Kristen Bortke, Shay Cook, Brandi Davidson, Shawna Dietz, Lenae Schneider, & Jordan Taghon

There are two main types of scleroderma – localized and systemic – which can be broken down further into other subgroups.

• Localized – This is considered the more mild form of scleroderma as the findings only occur on certain places on the skin and do not spread very much from those points. No damage to internal organs is done and rarely develops into a systemic occurrence.

  • Morphea – This is characterized by wax-like patches on the skin, all various in size, shape, and color. The skin under the patches may be thick and tight. They sometimes may enlarge in size, shrink, or disappear randomly.

  • Linear (“En coup de sabrea”) – This form starts as a line or a streak of hardened, waxy skin that appears on commonly on the extremities or the head. It tends to involve deeper layers of the dermis, which can affect joint motility. This tends to be found most often in childhood, which is always a concern for proper growth and development (Wilson & Vincent, 2006).

• Systemic – This is the more aggressive form of the disease as it could potentially affect any source of connective tissue in the body. Most common include: skin, esophagus, stomach, intestines, lungs, kidneys, heart, vessels, muscles, and joints.

  • Limited – The skin thickening is more limited as growth tends to be slower and more harmless. Usually confined to the fingers, hands, and faces, develops slowly over the years. Internal problems may occur but are less frequent and has a delayed onset over several years. It can potentially cause shortness of breath and pulmonary hypertension due to the fibrosis of vessels in the lungs.

  • Diffuse – Very dangerous as skin thickening occurs more rapidly and involves a larger range of skin areas. There is an increased risk for internal organ hardening which happens swiftly.