No, and this is one of the clearest safety points in all of wound care.
Compression helps many venous ulcers, but it is not suitable in the same way for severe arterial disease. A venous ulcer and an arterial ulcer can both appear on a lower leg, and the treatment that helps one is not neutral for the other.
That is why a test usually comes before a bandage. In many people with leg ulcers, a simple, painless test is done to check the blood flow to the feet. This may include measuring blood pressure at the ankle or toes, often called ABI or toe pressure. These tests help your healthcare professional make sure that compression bandages or stockings are safe for you.
The result changes the plan. Compression is very helpful for ulcers caused by vein problems, but if the blood flow in the arteries is too low, compression may need to be adjusted or avoided. The test helps choose the safest and most effective treatment.
Here’s what that means in practice. Compression stockings and wraps are widely available to buy, and a leg ulcer is not a reason to start using them on your own. The decision rests on a measurement that cannot be made at home.
The cause of a leg ulcer is worked out more broadly too: where the ulcer is, how it looks, your symptoms including pain and swelling, your medical history and medicines, the skin around it, blood-flow tests, and often ultrasound to check the veins and arteries.
Where compression is appropriate, it becomes long-term. After an ulcer has healed, continuing to use your therapeutic compression stocking, bandage or device is the most important thing you can do to prevent another one.