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Ariel: Linear Morphea

Luckily, it only affects my skin, so I can still dance and play the piano.

I am fourteen years old and was diagnosed with linear morphea on my right arm about two years ago. Luckily, it only affects my skin so I can continue with my hobbies of dancing and playing the piano.

I started using Dovonex about six months after the disease was diagnosed, but unfortunately, there weren't any noticeable improvements. My doctor then suggested PUVA light therapy. However, in the area in which I was living at the time, there was no UVA-1 light, so the doctors created a protocol for just regular UVA light. Through a mistake in carrying out the treatment, the light caused second degree burns on my arm.

Now, six months later, I have tried to use Dovonex again, but the skin still can't tolerate it. Because of that, we are thinking about starting PUVA light therapy again and would like to know if anyone has tried this and has experienced any improvements. Thank you!

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ISN Story Editor: Judith Thompson Devlin

Judith Thompson Devlin is the ISN Story Editor for this story. She is also lead editor of the ISN's wonderful Voices of Scleroderma book series!

SCLERO.ORG was the world's leading nonprofit for trustworthy research, support, education and awareness for scleroderma and related illnesses from 1998 to 2021. It was a grassroots movement from the original Scleroderma from A to Z web site, which was founded by Shelley Ensz. We were a 501(c)(3) U.S.-based public charitable foundation. We closed this web site and our nonprofit agency in April 2021.