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Liz: Localized Scleroderma - Morphea

It is cutaneous morphea; meaning, it is only on the skin.

In June of 1999, after getting a tan at the beach, I noticed a little white spot that was three inches directly above my bellybutton. I thought I was peeling from too much sun.

By October, I had these white spots all over my stomach. Over the next eight months, three different doctors all misdiagnosed me with tinea versicolor, which is a type of fungus.

By February 2001, the spots were on my stomach, the top of my thighs, and on my back. There were also brown, scaly patches on the underside of my upper arms. I went to a dermatologist, who did an incision biopsy and diagnosed me with localized scleroderma (morphea). It is cutaneous morphea; meaning, it is only on the skin. He told me the cause is unknown, there is no known cure, and it is not contagious. He told me it is unlikely that it would turn into anything worse, and it would probably go away in a few years.

I immediately got on the Internet and decided to make an appointment with a rheumatologist. I want to make sure that nothing internal is being affected. And I also want to find out if there is any medication to make these spots go away. Luckily, I am pretty fair-skinned, so the spots are only noticeable when I get tan.

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This Story is Featured in Voices of Scleroderma Volume 1

The story on this page is featured in the top-notch Voices of Scleroderma Volume 1 which features articles by top scleroderma experts, including Dr. Joseph Korn, as well as 100 true patient and caregiver stories from this website! The book delivers excellent information and support for scleroderma patients and caregivers. It's a great way to inform family and friends about scleroderma, too!

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!

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