What is scleroderma?
Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and thickening in the skin and other areas of the body. This inflammation leads to areas of tight, hard skin.
There are two major types of scleroderma:
- Localized scleroderma only affects the skin and the structures directly under the skin.
- Systemic scleroderma, also called systemic sclerosis, affects many parts of the body. This is the more serious type of scleroderma and can damage your blood vessels and internal organs, such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys.
Who gets scleroderma?
Anyone can get scleroderma; however, some groups have a higher risk of developing the disease. The following factors may affect your risk.
- Sex. Scleroderma is more common in women than in men.
- Age. The disease usually appears between the ages of 30 and 50.
- Race. Scleroderma can affect people of all races and ethnic groups, but the disease can affect African Americans more severely.
What are the types of scleroderma?
There are two types of scleroderma:
- Localized scleroderma affects the skin and tissues below it.
- Systemic scleroderma, sometimes called systemic sclerosis, affects your skin, tissues, blood vessels, and major organs.
What are the symptoms of scleroderma?
The symptoms of scleroderma are different for each person, depending on the type of scleroderma you have.
Localized scleroderma typically causes patches of thick, hard skin in one of two patterns:
- Patches in firm, oval shapes that stay in one area or spread to other areas of skin.
- Lines of thickened or different colored skin that run down your arm, leg, and, rarely, on the forehead.
Systemic scleroderma, also known as systemic sclerosis, may come on quickly or slowly and may also cause problems with your internal organs in addition to the skin. Many people with this type of scleroderma feel overly tired (fatigue).
What causes scleroderma?
Doctors do not know the exact cause of scleroderma, but they think that several factors may play a part in causing the disease:
- Genetic makeup. Genes can increase the chance for certain people to develop scleroderma and play a role determining the type of scleroderma they have. While the disease is not passed from parent to child, you are more likely to develop scleroderma if a close relative has it.
- Environment. Exposure to things in the environment, such as viruses or chemicals, may trigger scleroderma.
- Immune system changes. When your immune system changes, it can trigger cells to make too much collagen in the body. Too much collagen causes patches of tight, hard skin. In some cases, developing cancer cells may trigger scleroderma.
- Hormones. Hormonal or immune-related differences between women and men might play a part in the disease.