| SKIN INVOLVEMENT: MAIN MENU |
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| Scleroderma Skin Involvement: Overview |
| This page was written by Shelley Ensz, and has not yet been medically edited. Scleroderma (SD) affects everyone differently. Just because something is listed here does not mean an individual patient will ever experience it. See Disclaimer. |
| Skin involvement in systemic sclerosis. The fully validated, feasible method ('gold standard') for measuring the dermal skin thickness is the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS). Parallel method(s) for measuring skin thickness need to be used in the future. (UnBound MedLine) Czirják L. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2008 Oct.:v44-5. (Also see: Skin Fibrosis) |
| Association with other Symptoms |
| Exercise Performance In Systemic Sclerosis: Relationship With Disease Manifestations. Exercise performance is impaired in most SSc patients, at least in those admitted in a referral clinic. The impairment of exercise performance is correlated to lung, heart and skin involvement. L. Ruocco AB0525 EULAR 2007 (Also see: Effects of SSc, Cardiac and Pulmonary Involvement) |
| Organ Involvement-Induced Disability In Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) . SSc-related disability is clinically significant and is mostly related to joint, cutaneous and cardio-pulmonary involvement, as well as to the disease-induced fatigue. C. Mihai. AB0514 EULAR 2007. (Also see: Skeletal, Cardiac and Pulmonary Involvement) |
| Alopecia (Hair Loss) |
| Alopecia (hair loss) may occur with scleroderma, if it affects the scalp. It may also occur due to the side effects of some treatments for Scleroderma symptoms, such as chemotherapy. |
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| Calcinosis |
| Calcinosis. The systemic forms of scleroderma can cause small white calcium lumps to form under the skin on fingers or other areas of the body. This is called Calcinosis. The lumps may break through the skin and leak a chalky white liquid. ISN. |
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| Collagen, Face Lifts and Scleroderma |
| Collagen, Face Lifts, and Scleroderma. Collagen injections should be used with caution in people who have had certain autoimmune diseases. ISN. |
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| Fingernails, Nailfolds, and Cuticles |
| Fingernails, Nailfolds, and Cuticles. The systemic forms of scleroderma can cause the fingernails to become smaller, and cuticles to become hard or rough. But because there are so many possible causes of poor fingernail or cuticle condition, they are not part of the diagnostic criteria for any form of scleroderma. ISN. |
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| Digital (Finger) Ulcers |
| Digital (Finger) Ulcers are sores caused by an interruption in blood supply from Raynaud's. |
| Edema (Swelling) |
| In the initial stages, the systemic forms of scleroderma may cause edema (swelling) in the fingers. |
| Quantitative echographic analysis of photochemotherapy on systemic sclerosis skin. Photochemotherapy was more likely to improve dermal edema, not fibrosis, because echo intensity after treatment was significantly elevated with that before treatment in patients with edema. Quantitative echographic analysis was concluded to be a reliable method in evaluating the change of skin edema in SSc. PubMed. Arch Dermatol Res. 2005 Apr 1. (Also see: Treatments) |
| Elbow Tip Pain |
| Scleroderma Elbow Tip Pains "Scleroderma is a chronic condition that causes inflammation and thickening of the skin. A common area of involvement of this condition is the skin over the tips of the elbows (the olecranon area). When this skin is involved, it can lead to troublesome irritation of the tips of the elbows with tenderness noted when any pressure is applied." MedicineNet |
| Fibrosis |
| Skin Fibrosis, which is a hardening of the skin, can happen very rapidly (within a few weeks of onset) or very slowly, over the course of many years. Skin fibrosis normally worsens during the first two to five years, and then improves. Once the skin softens, it seldom goes through a second hardening phase. If the Scleroderma progresses uninterrupted, the fingers may harden, often causing Flexion (Joint) Contractures. (Also see: Sclerodactyly) ISN. |
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| Gangrene (Death of Tissue) |
| Gangrene and Amputations. Severe cases of scleroderma and Raynaud's may cause a total lack of blood supply to the extremities. When this happens, necrosis (death of tissue) and gangrene may set in, sometimes making it necessary to have the affected part(s) amputated. Gangrene occurs more frequently among scleroderma patients who smoke or use caffeine, because such substances further constrict blood vessels. ISN. |
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| Hyperpigmentation |
| Scleroderma can cause hyperpigmentation (darkening) of the skin, usually in the areas which have been affected by skin hardening. Cosmetically, this can be covered up with such products as Dermablend ® Corrective Cosmetics. |
| Ultraviolet Light Therapy Is as Beneficial for Darker Skin as Lighter Skin. An analysis of more than 100 patients has confirmed for the first time that darker-skinned patients benefit as those with lighter skin when given light therapy for morphea and related diseases. Newswise. UT Southwestern Medical Center. 07/08/08. (Also see: Morphea) |
| Do You Have an Autoimmune Disease? Why You Should Beware of the Sun. Some people with scleroderma have hyperpigmentation of the skin that is made worse by sun exposure. Arthritis Today. 02/28/07. (Also see: Autoimmunity) |
| Reticulate hyperpigmented scleroderma: a new pigmentary manifestation. While diffuse generalized hyperpigmentation and localized hypopigmentation with perifollicular hyper-pigmentation are well recognized, a vascular induced hyperpigmentation has only been recently described. Clinical & Experimental Dermatology. Vol 30:2; p 131.March 2005. |
| Itching |
| In Diffuse Scleroderma, itching may precede skin tightening, and is a temporary phase. The prescription drug Atarax (generic name: Hydroxyzine Hydrochloride) may help in this situation. (1) |
| Consult your doctor right away if you develop sudden or severe itching, as this may be a symptom of other things, such as kidney failure or liver disease, which often occur in systemic scleroderma. |
| What's Your I.Q.? (Itch Quotient?) Lanacane Itch Information Center |
| Microstomia |
| Microstomia is the term used when fibrosis causes the skin around the face and mouth area to become hard and tight. Movement of the tongue may be impaired as well. See Scleroderma Photos. |
| Jacquie: Diffuse Scleroderma I am fifty-six years old and I was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma in November of 2003, right when menopause hit... |
| Rosemary F: Surviving Daughter of Diffuse Scleroderma Patient She tried to explain it, but it was hard for me to comprehend the disease's symptoms. Mom said that it was the same thing that her oldest sister died from... |
| Neck Sign |
| The Neck Sign is a distinctive pattern of yellow-brown plaque with beading and ridging. See Scleroderma Photos |
| Raynaud's |
| Raynaud's causes blood vessel spasms, which can cause painful coldness, color changes, numbness and tingling. ISN. |
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| Rashes |
| Skin rashes may be caused by various autoimmune diseases such as lupus or dermatomyositis and in some skin conditions which are similar to Scleroderma. But before becoming unduly concerned, rule out the most common causes. |
| Skin Rashes and Other Changes.The location, appearance and color of a rash will help your doctor make the diagnosis. Look for care suggestions on this chart for common rashes. familydoctor.org |
| Skin Rashes: Self-Care Flowchart. (Excellent & Easy to Use) |
| Chronic hives: What causes them? Occasionally, chronic hives can be associated with a serious, underlying medical condition, such as lupus, connective tissue disease, thyroid disorder and cancer. So it's important to have chronic hives evaluated by a doctor. MayoClinic. 04/12/07. |
| Reticulate Hyperpigmented Scleroderma |
| Reticulate hyperpigmented scleroderma: a new pigmentary manifestation. We report another unrecognized pigmentary abnormality in a 48-year-old patient who presented with a reticulate hyper-pigmentation affecting the trunk, upper and lower limbs. To our knowledge, cutaneous hyperpigmented reticulate scleroderma has not been reported previously. PubMed. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2005 Mar;30(2):131-3. |
| Sclerodactyly |
| Sclerodactyly. When the fingers become tight, stretched, wax-like, and hardened it is called sclerodactyly. ISN. |
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| Telangiectasia |
| Telangiectasia may appear on the hands or face. These are tiny red dots, which are caused by blood vessels dilating near the surface of the skin. They are harmless, and can be covered up with makeup if need be. ISN. |
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| Wound Healing |
| Proteomic analysis of scleroderma (SSc) lesional skin reveals activated wound healing phenotype of epidermal cell layer. We show that SSc epidermis has an activated, wound healing phenotype. These findings are important because epidermal cells activated by injury induce and regulate local fibroblasts during wound repair. (UnBound) Aden N. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2008 Oct 1. |
| Xerosis (Dry Skin) |
| Xerosis may occur from Scleroderma causing the skin to become excessively dry. Very mild soaps and lotions (often baby products) are recommended. ISN. |
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