Rare Skin Diseases

Scleroderma, an auto immune disease which causes scarring of the skin and subsequent thickening of the area involved. It then progresses to hardening of the surrounding skin tissue and may also affect the internal organs, and finally death. The diffuse form of scleroderma involves the extremities and trunk of the body while the limited form involves only the fingers and the head. It is believed to be primarily hereditary with underlying environmental factors. It initially involves some degree of inflammation on the skin, which would then progress to the hardening of the surrounding skin tissues. It could finally lead to limited movement of the extremities as well as the whole body resulting in death.

Harlequin-type ichthyosis is an extreme form of congenital ichthyosis, a skin diseases that makes the skin grow several times faster than normal skin. The firm, scaly skin limits the mobility of the individual afflicted with the disease. It is not supple and flexible, and instead it cracks very easily, allowing bacteria and viruses to enter the skin resulting in frequent exposure to inflammation and irritation. Only very few afflicted with Harlequin ichthyosis survive into adulthood.