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Jan 27, 2022 · Scleroderma (sklair-oh-DUR-muh), also known as systemic sclerosis, is a group of rare diseases that involve the hardening and tightening of the skin. It may also cause problems in the blood vessels, internal organs and digestive tract.
The following images let you see some of the ways it can affect your skin. Hard, thickening, or tight skin. This trait is what gives scleroderma its name. Some people develop 1 or 2 patches of hard, thick skin. Others have widespread patches on their body. The hard, thick skin can feel anchored in place.
Treatment works best when started early. If the diagnosis is scleroderma, treatment is most effective when started shortly after the disease has begun. At that time, physical and occupational therapy can help you keep your ability to straighten and bend your joints and maintain your daily life. Started early, treatments like phototherapy (light ...
Only a few people get scleroderma, but no one really knows why. Scleroderma is a rare disease. Fewer than 500,000 people in the United States have scleroderma. No one knows for sure why or how it develops. Some experts report that six out of seven patients are women. The most common age span for scleroderma to develop is between 35 and 50.
Systemic sclerosis can also cause symptoms in other organs and tissue, like your: Muscles: Numbness and swelling, especially in your hands and feet (your extremities). Joints: Stiffness, swelling and loss of mobility (how easily you can move your joint). Lungs: Coughing and shortness of breath ( dyspnea ).
Scleroderma is a progressive disorder characterized by thickening and tightening of the skin — especially on the arms, face and hands — which results in loss of flexibility.
Scleroderma means “hard skin.”. But this disease can affect more than the skin. Joints, muscles, and even internal organs like the kidneys and lungs can harden and tighten. Many people who have scleroderma lead normal—or almost normal—lives. Where you have the hardening and tightening varies with the type of scleroderma you have.
