A pressure ulcer can take as little as one to two hours to form. In the early stages, pressure ulcers may appear as nothing more than a redness of the skin. But over time, the redness may progress to a deep opening in the skin. In the worst cases, these sores penetrate through the muscle and fat tissue, all the way down to the bones. Pressure ulcers may be extremely painful, and can lead to secondary infection and even death. It is important if you are immobile or confined to a bed or chair to take the necessary steps to prevent pressure ulcers from developing.
One of the challenges in pressure ulcers is that sometimes, the damage occurs to the underlying structures of the skin and body tissue before appearing on the outside of the skin. Pressure damage often occurs before it is visible.
