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Can Morphea Affect Internal Organs?

Morphea is one of the skin conditions and it causes patches formation of reddish skin. These patches become thick with time to form oval-shape and firm areas. Morphea is a type of localized scleroderma. Patches usually take place on the stomach, abdomen and back, while sometimes on the legs, arms and face.

Can Morphea Affect Internal Organs?

Can Morphea Affect Internal Organs?

Morphea is a localized type of scleroderma. Because of this, it only affects the human skin and its surrounding tissues. Furthermore, morphea affects the muscle present beneath the skin in extreme cases. This takes place due to hardening of the surrounding tissues. Along with this, a few people dealing with pansclerotic morphea may experience restrictions in their joints’ movements.

In most of the cases, localized conditions associated with morphea may go away or improve further on own with time. However, the skin damage and related changes taking place whenever the disease remains in active condition is of permanent type. For few people, localized scleroderma or morphea is painful or a disfiguring one.

However, localized type of scleroderma, including the problem of morphea never causes any problem to the internal organs. In addition, localized form of scleroderma progresses to the disease systemic form. Considering the fact that morphea does not affect any of the internal organs, doctors do not consider it a life-threatening condition. Even a few experts perceive localized scleroderma as a relatively less serious threat to one’s health as compared to any other form of the prevailing disease. If you are worrying about your health due to morphea, you should consult with a good skin doctor immediately.

Key Facts On Morphea

Doctors classify morphea based on the localizations of various lesions and the depth/extent of tissues involvement to form patches on the skin.

Underlying cause behind morphea is until now unknown among skin specialists. However, a few experts have predicted that localized scleroderma of this type takes place because of abnormal response of the immune system, trigger because of radiation therapy, repetition of trauma in the affected skin area or any recent infection.

The problem of morphea often goes away without any treatment for 3 years to 5 years period. However, a few individuals even remain left with dark skin areas with rare form of muscular weakness.

Treatment in case of morphea involves controlling symptoms until and unless resolves.

Treatment options include prescription-based Vitamin D creams, phototherapy or corticosteroids.

Symptoms Of Morphea

Signs and symptoms in case of morphea vary depending on the specific type and the severity level. Morphea often results in the formation of reddish skin patches, which becomes thick to form oval-shape and firm areas. Moreover, the central part of the formed patches develops a relatively light center. Such patches sweat less as compared to unaffected skin areas and often lose hair with the passage of time. Patches often take place on the back area, stomach and chest, while in some cases, they take place on the arms, faces and legs.

Types And Numbers Of Patches/Lesions On The Body

In accordance to the deepness and locations of the formed lesions, one can classify morphea into-

  • Circumscribed or localized morphea, which remains limited to one or more numbers of patches on the arms, legs and the trunk
  • Generalized morphea, where lesions spread over relatively large areas in the human body, including the areas of limbs, legs and the trunk
  • Next is linear form of localized scleroderma, in which patients experience the formation of linear bands of the thick skin. It also involves the skin deeper layers, while remains localized in the head, upper body, arms and legs.
  • Last in the category is the pansclerotic or profunda type of morphea. This involves tissues present beneath one’s skin and may cause restrictions in the movement of the joints.

Conclusion

To conclude, we should say that morphea being one of the localized scleroderma conditions, do not cause any problem to the internal organs of the affected individual. Because of this, doctors perceive that the patient is not suffering from a fatal disease.

References:

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Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:August 29, 2023

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