Risk Factors And Complications Linked To Morphea
Morphea is the name for a skin condition that leads to one patch or multiple patches of hardened or discolored skin on the feet, torso, hands, neck, or face. This condition is rare enough that it affects fewer than three out of every 100,000 individuals. The majority of morphea cases resolve by themselves, but some patients do experience relapses. No internal organs are involved since the condition primarily affects the skin.
Severe forms of morphea can cause cosmetic deformities, and rare cases can affect a patient's skeleton, joints, or muscle. The hallmark sign of morphea is discolored and thick patches of skin in an oval shape. While the patch tends to be reddish, the outer edge might be lilac-colored, and toward the center of the lesion, the color gradually turns to yellow or white.
Age And Gender
The exact cause behind morphea is not currently known, though certain risk factors can increase an individual's chances of developing it. The condition occurs more commonly in women, though there are men who have developed morphea. Both adults and children can develop morphea. When children develop the condition, it tends to be diagnosed in those between two and fourteen years old. In adulthood, morphea usually develops in adults between fifty and sixty years old. Some adults might develop the condition when they're in their mid-forties, and it might persist into their fifties.
Studies indicate morphea is more likely to develop in individuals with European ancestry. Individuals experiencing symptoms of morphea should talk to their doctor, who will probably refer them to a dermatologist, a doctor who specializes in skin diseases. The dermatologist will go over the patient's medical history and risk factors when making a diagnosis.
Impaired Movement
Morphea doesn't involve the internal organs, but it can involve muscles, bones, and joints. When the condition affects an individual's legs or arms, it might impair their joint mobility. Plaque morphea, the most common kind, might cause joint issues if it develops over the joints. The hardening of the skin makes it difficult for the joint to use its full range of motion. Generalized plaque morphea is another type of morphea that can affect the joints, as it can penetrate below the skin to affect the muscle and bone. Pansclerotic morphea, which requires the most aggressive treatment, is a rapidly progressing kind of morphea involving multiple plaques.
Left untreated, it can cover the entire body aside from the hands and feet, which can cause serious joint involvement when the skin hardens over joints. The most common type of morphea in school-age children is linear. With linear morphea, there's just a single band of discolored and thickened skin. It usually runs down a leg or arm, causing mobility issues, though it can sometimes extend down the forehead.
