Dr Lalitha Badul

Systemic Scleroderma, also known as systemic sclerosis, is an abnormal thickening of the skin that is caused by a build-up of excess collagen within the structure of the skin.

This causes the skin to tighten causing injury to tiny arteries in the skin tissue. Systemic Scleroderma usually affects the face, hands and feet but can also spread to organs such as the heart, lungs or kidneys causing death in the case of organ failure.

In the hands, the abnormal build-up of connective tissue can cause the skin to tighten so severely that the fingers curl up and are unable to move. Symptoms of Systemic Scleroderma include a hardening of skin and a reddish, scaly appearance accompanied by itching.

There is no known cause of Systemic Scleroderma but it is thought to result from an auto-immune dysfunction. There is no cure for the disease but certain drugs and topical treatments are used to reduce the inflammation.