Morphea or localized scleroderma refers to a health condition that causes discoloration and hardening of the human skin. Skin changes typically takes place on the back, chest and abdominal areas, while they may even appear on legs, arms and face. The patches formed may even become hard, smooth and dry with time.
Morphea often affects only skin’s outer layer, but in some conditions it affects deep tissues as well as restrict the joints movements. In most of the cases, the problem subsides with time easily even though it may recur in the near future. Meanwhile, you should undergo with medication and therapy treatment options to treat your skin discoloration and related problems.
What Does Morphea Feel Like?
Now, the question that strikes in the mind is that how one feels after he or she suffers from morphea. For this, we have to discuss the symptoms, types and complications of the Morphea problem in detail.
Signs And Symptoms Of Morphea
An individual suffering from morphea has following signs and symptoms in accordance with his/her stage and type of the condition.
- Oval shaped skin patches in purple or red color found usually on the back, chest and abdomen
- Gradual development of skin patches with whitish or light center
- Formation of linear patches on the legs and arms
- Gradual changes in the infected part of the skin i.e. shiny and dry skin, thickening and hardening of the skin
- Loss of sweat glands and hair in the infected area with time
Types Of Morphea And Its Manifestations
Morphea comes with different manifestations with large number of subtypes. These include the following-
Plaque or Circumscribed Morphea. Plaque or Circumscribed Morphea involves solitary and round or oval shape of indurated areas, which usually do not coalesce. In this case, variant responsible to affect any deep tissue implies morphea profunda.
Generalized Morphea. Generalized morphea problem consists of the formation of about four or five coalescing plaques i.e. lesions of bigger than 3cms on anatomic regions. In this case, variants have deep lesions to affect most of the surface areas in our body.
Linear Morphea. In case of linear coalescing or band-like thickening plaques, you witness the formation of linear pattern and the involvement of deep tissues.
Mixed Morphea. Mixed morphea involves the presence of various lesions consistent with linear morphea with any other type of generalized lesions in a concomitant way.
Complications Of Morphea
Morphea results in various complications, which include the following-
Problems Related To Self-Esteem. Morphea creates negative effect on the self-esteem and overall body appearance, especially, if discolored skin patches appear on the face, legs and arms.
Movement Problems. In case morphea affects legs and arms, it results in impairing of the joint mobility.
Eye Damages. Children suffering from neck and head morphea often experience unnoticeable but permanent forms of eye damage.
Widespread Areas Of Discolored And Hard Skin. Lastly, morphea results in generalized form of morphea, in which you witness the formation of innumerable new hard and discolored skin patches joining with each other.
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