin sample, called a biopsy, to be sure of the diagnosis. This is a routine procedure that helps make sure you receive the right treatment.
That’s why this page is about reporting rather than interpreting. A wound getting deeper is a finding, and findings like this are the start of an assessment.